There is no rational thinking involved when you have a real phobia, whatever it is. My niece is so deathly afraid of dogs that one time when she was in my home, my sweet little cocker, Ginger, accidentally got in the house and Debbie, who is not a small person, jumped into the middle of my dining room table!! And stayed there shaking until I removed the dog. It didn't matter if the dog was big or little, mean or gentle, she had the same reaction. Even if it was a defenseless little puppy. There's no reasoning with her. Fears can be debilitating.
Susan