Scalded Dogs

This proverb comes courtesy of @Natalie_Potter:

The scalded dog fears cold water.

I don’t recommend burning Fido to test the truth of this one.  The dog will associate any water with the water that hurt him; if it was a human-applied scald, then he will fear any human-borne water, whatever the temperature.

Similarly, if all the attention one receives is negative, one will begin to fear attention.  If every time you see John you experience pain, you will associate John with pain.  Whether it is caused directly by John or not, you will fear him, and avoid him as a Pavlovian response.

Remember this in your own behavior.  Do you want to be the scalding water that causes pain and distrust?  Or the aloe that soothes the pain?