I encountered a charming couple on my afternoon dog walk.

They were accompanied by their seven-year-old pointer who barked continuously throughout our conversation.

“He hates black Labradors,” they told me nodding towards my two.

I listened closely to the barking while observing their dog.

“How long has he been doing this?” I asked.

“For about four years since he was attacked by a black Lab.”

I looked carefully at Mr Pointer and he didn’t seem the slightest bit concerned with my dogs.

“You might remember that incident but your dog doesn’t,” I told them.

“He has no idea why he’s barking. It’s a habit he’s developed fuelled by your anxiety.”

To prove the point I asked them to give me his lead, which they did somewhat reluctantly. I immediately started walking away from them with Mr Pointer and my own dogs side-by-side.

By the time we were 20 yards away the barking stopped completely. As I lead the dogs back towards Mr Pointer’s owners the barking started again.

I turned away and the barking stopped.

His owners were confused and asked why Mr Pointer had stopped barking when I walked him away and started again when I turned back towards them.

I explained that the issue with black Labradors wasn’t with their dog but with them.

Dogs live in the moment, had they not continually revisited the unfortunate incident with a black Labrador all those years ago Mr Pointer would have just let it go.

Their nervous regurgitation of the incident kept him trapped in the past.

When I took his lead I never expected any reaction to my two black Labs so I was relaxed and so was Mr Pointer. It was probably the first time he’d been so for four years.

My lack of anxiety enabled him to let go of his ‘phobia’ and move on.

Providing they can learn to let go of their own fear, Mr Pointer will have no trouble with black Labs in the future.

If you are sending your dog barking mad and need help, join one of my classes.

You can contact Vic by email at vicbarlow@icloud.com or text him on 07590 560012.