Shaheen Bhatt: Getting dog-friendly

What happens when a dog lover and someone who’s afraid of dogs start dating? Our expert has some advice for the couple

Doggy deal

Shaheen on how someone with cynophobia can slowly become friends with your pooch

I have four dogs at home and I’ve just met someone who I think is ‘the one’, except she’s scared of dogs. What do I do?

—Amrit Kashyap, Via Instagram

Cynophobia or fear of dogs is a fairly common phobia.

Step one is to recognise that your partner has to become comfortable enough to co-exist with your dogs.

Therapy is a great way to deal with specific phobias provided your partner is willing. Till then, incrementally desensitise your partner to being around dogs.

Start with interacting with dogs that are far away, then dogs that are leashed and restrained and then spend time with an unleashed dog.

The idea is to gradually get your partner used to being in the presence of dogs without overloading her emotionally.

Shaheen Bhatt’s public outing of her own challenges with mental health fuelled discourse about a relatively ignored topic, and made her a role model for young girls to look up to

From HT Brunch, June 20, 2021

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