cynophobia

The only weak point Rourke has, are dogs: he suffers from severe cynophobia.

Around this time Joyce was attacked by a dog, which engendered in him a lifelong cynophobia.

Although Rachman's theory is the accepted model of fear acquisition, cases of cynophobia have been cited in which none of these three causes apply to the patient.

Although snakes and spiders are more common animal phobias, cynophobia is especially debilitating because of the high prevalence of dogs (in the United States estimated at over 62 million in 2003).

Rentz, Timothy O., et al. "Active-Imaginal Exposure: Examination of a New Behavioral Treatment for Cynophobia (Dog Phobia)."

In vivo or exposure therapy is considered the most effective treatment for cynophobia and involves systematic and prolonged exposure to a dog until the patient is able to experience the situation without an adverse response.

A study was conducted at the State University of New York by Dr. Peter A. DiNardo, et al., to distinguish the significance of these three conditions upon the development of cynophobia.

As with other specific phobias, patients suffering from cynophobia may display a wide range of these reactions when confronted with a live dog or even when thinking about or presented with an image (static or filmed) of a dog.

A study done in South Africa by Drs. Willem A. Hoffmann and Lourens H. Human further confirms this conclusion for patients suffering from cynophobia and additionally found dog phobia developing as late as age 20.

This method was use in the above mentioned study done by Drs. Hoffmann and Human whereby twelve female students at the Arcadia campus of Technikon Pretoria College in South Africa were found to possess symptoms of cynophobia.

The book centers on Sheila Tubman, the greatly-contempted rival of Peter Hatcher from past books, who masks her deep cowardice and countless phobias with a much more self-assured, confident personality; however, in truth she suffers from fears ranging from arachnophobia, cynophobia (fear of dogs), and aquaphobia (fear of water).