A fear of dogs dominated my childhood and hasn't left me – until recently | Anna Sublet

As a child I felt constantly at risk, scared to walk the neighbourhood. Who knew if a free-ranging dog might emerge from a driveway and rip my head off?

Fears are not rational. But growing up, in my mind, it made perfect sense that a dog could bite me, and moreover, most likely would if given the chance.

My fear was born of repeated backyard encounters with a mauling, snarling dog. We shared the yard with tenants who lived in the other part of our grandfather's house. This meant our sandpit was contested territory, my dolls were easy targets, and my young mind was easily imprinted with the image of slavering jaws crushing heads. Dolls' heads, true, but that had implications.