Ruby is a giant dog. She seems to be smart — she learns quickly, and loves to work for food. Her trainer Ali at Kinship Dog Training says she’s not stupid. But the things this girl is afraid of, even after nearly three years with us, never ceases to amaze me. Consider her top 10 list of things to stay away from (and by stay away I mean drag whoever is on the other end of the leash as far as she can away from the thing, as fast as she can, regardless of whether that means into traffic):

1. Fountains, but only when running. They’re fine if they’re dry.

2. Our screen door. She’ll go out through it, but not in. It’s partly come loose from the frame, so she can go out without us opening it. She learned that from Mr. Right Now’s dog Claudia. She can’t figure out how Claudia gets back in without coming into contact with the scary screen door. So she sits out there and whines.

3. Garbage cans, particularly if they are being rolled up and/or down the driveway by neighbors. She goes ballistic. If she’s being walked and one happens to be in her line of sight, she’ll drag the leash holder by quickly. Similarly, moving garbage truck arms are frightening, but not the trucks themselves.

4. Those air-powered tubular waving men that businesses use to attract attention. She’s rather be hit by a bus than go near one.

5. Sprinklers of any kind. And hoses. Hoses lying on the ground and not hung up are also scary.

6. Big bodies of water. On hot days I take her to the dog park at Luther Burbank Park on Lake Washington. She will play with her doggy friends and get close to the water. She may even get up to her ankles or even knees. But one small little wavelet and she’s out of there, ducking behind my legs like a shy toddler.

7. Coughs and sneezes delivered by any person in a bed on which she is sleeping. If she’s in a place that’s not great for my comfort, a fake sneeze will send her running. It’s a convenient fear which I’m happy to cultivate.

8. Rakes and other garden implements when leaning up against a fence or other vertical object. I think she thinks they’re very skinny menacing people.

9. Strollers, wagons, tricycles and other vehicles that hold small children. This is an approach avoidance thing. She loves the idea of children. She’s not so sure about the things on or in which they ride. Usually, the potential to have a lick at the food residue on a small child wins out.

10. My personal favorite is one that I’m not sure still holds, but I’ll add it anyway, because it’s just as likely that she’d be scared as not: bags hanging on fences near bus stops. The school puts these up for the teens in hopes that they’ll toss stuff in them rather than around them. Ruby has been known to run all the way home upon seeing one of these.

My dog weighs nearly 75 pounds. She’s got a bark that will probably lead to early hearing loss for everyone in the household. She’s scary. But I guess more than that she’s scared. Mostly it’s funny. But the not getting in the lake on a hot day? I’m determined to have that fear conquered this summer. We’ve tossed food in the shallows, and she’ll do a lot for food. But not water. Any ideas?