Cucumbers are funny looking things. One may say even a bit crude!
Although funny looking, the majority of dogs will not be afraid of cucumbers.
Reasons why dogs are not afraid vary. Some dogs would not be scared because they eat cucumbers in their food. If anything a dog is likely to be more curious about cucumbers, if it’s a new object in their surroundings.
Dogs may also want to play with a cucumber and use it as a toy.
Why Majority of Dogs Are Not Afraid
Dogs Can Eat Cucumbers
Dogs can eat cucumbers. If a dog has cucumbers regularly as a snack it’s unlikely to get too freaked out seeing one lying around the house. This is because it will be used to the taste and smell and even sight of a cucumber.
One half cup of Cucumbers provides about 8 calories, so they are a fantastic healthy, low calorie snack for your pooch.
Dogs Can Become Familiar With Smell
Dogs’ sense of smell can be up to 10-100,000 more powerful than humans. Some dogs’ sense of smell is up to a million times more powerful than humans. This highly attuned sense of smell can catch different scents in the air.
A dog’s sense of smell is so powerful they can even smell and find bed bug infestations with a 96% accuracy.
So you can bet it can smell the scent of a cucumber. A dog would likely be more curious to investigate this new smell than be petrified of it, which leads us on to the next point.
Dogs Are More Curious Than Scared
Dogs are instinctively curious creatures. They like to investigate and explore new sights, smells, and sounds.
If you have ever taken your dog to a new location you can see how excited they get when they jump out of the car and start wandering around.
You may find your dog sniffing around a cucumber and trying to lick it to get a feel for what it is.
Cucumbers Can Be Dog Toys
A cucumber could also be a play toy. You could play tug of war with your dog and a cucumber. You may also find your dog jumping on a cucumber playfully, and shaking it around in its mouth. Other modes of play include licking and biting a cucumber.
Check out this YouTube video where a cute foster dog can’t get enough of his pet cucumber carrying it around in its mouth and bringing it to his bed.
You may be wondering if very small dogs are afraid compared to their larger breeds. The answer is also a no. I mean look at these chihuahuas eating and playing with cucumbers.
Cucumbers do not look threatening or interesting
Let’s be honest, cats are instinctively scared of snakes. However, dogs are not, according to discovermagazine.com.
So this begs the question: what would a dog view a cucumber as?
Cucumbers to most dogs really are not that exciting or threatening…Just like a apple or a cardboard box, a cucumber is just another object in a dogs surrounding.
You can see from the video below these dogs really are not all that interested in a cucumber. They ponder around and occasionally sniff it, but they are very disinterested.
Why Some Dogs Would Be Scared Of Cucumbers?
Cucumbers Can Look Weird
Smaller dogs may associate a cucumber with some sort of lizard or reptile. A cucumber may also just look plain weird and could spook a dog out. Have you ever tried dressing up in a halloween costume and then meeting your dog?
Initially your dog is going to think you’re a weird looking stranger and might feel scared. Your dog will jump and bark at you.
For example, the video below shows a dog barking at a cucumber:
Dogs Are Territorial
Naturally dogs are quite territorial especially when puppies. That is why you see dogs peeing on trees or getting protective if a stranger invades their personal space.
Territorial actions can include jumping, lunging, barking, biting, and growling to name a few.
If your dog displays some of these actions towards a cucumber it may feel the cucumber is invading his home and territory. Of course, your dog would initially need to believe the cucumber is a living thing to display these actions in the beginning.
Bad Emotions Associated With Cucumber
Your dog could be scared of a cucumber if the dog associates negative feelings with a cucumber. This may be from previous trauma where a cucumber was used in a way that may have scared, or angered a dog.
If you’re constantly prodding your dog with a cucumber hoping to get a reaction, your dog may associate the cucumber with feelings of discomfort. The same goes if the cucumber is used as a form of behavior correction.
Animal cruelty should never happen but does. If a previous owner used a cucumber to hit a dog or cause pain then this would also make a dog afraid of a cucumber.
FAQ
What to do if your dog is afraid?
If your dog is in the small minority that is afraid of cucumbers do not worry! You can add some treats every time they step closer to the cucumber. You can also surround the cucumber with treats to show it’s not a threatening fruit.
You could even try playing with your dog with the cucumber. Play with another toy and place it next to the cucumber. Gradually you could start picking up the cucumber and show its not a harmful threat in any way but also a toy.
If your dog really does have a phobia then talk to a dog behaviour expert (I doubt most dogs will have such a phobia though).
