Mom adopted a Great Dane, I think I have a fear of large dogs. What do I do?
My mom brought home a 3 yo Great Dane a few days ago. She works during the day but I (19f) do school online so I’m home most of the day. It’s not all large dogs, I have a golden retriever that I’m not scared of. But anytime I’m around extra large breeds (Danes, cane corso, Doberman, full size poodles, ect) I immediately start sweating and my heart beats so fast it almost hurts, if I have to touch the dog I usually start crying. The Dane was okay the first couple days, but today when I was putting her in her crate because I needed to run to town she growled at me, I don’t think she was just talking to me because she did that thing with her head that dogs do when trying to get another dog to back down. I had to hold the door shut with my foot for several minutes because I was afraid she would bite me as I did the latch.
She came from this rescue and the people said she was being turned over because her owners were moving to an apartment, but I don’t know if that’s true. Maybe she was just mean. I sat on the bathroom floor for ten minutes feeling like I was going to vomit. Thinking about how I’m going to have to deal with this dog for at least the next 8 years.
What am I supposed to do when this 150 pound monster needs to go out to potty/in and out of crate?
(I think it is worthy to mention that I was attacked and hospitalized by a husky when I was young. I don’t remember much of it but it’s the only thing I can think of that may be causing the fear)
Posted Apr 2, 2026, 10:34 PM UTC