One gray day in Grozny, Chechnya, a boy named Ibrahim made the world a little bit brighter, showing us how unconditional a child’s love could be. In a video posted by a neighbor from a nearby residential building, the boy is seen warmly hugging and petting a pair of stray dogs on the sidewalk.
Apparently, he was heading off to school when he spotted the pair of pups chilling about. He could have just kept on walking, but instead he decided to say hello in the most loving way possible. In the video he seems to be taking his sweet time with the puppers, but decides it is time to get going.
He takes a few steps forward but soon turns back around. Standing still for a second in contemplation, he couldn’t help the pull from the dogs any longer and rushed straight back to them, hugging and caressing the four-legged friends.
The video went viral, touching people’s hearts, the boy receiving praise from strangers and friends alike. Katerina, a friend of the family, told that the video was a good reflection of the boy’s true spirit, his selflessness and generosity. She continued to say that the boy often goes to school with her daughter and helps carry her bags, finishing her statement with “he’s a very kind boy.”
However, the caption of the video that was shared highlighted an issue – the cruelty and indifference homeless animals face because of people’s fear of them.
The caption, translated with Google Translate, asks: “why are your children afraid of dogs? (we exclude cases of any tragic events connected with dogs). Children are afraid of dogs, because of the adults next to them, who instill fear, hatred, and aggression in children!”
Whereas the statement is a bit harsh, I recall my own mother telling me that I should beware of dogs, as their behavior could not be predicted.
And with limited news surrounding dogs other than those of sporadic attacks, it’s difficult not to begin fearing the companion animals. It’s taken me a while to be more comfortable with larger dogs, although warning bells do sound off in my mind when they are nearby.
According to , cynophobia, or fear of dogs, is extremely common, although snake and spider phobias are even more prevalent, the average person is far more likely to encounter dogs in daily life.
It is most commonly caused by a negative experience with a dog, especially during childhood, but it’s not limited to horrid or vicious attacks; an overexcited puppy could have jumped, bitten at, or growled at the person, causing them a feeling of distress.
Considering the fact that many parents warn children about approaching strange dogs – and for good measure – a child’s imagination combined with a lack of understanding of dog behavior could lead to a full-blown phobia of dogs.
Although cynophobia can be serious, it is extremely treatable, either with a bit of work with a professional or through more usual and positive interactions with pups of all shapes and sizes.
Although parents might want to protect their children from unforeseen dangers, they shouldn’t forget that dogs are also friends. Look, I’m no developmental or medical expert on this, but telling kids not to kiss, poke, jump on, or lick any animal should be good enough. Also, to wash their hands after any contact. Gentleness and carefulness go a long way and, according to research, animals can teach kids a lot about empathy and responsibility.
According to , pets can help decrease stress and can even help children develop social and emotional skills. From reducing stress and feelings of loneliness to building a compassionate understanding of another’s needs, especially when they cannot be verbalized, these are a few of the benefits of children interacting with animals or growing up with pets.
Of course, many of these have to be taught, so the parent’s role cannot be underestimated. They are the ones that form the foundations of interaction with animals, encouraging one type of behavior, whilst diminishing the other. And, yes, some parents go a bit overboard when trying to protect their children, but can you really blame them?
There are a few initiatives that encourage spending time with animals by having children read to them, such as “Pawsitive Reading”, a program designed to teach children how to read by doing it in front of four-legged friends. They state that “just listening to a person reading out loud has been proven to lower stress levels in animals.” How fascinating is that?
Considering the amazing abilities of animals to sense changes in people, I guess it shouldn’t be that surprising that as the child gets relaxed whilst reading, the pet follows suit. noted the many changes in dog behavior relating to their owner’s mood: “When your body language or tone of voice changes, you might notice that your dog’s attitude changes, too.”
But it goes beyond that, as pups can sense whether you’re a good or bad person. Dogs notice specific things about humans that even we might not be aware of, such as a person looking away during a conversation, tensed muscles, sweating, and more. Pups use their keen sense of smell and great ability to read body language in order to help them decide how to react to people.
So to relate all that information to the story at present, both the stray pups and the child had gained a sense of comfort from one another, neither of them seeing the other as a threat. Whether that be from the good nature of the boy or the skills his parents have taught him relating to animals, one thing is for certain – it is hecking wholesome.
