miritchka -“Being afraid usually stems from a past experience. If a child (or adult) gets startled by a dogs bark, chased by a dog, etc.., could make one afraid of dogs for life.”
Yup. As a kid I went to visit a Frum neighbor who owned a dog and I was scared to get too close. Me and the dog had a staring match and then all of a sudden the dog started chasing me and I ran and then the dog jumped on me before the Frum owner was able to call it off. Ever since then I’m petrified of dogs.