Letter: Meet the Fear-Biters

Submitted by Aaron Arkin.

A “Fear-Biter” is a dog that bites out of fear, often because it feels overwhelmed or threatened. It is a form of aggression where the dog’s primary motivation is to protect itself from perceived danger. As to why it happens, several reasons have been cited, among which include:

• Lack of socialization: Dogs who haven’t been properly socialized with people, other animals, and various environments are more likely to become fearful and reactive.
• Traumatic experiences: Past experiences, like abuse or neglect, can lead to a dog becoming fearful and prone to biting.
• Environmental factors: Living in a stressful or unpredictable environment can contribute to a dog’s fear and anxiety.

As to how to ameliorate the condition, the following advice is offered:

• Seek professional help: A certified dog behaviorist or trainer can provide guidance and develop a safe and effective training plan.
• Create a safe space: Provide your dog with a comfortable and secure area where it can retreat when feeling overwhelmed.
• Positive reinforcement: Use rewards and positive reinforcement to encourage desired behaviors and build your dog’s confidence.
• Desensitization and counter-conditioning: Gradually expose your dog to their fears in a controlled and positive manner.
• Avoid punishment: Punishment can worsen fear and anxiety, leading to more aggression.

Above all, patience and understanding is required. It takes time to help fear-biters overcome their fears and learn to cope with their environment. All very well, and good advice. But what if the fear-biter is a person? Whatever their ambitions, it’s not hard to imagine that the consequences could be devastating. So, it’s important to understand such people and have measured and rational responses in order to limit the damage they can cause.

The first step in this process is to recognize the behavior. Typically, such people attack, denigrate, humiliate, or offer falsehoods, often about those whom they see as less powerful, or without agency. They will sow confusion and uncertainty to disorient and disorganize their perceived enemies and opponents. They will conspire to centralize power under their immediate control and marginalize those who insist on following behavioral norms. They may use economic threats for leverage.

Such individuals must always be on the attack because, like their canine equivalents, their greatest fear is that they will be seen as weak and without agency. The pity of it all is that these weak and frightened individuals sometimes do achieve success and gain great power. Assuming a charismatic persona of strength and infallibility, a cynical facade at best, they work to gain and keep public support by targeting popular grievances and prejudices: appealing to our worst angels.

We can look to the causes of fear-biting in canines, sympathize and try and help them; but the solutions to their problems are unlikely to work for similarly afflicted humans. Such people are not open to introspection or positive reinforcement, so therapy is out of the question. Changing their environment won’t work since they carry their fears and are fixated on their need to control others wherever they go. Providing positive experiences isn’t going to work either because of their mind-set that no matter how much they have, no matter how much power they acquire and wield, it is never enough. And, as with canines, if you attempt to punish them for misdeeds, their behavior only gets worse.

But you can stand up and call out the lies and deceptions. You can share your thoughts with others. You can support organizations that protect basic rights, the marginalized, environmental interests, etc. You can contact congressional representatives and insist they carry out their constitutional responsibilities. You can insist that the Fourth Estate fulfill its mission and call out misdeeds when and where they find them. And you can try and stay well-informed, and carry through on your civic duties.

This might not seem a very strong prescription in the face of such a dangerous problem, but numbers do count.