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Cynophobia
Cynophobia is the intense, persistent, irrational fear of dogs. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), seven to nine percent of the population are terrified of dogs. Of course, not every fear is irrational. My fears, for example, are not irrational. It is the people in my life that are irrational. My reasons for being afraid, and my actions, were justified. Still, it is hard to believe that it all began with a street cat named Kegels. Or, then again, maybe it was the hedgehog; - that God damn shit machine… Who the fuck knows?
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Published January 1, 2021
13 people want to read
About the author
Gerhard Jason Geick
13 books15 followersGerhard is the author of NOSOPHOBIA, The Childhood Apocalypse of Saint Yahea, I Eat Babies, and The Geriatric Juice Box (with Todd Love). Gerhard lives in Canada, The Great White North, with his wife, two daughters, and grand baby. You can find his works at Godless.com.
Gerhard has been writing and self-publishing for 25 years, and over the past fifteen years he has published thirteen short stories, five collections of short fiction and drabbles, and two collections of essays.
Gerhard has been a fan of horror for over thirty years. His journey began in grade seven, when he picked Pet Semetary off the shelf in his school’s library. From King, he transitioned to authors like Richard Laymon, Bentley Little, and Edward Lee. Recently, he discovered Independent Horror, Splatterpunk, Bizzarro, and Godless.com. NOSOPHOBIA was his first attempt at Splatterpunk, and it wasn’t his last. NOSOPHOBIA became a number one Godless bestseller within twelve hours of its release and has remained a Top Ten Bestseller for over three years.
Gerhard’s other influences include John Steinbeck, Ray Bradbury, Ayn Rand, John Wyndham, Michael Crichton, Kurt Vonnegut, Chuck Palahniuk, William Golding, J.D. Salinger, Philip K. Dick, Jim Thompson, Matt Shaw, Kevin Sweeny, Rayne Havok, Simon McHardy, Carlton Mellick the 3rd, and Daniel Volpe, to name a few.
Gerhard’s writing is dark, satirical, and full of twists, and even if what you are reading is only 100 words long (a Drabble), you won't see the wall until you hit it.
When Gerhard is not writing or reading, he can often be found editing. Gerhard has been an editor for over ten years. He has edited and co-written/ghost written over sixty novels. He has also edited and developed educational scripts, pamphlets, manuals, Interactive Stories, and designed educational web sites. Gerhard is currently accepting solicitations from independent authors. For more information: BookPredator.com
Gerhard has been writing and self-publishing for 25 years, and over the past fifteen years he has published thirteen short stories, five collections of short fiction and drabbles, and two collections of essays.
Gerhard has been a fan of horror for over thirty years. His journey began in grade seven, when he picked Pet Semetary off the shelf in his school’s library. From King, he transitioned to authors like Richard Laymon, Bentley Little, and Edward Lee. Recently, he discovered Independent Horror, Splatterpunk, Bizzarro, and Godless.com. NOSOPHOBIA was his first attempt at Splatterpunk, and it wasn’t his last. NOSOPHOBIA became a number one Godless bestseller within twelve hours of its release and has remained a Top Ten Bestseller for over three years.
Gerhard’s other influences include John Steinbeck, Ray Bradbury, Ayn Rand, John Wyndham, Michael Crichton, Kurt Vonnegut, Chuck Palahniuk, William Golding, J.D. Salinger, Philip K. Dick, Jim Thompson, Matt Shaw, Kevin Sweeny, Rayne Havok, Simon McHardy, Carlton Mellick the 3rd, and Daniel Volpe, to name a few.
Gerhard’s writing is dark, satirical, and full of twists, and even if what you are reading is only 100 words long (a Drabble), you won't see the wall until you hit it.
When Gerhard is not writing or reading, he can often be found editing. Gerhard has been an editor for over ten years. He has edited and co-written/ghost written over sixty novels. He has also edited and developed educational scripts, pamphlets, manuals, Interactive Stories, and designed educational web sites. Gerhard is currently accepting solicitations from independent authors. For more information: BookPredator.com
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 23, 2021
Adding too many pets to your home is never a good idea, especially if your spouse has a good reason to be afraid of dogs. This is a disturbing and gory short, not recommended for animal lovers. I am looking forward to the upcoming story that is prefaced at the end of this book.
August 29, 2021
Gerhard didn’t give a fuck that animal cruelty was one of my triggers. He nail gunned his story to my dog’s head and said if I didn’t read it he’d blowtorch my cat. Another brutal masterpiece from the master of making me uncomfortable.
August 24, 2021
Ouch!!! 😮
I love how Gerhards story's always start off slow, then BAM, mayhem, blood, gore, shit and vomit!!!! Loved it!!
This one was a bit of a tough read because of the content, but I think that made it better! More shocking and horrific!
Keep 'em coming Gerhard!! 🖤
I love how Gerhards story's always start off slow, then BAM, mayhem, blood, gore, shit and vomit!!!! Loved it!!
This one was a bit of a tough read because of the content, but I think that made it better! More shocking and horrific!
Keep 'em coming Gerhard!! 🖤
October 27, 2021
Brilliant read! I prefer the 'new' ending to the 'original' but that is probably down to personal preference. What's that? You prefer the other? Wanna fight about it?
September 18, 2021
Geick's Cynophobia begins with a drabble. In this case, it's a heartbreaking drabble that certainly sets the stage and tests the waters for the reader, in advance of the main story. It's suitable for that purpose, in that it's perhaps harder to read than what Geick offers up to us in this new tale of mental illness, irrational fear, and failing relationships. None of this is easy to read for an animal lover, and especially a dog lover.
I am an animal lover.
While I was growing up, I had several birds (my great aunt raised them for sale and had a room that consisted of virtually nothing but walls of bird cages. I've owned snakes and tarantulas. I have a daughter who didn't take particularly good care of three guinea pigs she'd received as pets quite a few years ago--but she was only eight or nine at the time, so I shouldn't have expected too much. They were adorable little things, though. They were, all three, sweet as can be, but they also produced a whole lot of waste that wasn't properly cleaned up. I've owned a total of five ferrets over the years, and it's challenging to keep up with the rancid mess they make, no matter how well-trained you believe them to be. We have a cat in our home, and we had a terrific rabbit until recently, and I'm allergic to both. I've had, at this point in my life, a total of 11 dogs, I currently own three of them, all under the age of five and two of them under the age of two. In October of 2019, the best dog I've ever owned died in my arms when a cruel sort of blood cancer stole her from me when she was only seven.
It was worth mentioning all of that because I can sympathize with the protagonist of Cynophobia in a handful of ways while simultaneously considering him almost alien in others.
No more pets was not the insoluble rule he expected it to be, he learns, as his wife progressively turns their home into a menagerie. The relentless hoarding drives the couple further apart and our protagonist distances himself from both his wife and his daughters. As the situation at home spirals out of control, Geick propels us toward a breaking point at which nothing will be the same. It's a train wreck in relatively slow motion that the reader can't turn away from.
Cynophobia presents us with two possible endings, the original (S.A.D.) ending and the new ending Geick's written for this version of the story. In one available ending, the sickness and mental illness appear to spread from one parent to the other, manifesting in an awful climax that will make many readers cringe. In the alternate conclusion, we witness the--hopefully--more natural end of the relationship and the outcome of the clear mental illness left unrestrained at the core of this tale.
You'll have to read them both, to discover which one you prefer. The splattery side of my nature prefers one, while the animal lover in me prefers the other. Neither of them is pleasant, and as the story says, there are no happy endings.
I am an animal lover.
While I was growing up, I had several birds (my great aunt raised them for sale and had a room that consisted of virtually nothing but walls of bird cages. I've owned snakes and tarantulas. I have a daughter who didn't take particularly good care of three guinea pigs she'd received as pets quite a few years ago--but she was only eight or nine at the time, so I shouldn't have expected too much. They were adorable little things, though. They were, all three, sweet as can be, but they also produced a whole lot of waste that wasn't properly cleaned up. I've owned a total of five ferrets over the years, and it's challenging to keep up with the rancid mess they make, no matter how well-trained you believe them to be. We have a cat in our home, and we had a terrific rabbit until recently, and I'm allergic to both. I've had, at this point in my life, a total of 11 dogs, I currently own three of them, all under the age of five and two of them under the age of two. In October of 2019, the best dog I've ever owned died in my arms when a cruel sort of blood cancer stole her from me when she was only seven.
It was worth mentioning all of that because I can sympathize with the protagonist of Cynophobia in a handful of ways while simultaneously considering him almost alien in others.
No more pets was not the insoluble rule he expected it to be, he learns, as his wife progressively turns their home into a menagerie. The relentless hoarding drives the couple further apart and our protagonist distances himself from both his wife and his daughters. As the situation at home spirals out of control, Geick propels us toward a breaking point at which nothing will be the same. It's a train wreck in relatively slow motion that the reader can't turn away from.
Cynophobia presents us with two possible endings, the original (S.A.D.) ending and the new ending Geick's written for this version of the story. In one available ending, the sickness and mental illness appear to spread from one parent to the other, manifesting in an awful climax that will make many readers cringe. In the alternate conclusion, we witness the--hopefully--more natural end of the relationship and the outcome of the clear mental illness left unrestrained at the core of this tale.
You'll have to read them both, to discover which one you prefer. The splattery side of my nature prefers one, while the animal lover in me prefers the other. Neither of them is pleasant, and as the story says, there are no happy endings.
October 11, 2021
Well that was a gory brutal short story. I like how this one just sneaks up and hits you in the face all at one with the violence and brutality. Keep these coming they are awesome.
August 27, 2021
Cynophobia:
The fear of dogs, you say? Well, I have the opposite problem. I was actually afraid to read this, because I get BIG mad when someone even suggests hurting an animal. I was so worried that I’d be scarred for life by the images, before even opening page one, because Gerhard’s stories take you on a very intense and personal journey.
Fast forward to the end. I’m open mouthed and shocked. It takes me a few moments to compose myself and I breath deeply and wait for thoughts to form. I’m overwhelmed with feelings. My heart is broken, I feel compassion, utter sorrow and also a bit of amusement. How do you do this to me, Gerhard?! How do you make me love a story that I was terrified of, just because of your raw talent and ability to feel compassion for a person I swore to hate?! This is the power of a gifted writer. THIS is why I’ll be a forever fan!
When a downtrodden man and his spiraling marriage begin to falter, he does everything in his power to overlook his wife’s flaws and oddities. He’s a “glass half-full” kind of guy, and everything can be rationalized and explained away. But, as things get more out of control, and the mental illness cannot be denied, he’s left with some very troubling predicaments. In the midst of the madness, our storyteller is surrounded by his wife’s bad decisions. He’s immersed in her chaos day and night… until one day, after one last straw, he snaps. The ending will shock you! You will never ever forget this story!!
After a few moments, you too will be overwhelmed and unable to fully express yourself. You’ll look up from this book, take a few gulps of air, and immediately wish you had a drink. I guarantee it.
The fear of dogs, you say? Well, I have the opposite problem. I was actually afraid to read this, because I get BIG mad when someone even suggests hurting an animal. I was so worried that I’d be scarred for life by the images, before even opening page one, because Gerhard’s stories take you on a very intense and personal journey.
Fast forward to the end. I’m open mouthed and shocked. It takes me a few moments to compose myself and I breath deeply and wait for thoughts to form. I’m overwhelmed with feelings. My heart is broken, I feel compassion, utter sorrow and also a bit of amusement. How do you do this to me, Gerhard?! How do you make me love a story that I was terrified of, just because of your raw talent and ability to feel compassion for a person I swore to hate?! This is the power of a gifted writer. THIS is why I’ll be a forever fan!
When a downtrodden man and his spiraling marriage begin to falter, he does everything in his power to overlook his wife’s flaws and oddities. He’s a “glass half-full” kind of guy, and everything can be rationalized and explained away. But, as things get more out of control, and the mental illness cannot be denied, he’s left with some very troubling predicaments. In the midst of the madness, our storyteller is surrounded by his wife’s bad decisions. He’s immersed in her chaos day and night… until one day, after one last straw, he snaps. The ending will shock you! You will never ever forget this story!!
After a few moments, you too will be overwhelmed and unable to fully express yourself. You’ll look up from this book, take a few gulps of air, and immediately wish you had a drink. I guarantee it.
September 5, 2021
Great new addition to this book. I did like the S.A.D ending, but I loved the new ending. You can choose your own adventure in this book or read both as I did. I have had many pets over the years and can relate to the hedgehog dilemma. If you love dogs, be warned!
May 13, 2022
This one is the best so far! We probably all know someone like this so it was easy to see this playing out in real life. He really tried, didn’t he?
I prefer the S.A.D. ending but liked them both.
I prefer the S.A.D. ending but liked them both.
September 15, 2021
This book made me uncomfortable the whole way through. And I have to say I would probably react the same way that the main character did with those living conditions. Guess I'm just as sick as the author.
September 22, 2021
Nobody else working in our part of the horror field is like Geick. There is nothing predictable about his work, save for a growing sense of unease as he drags us through his narratives towards who-the-fuck-knows what end.
November 15, 2021
I'm not an advocate for animal violence in any way, but that little fucker had it coming.
November 13, 2023
Animal hoarders suck. So here we’re taking them to task to say the least. Cute, relatable opening w/ a hedgehog named Otis, chip-swilling kids, and an obliviously selfish girlfriend. Should there be a drinking game for every time the word sh!t appears? It’s funny the cat’s name is Kegels, and how the woman pawns his stuff to buy more exotic pets. Learned what a Jap Walking Fish is. A retarded ferret is a hilarious image.
Few typos (mostly of homophones like course and coarse) but solid voice, especially for indie splatterpunk. Good buildup of resentment. I like that the MC has his own pets he favors so he doesn’t come across so black-and-white. He really does try to see the other side and come up w/ compromises—but how far and long can someone grate on you?
I’ve always favored second POV and like he’s addressing his complaints to the wife, who is especially egotistical for getting pets after knowing his dad traumatized him and the dog in visceral memories—not to mention allergies or an unsafe/unhealthy environment for kids. Just wish we knew more about what triggered her to hoard/build this pack. Not enough people IRL realize you don’t wanna be around your gross, noisy pet or were attacked before.
Would have been a good angle to talk about how often gerbils get bloody faces and behind because they eat their plastic toys. I like that the splatter here isn’t so much gore as waste and maggots and puke. The alliteration and metaphors are surprisingly elegant despite what’s pictured.
I’m not the biggest fan of the epilogue coming when it did—felt better for a TV movie than a written story—until the last line. I like what happened but the flow went from being methodical to rushed so also felt less horror-y that way. I like the first ending better but they both need more fleshing (or furring) out. Still, I’m impressed and will follow this author.
Few typos (mostly of homophones like course and coarse) but solid voice, especially for indie splatterpunk. Good buildup of resentment. I like that the MC has his own pets he favors so he doesn’t come across so black-and-white. He really does try to see the other side and come up w/ compromises—but how far and long can someone grate on you?
I’ve always favored second POV and like he’s addressing his complaints to the wife, who is especially egotistical for getting pets after knowing his dad traumatized him and the dog in visceral memories—not to mention allergies or an unsafe/unhealthy environment for kids. Just wish we knew more about what triggered her to hoard/build this pack. Not enough people IRL realize you don’t wanna be around your gross, noisy pet or were attacked before.
Would have been a good angle to talk about how often gerbils get bloody faces and behind because they eat their plastic toys. I like that the splatter here isn’t so much gore as waste and maggots and puke. The alliteration and metaphors are surprisingly elegant despite what’s pictured.
I’m not the biggest fan of the epilogue coming when it did—felt better for a TV movie than a written story—until the last line. I like what happened but the flow went from being methodical to rushed so also felt less horror-y that way. I like the first ending better but they both need more fleshing (or furring) out. Still, I’m impressed and will follow this author.
August 23, 2021
Cynophobia is a story in the world of Gerhard Jason Geick’s Phobia Series that will leave you shaken!
This story is so sad, funny, and brutal all wrapped into one. When our main character’s wife quits her job and begins bringing all sorts of pets home chaos shortly ensues. With a man at his wits end being forced from his living quarters, creating his own space, and a family that keeps growing in numbers (that he did not wish for) he attempts to be calm. He takes everything in stride, tries to keep his cool, but how much can a man take?
Another amazing entry from the brilliant mind of GJG! This story will leave you shaken, and with mixed emotions at the end. What would you do? How much could you endure? When would you snap? These are questions you must ask yourself while reading. For those sensitive towards animals there are some, very brief, difficult sequences. However, Geick delivers them with poise, respect, and reasoning. This is NOT a story of animal abuse!
I have to give Cynophobia four and a half hedgehogs out of five Kegals. This may be one heartbreaking story that will leave you with feelings of pain on all fronts. If you have dove into Gerhard’s book of Drabbles In A Dark Place you will notice that there is much to be seen as ties here. I only deduct half a star because I absolutely loved Nihilophobia, and this one comes very close! Get it today only on www.godless.com!
This story is so sad, funny, and brutal all wrapped into one. When our main character’s wife quits her job and begins bringing all sorts of pets home chaos shortly ensues. With a man at his wits end being forced from his living quarters, creating his own space, and a family that keeps growing in numbers (that he did not wish for) he attempts to be calm. He takes everything in stride, tries to keep his cool, but how much can a man take?
Another amazing entry from the brilliant mind of GJG! This story will leave you shaken, and with mixed emotions at the end. What would you do? How much could you endure? When would you snap? These are questions you must ask yourself while reading. For those sensitive towards animals there are some, very brief, difficult sequences. However, Geick delivers them with poise, respect, and reasoning. This is NOT a story of animal abuse!
I have to give Cynophobia four and a half hedgehogs out of five Kegals. This may be one heartbreaking story that will leave you with feelings of pain on all fronts. If you have dove into Gerhard’s book of Drabbles In A Dark Place you will notice that there is much to be seen as ties here. I only deduct half a star because I absolutely loved Nihilophobia, and this one comes very close! Get it today only on www.godless.com!
April 16, 2023
I'm not a fan of extreme horror, splatterpunk, or anything too grotesque, but I respect other folks who write and read these subgenres. The kinds of horror I enjoy are usually paranormal/supernatural horror, folk horror, psychological horror, gothic horror, and modern/urban horror. Everyone likes what they like and we all have different tastes.
But I reviewed this short story, "Cynophobia", for a friend, Gerhard Jason Geick. It is on the extreme side and with good reason. The story involves a main character who starts off as an understanding, calm, rational, and reasonable guy who then gradually gets pissed off and loses control throughout the progression of the tale when his wife slowly introduces pets into their home when the couple initially agreed not to have any.
It's a compelling story and I like the fact that it's told from the first person point of view as I really got to feel what this character was experiencing emotionally, got a glimpse of his inner thought processes, and saw first-hand what pushed his buttons and triggered his anger. Basically, the first person POV made the story realistic, tense, and edgy. We got to experience the story being in his shoes.
You can feel the tension mounting each time the character's wife brings a different kind of pet into the household, and I started to wonder, 'Okay, when is he finally going to lose it?'
Without revealing any spoilers, let's just say that in the end one particular kind of animal (or perhaps that's already evident to you by the title of the story) finally pushes him over the edge and there's a reason behind it. And boy, did that ending pack a punch to the gut! That's extreme horror, folks.
But I reviewed this short story, "Cynophobia", for a friend, Gerhard Jason Geick. It is on the extreme side and with good reason. The story involves a main character who starts off as an understanding, calm, rational, and reasonable guy who then gradually gets pissed off and loses control throughout the progression of the tale when his wife slowly introduces pets into their home when the couple initially agreed not to have any.
It's a compelling story and I like the fact that it's told from the first person point of view as I really got to feel what this character was experiencing emotionally, got a glimpse of his inner thought processes, and saw first-hand what pushed his buttons and triggered his anger. Basically, the first person POV made the story realistic, tense, and edgy. We got to experience the story being in his shoes.
You can feel the tension mounting each time the character's wife brings a different kind of pet into the household, and I started to wonder, 'Okay, when is he finally going to lose it?'
Without revealing any spoilers, let's just say that in the end one particular kind of animal (or perhaps that's already evident to you by the title of the story) finally pushes him over the edge and there's a reason behind it. And boy, did that ending pack a punch to the gut! That's extreme horror, folks.
August 22, 2021
Another win from Geick! A story of a family that drifts apart because of the accumulation of animals. Ferrets, cats, sugar gliders, the whole lot. Not until Coco, the dog, comes to live with them do things start to take a turn for the worst. Brutal, cathartic, gory, and upsetting for many, this one delves into a fear shared by many including myself. If you are a card carrying member of PETA, this may not be for you
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