Friendly, but 'Fraid?

Small dogs have big personality! This is the place to talk up your favorite small breeds, ask questions, and share tips and stories. Be sure to visit our Small Dog Breeds area for profiles of all your favorite small dog breeds, featured articles, and more!

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Trill

Comfort is Key!

Barked: Thu Feb 17, '11 1:12pm PST


	My small dogs used to be afraid of kids, and we would pass by a yardful of them on our daily walks and they always wanted to pat the "cute little doggies". So I taught the kids not to overwhelm the dogs and the dogs to appreciate the kids by turning the kids into cookie delivering machines. I told the kids I would show them the secret way to make friends with dogs-I made it sound like magic that no other kid would know. I gave them all very high value treats and coached them to peek at the dogs out of the corner of their eye and hold their hand out as far away from their body as they could, and pretend to be a statue. Then when the dogs could tolerate that we progressed to looking at the dogs and bringing their hands closer to their bodies. We progressed to having the kids line up (sometimes there were up to 6 kids at a time) give a treat and go to the back of the line. Of course the kids were loud and moved fast at that point, but they were moving AWAY from the dogs and there was another little kid practicing the magic secret behavior with food in hand in front of them. The Italian Greyhound boys will never really like kids, but they will put up with them for the sake of food.

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Dublin Rose- O'Belle

Sugar Baby!

Barked: Thu Feb 17, '11 1:18pm PST


	That is interesting...I could see how that would work. Dub's issues (whatever they are) are a little different. I have seen her play happily in an open field with a flock of small children. But with some (not all) kids and adults, she just gets real tense and nervous. I watch out for this and have her sit beside me. That seems to help her stay calm. I don't pet or baby or pick her up and cuddle, but I do try to calmly talk to her to show her that everything is normal. Nothing to be excited about.

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Halo

Howling good- times to be had- with me.

Barked: Thu Feb 17, '11 8:00pm PST


	Every one of my wolfies gets downright aggressive with one young man that often visits my road. They have never met him but, all he needs do is walk in front of my house when I'm outside with a wolfdog and I have a snarling predator on a leash until he is out of site. Now I do know this person and, he is not a trustworthy individual and has a rather serious criminal conviction as well as other problematic things he was never charged with but were criminal. Nothing involving animals but, still it seems my wolfies sense he is not to be trusted. Knowing that, I trust their judgement with new people, if they are aggressive toward them, I don'[t trust them either. Canines seem to have a sixth sense about people.

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Dublin Rose- O'Belle

Sugar Baby!

Barked: Fri Feb 18, '11 6:23am PST


	Quite interesting, Halo. One of the people my Dubs has an issue with is my nephew who was living with us for a while. He has "issues" and his most recent sojourn with us was ended when he was arrested for armed robbery. Needless to say, he won't be living with us again. (At least for 5-10!) Dubs hates him. With an undying passion. I figured she might be picking up an aversion from me, because I am not fond of him either. But her instincts were good.

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Riley

Treats?? Oh- yeahhh!!

Barked: Fri Feb 18, '11 9:23am PST


	When walking Riley sometimes we cross paths with some sketchy looking guys and even thoughI project a calm energy for his benefit he will sport a mohawk. He doesn't growl or anything. I do believe dogs have a sixth sense about people.

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Mini

A Heartbeat at- Your Feet ♥

Barked: Sat Feb 19, '11 2:36pm PST


	Glad Dubs is progressing!! I also agree that dogs have a 6th sense. Mini LOOOVES people, more than dogs sometimes; we were at the lake one day and a man walked through our family property to get to his place and Mini's hackles stood up and she was grumbling and growling.. it was so weird. Anways I found out after that he is also convicted of several very serious crimes, (that we know of), and has done time. Not that people cant change and that all people who've been to jail are bad people but now I am more cautious when I see him around.

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Harley- Diva-Girl,CG- C,Therapy D

Fur Diva

Barked: Sat Feb 19, '11 8:38pm PST


	Nicky I am thinking the nipping and going after the kids..seems the pup is being like a mother dog correcting her babies for misbehaving SOCIALIZE..Get your pups out in pet stores, classes, parks...reward them when they don't get afraid Even though I took classes and passed my tests..I still was a bit timid with hoomans. Some of us pups just seemed to be more tuned in...BOL!!!