Can an early childhood scary scene you don't remember be enough to traumatize you?

[Vesuvius87]

I've never been attacked by a dog and couldn't explain this fear of big dogs. Till this day at the time of 35, I still struggle with it. Unless it's a specific family dog or I've already socialized with it that's my only exception. Otherwise I get scared easily.

In my imagination, I see it's looking at me (it's not but I imagine it is), changes to a menancing glance and starts growling, ready to attack.

Today my mother told me this for the first time:
When I was between 24-36 months old, I was happily walking with my mother. Suddenly a big dog on the leash wanted to charge after me but luckily the owner had it under a leash and took it away. I was crying, shaking and shocked to the point of suddenly not speaking correctly anymore and needing speech therapy for nearly a year.

I really don't remember that event at all. Can a baby or toddler get so scared of a specific event that he/she develops a fear or gets traumatized even if they have no memory of it?

[Iron_Man]

Watching vampire movies as a child to this very day I cover my neck when I sleep with a sheet so I can’t be bitten even though I knew it was fake the movies

[Vesuvius87]

I find it interesting that a specific scary event can create a long-term effect. I don't even remember that it and yet I can't get rid of that fear.

[Iron_Man]

I was pretty scared as a kid and I had nightmares over it and I still sleep with a sheet around The side of my neck for protection. I remember how scared I was calling out for my parents around 11 o’clock at night and I was all sweaty

[serious]

Yes some of the childhood memories can indeed traumatize a person for a long time.

[driven159]

Maybe but you can overcome it easy go to a dog shelter and be with the big dogs and in time you will be ok most dog bites are from small dogs not big ones