40 Completely Normal Objects The Canine Community Says Turn Their "Brave" Doggos Into Big Babies

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Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager
May 5, 2026 6:45 AM EDT

Not all dogs are fearless protectors. Some of them need us to carry them when they see a mouse…. or a garbage bag.

Different dog breeds have varying degrees of fear. A golden retriever, for example, is basically bred not to be afraid of anything. They're so wired to seek out approval and love that they barely understand the concept of fear. Whereas a malinois, for example, is a much more nervous dog, which are more prone to developing fears as they get older. Not even related to breeds, some dogs are just more fearful of others, it's in their genetics. The problem with a dog's fears, though, is that you can't explain to them that just because the floor is wood in one section of the house (and not carpet), it doesn't mean that it's worthy of being feared.

Some dogs have some truly howlarious objects that turn them from brave, loyal doggos into big bumbling babies, and at a certain point, you just have to laugh at it. From traffic cones to "anything yellow", the canine community laid out all the completely normal objects their doggos are terrified of, and we loved reading through each one. As someone with a nervous doggo himself, it helped me to know that we weren't alone in avoiding things like metal manholes and shopping carts to keep our doggo cool as a cucumber. Read through all these howlarious answers below!

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  • 01

    Which inanimate object is your dog scared of for no reason?

    Cheezburger Image 10628739072
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    Dalmation hiding behind a blue couch

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    Our dog won't come anywhere near trash bags on the street and this one little bin in my office scares tf out of him for seemingly no reason. It's so funny to see him slowly approach it and then get so tripped up - I try to tell him it's ok, it's not going to hurt you! what object scares your dog?
    via megebau
  • 03
    Yenolam777 My dog was afraid of the monster face that was sewn onto the bat of my toddler's pants. She kept barking at his a
    via megebau
  • 04
    That-gay-emo-nerd Statues and blowup lawn decorations
    via That-gay-emo-nerd
  • 05
    kal_pal Orange. Orange anything, construction cones, construction vests, construction hats. Construction anything
    via kal_pal

  • Those of us with nervous/reactive dogs know how alert you have to be during your walks. You can't just zone out and scroll on your phone while your dog walks themselves. You have to be aware to any potential triggers for your doggo and actively avoid them before it becomes an issue. Why? Because every time they have a negative reaction to something they fear, it reinforces that the action they took help them avoid the trigger. Usually, that involves barking, biting, or running away. We want to teach them to be neutral around these objects, and in order to help them do that, you have to be in complete control of the situation and walk them through, step by step.

  • 06
    persimmon9847 My 100+lb dog freaks out if anything outside gets blown over by the wind. "Nope, there's clearly a ghost, can't walk there!"
    via persimmon9847
  • 07
    matthewamerica I walk my dog along the same route everyday and have for about three ish years. About 9 months ago they installed a dog waste bin about a block away from a corner we turn on to go home. To be clear bin is a block away and the we never get closer than about a block from it. But since day one my
    via matthewamerica
  • 08
    dog DOES NOT TRUST THE BIN. When we get close to it he must freeze and stare at it like it is the T Rex from jurassic Park and it's vision is based on movement. We then stand still for about 2 minutes before we move on. My dog (Winston) is 220lbs and is
    via matthewamerica
  • 09
    generally what I would call unbothered, he is big and knows it. Not aggressive, but never ever scared. But, that bin though? That d In thing is up to something, and it isn't good.
    via matthewamerica
  • 10
    Confident_Bridge_382 Air purifier. It has a built in sensor and she farted near it once which kicked it on. Also the cast iron skillet because I set off the smoke detector ONE TIME.
    via Confident_Bridge_382
  • 11
    Awake521 Balloons!
    via Awake521
  • 12
    portezbie My dog was terrified of the Netflix ba bum for g d in weeks
    via portezbie
  • 13
    Natsukashii Trash bags for sure. Also balloons and motorcycles. Even if they are just parked.
    via Natsukashii
  • 14
    jrice138 Logs. There was a new log on our walk the other day after the creek flooded a bit. He's a pretty mellow dog that doesn't really get aggressive about much, but he did not like that log.
    via jrice138
  • 15
    Techno214 An axe in a wood chunk. The wood? Fine. The axe lying against the wood? All right. The axe on the ground? Sure! But. IN the log, almost parallel to the ground? Scariest thing he's ever seen.
    via Techno214
  • 16
    Also anything neon green or yellow. Hates crossing guards, McDonald's signs, Subway signs, etc.
    via Techno214
  • 17
    BagsYourMail Statues of animals. She will have a meltdown
    via BagsYourMail
  • 18
    kmill0202 Cardboard boxes, especially large ones. No idea why. It's gotten better in recent years, but he used to just run away whenever he saw one.
    via kmill0202
  • 19
    Cheezburger Image 10628738816
    via Xingchen Yan

    Nervous dog sitting on the floor while owner feeds it

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 20
    kellydayscruff suitcase lol
    via kellydayscruff
  • 21
    Reeferzeus My dog has overcome fears of so many things but the craziest ones he has gotten spooked from:
    via Reeferzeus
  • 22
    . • cardboard box randomly in the road • any flag . shopping carts • automatic doors ⚫lime bikes/scooters that are just sitting there • rollerbladers!!! Cannot comprehend a zooming human
    via Reeferzeus
  • 23
    • trash cans . garbage bags • random furniture on a free . corner ⚫ honestly anything that is different or out of place
    via Reeferzeus
  • 24
    I adopted him when he was 4 and he possibly came from a rural area originally, so I just think it's taken him some time to become more of a city boi.
    via Reeferzeus
  • 25
    anonymousrex_ Cooling mats. I even laid down on one to show him it's safe and he slapped me :(
    via anonymousrex_
  • 26
    Jayra0823 A giant rubber duck that I have D
    via Jayra0823
  • 27
    really-no-1 metal grates or any metal covers on the ground
    via really-no-1
  • 28
    Cheezburger Image 10628739328
    via Anastasiya D

    Husky scared of a cat on a fence

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 29
    mhiaa173 My mom once put a canteloupe on the windowsill to ripen--you'd have thought the bogeyman was sitting there!
    via mhiaa173
  • 30
    SoGudUthklCheat Anything new. I mean it. Amazon box by the front door? Bark bark bark, scoot backwards bark bark bark.
    via SoGudUthklCheat
  • 31
    Left a can of soda outside on the patio? Not on my watch, bark bark bark. Set the Dyson on the couch for a min and she's out of the room? IS THAT BARK BARK BARK.
    via SoGudUthklCheat
  • 32
    Branch fell off a tree and is now in the yard? WHO PUT THAT THERE BARK BARK BARK. I swear she has OCD or something.
    via SoGudUthklCheat
  • 33
    KCMMac Last Halloween Giant "smoke" blowing animatronic Dragon with sound effects and red glowing eyes (legit this this was 3x the size of my suv) = great new friend! Basic plastic skeleton or headstone = most terrifying thing in the world.
    via KCMMac
  • 34
    Expensive Structure2 Exercise ball sends all 90 lbs of him running scared.
    via Expensive_Structure2
  • 35
    popkiwibanana Lawn gnome
    via popkiwibanana
  • 36
    angelarose210 The broom stick. If I want to keep him out of a section or room (open floor plan) I just lay it across the floor.
    via angelarose210
  • 37
    billionsofbeaches The tape measure, we think it's the sounds it makes?
    via billionsofbeaches
  • 38
    sodaonmyheater If a garage sale sign has balloons on it, it terrifies him. I've learned to just cross the street because he will freeze up completely.
    via sodaonmyheater
  • 39
    CavalierMidnight Extension cords. And not coiled up like a snake, which I could understand. Just a straight, untangled extension cord on the floor. Little weirdo
    via CavalierMidnight
  • 40
    sadgouda My jeffree star cremation pallet
    via sadgouda
  • 41
    -money The floor. No really. If the flooring in a place is different than what she's used to, instant nope out of her. Hotels are a nightmare.
    via p**p-money
  • 42
    helmetdeep805 Battery operated fly swatter...when it zaps the fly they all freak out
    via helmetdeep805
  • 43
    mighty_kites One day my boy walked out to the yard, saw a dandelion that had grown up overnight, barked at it and ran back inside.
    via mighty_kites
  • 44
    allorache Not with us anymore, but we had a dog that was terrified of bridges. Like it could be 3 feet long and barely above a stream running across a trail and nope. We had to carry him.
    via allorache

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Babies dogs brave scared canine doggos canine community normal animals
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