Then Came the Dog that Ate the Kid
First day of JewCamp is now complete. Both Beernut and Poppyseed spent the afternoon and evening in session and are back in Faculty Row. Sleeping.
Peach’s day had a rockier start.
Drop-off at Camp Katan was nowhere near as smooth as it ought to have been. Things were going just swell until the camp dog, Angel, stopped by for a brief visit. Peach, who has a deep-rooted fear of dogs, leapt into my arms. Not an unremarkable feat given that it was about 15 inches off the ground. Poor kid.
The rest of the day was perfect for him. Fun times in Katan. Delicious shluffie. T’fillah by the lake. And spaghetti for dinner.
Until…Angel brushed past him in the Chadar Ochel. That was Peach’s undoing. Never have I felt his little three-year-old body tremble so fiercely.
To the best of my knowledge, there is no canine trauma in Peach’s past. However, when I asked him why he was so afraid of the little dog, he said that he was afraid the dog was going to eat him.
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Thank you for your understanding...and gut Shabbos!!! 
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As a kid who grew up terrified of dogs, I can identify with Peach. It didn’t pass until I was 18. I don’t remember any trauma and some of my grandchildren are that way too (although my kids weren’t dog lovers I don’t remember them being as terrified as me). Maybe it’s genetic?
I can’t say if it is genetic but I wonder if it’s environmental. I am not a dog person. PC isn’t a dog person (mostly due to his severe allergies). And I wasn’t raised by dog people. Perhaps I subconsciously passed my own misgivings on to my kids.
aw, poor Peach. Yael is also petrified of dogs, but she was nipped by a German shepherd puppy when she was less than 2 years old…she does seem to be getting better.
Oh my, how scary for Yaeli. And for Ima too.
I remember baby sitting for my family doctor when I was in high school many years ago. He had 4 children; the second youngest was 3 yrs. old and terrified of dogs. His solution was to get a puppy for the family! It took two days for Jeannie to overcome her fear…and begin a love affair with the dog that lasted several years. Was that a good solution? Who knows…but it worked for Jeannie.
Boy did that work out well.
As a person with a dog and who absolutely loves dogs, I am aware that even my little 15 lbs dog can cause problems for people who are afraid of dogs. I never assume everyone will like or be comfortable around her. I am especially conscious of children who might show hesitation, because Juno will often bark at someone she doesn’t know and I don’t want that behavior to start a fear or support an existing one. I let them come up to her….Frankly, I am a little surprised there is, or seems to be, the assumption at camp that Angel gets free rein? I hope this won’t affect Peach’s camp experience.
As a non-dog person, I really appreciate your sensitivity.
Angel doesn’t seem to be a problem for anyone other than my kid 😉
And he is doing better. No longer freaks out when Angel is around.