[alaskayorkie]

It's obvious! Tobi is so cute, he doesn't want to get cooties from those other inferior dogs and people.

It does sound like he's struggling with social skills. I was told (after my dog was a year old!) that he should have been introduced to lots of other dogs and lots of people very young in life. If you missed that opportunity, you'll have to work a little harder now. I did, and I now have a social butterfly.

Just start slow. Introduce him to other dogs as often as you can. Start out with small dogs like Yorkie meetups. Watch how you treat him during those meetings too. Don't baby him or pick him up prematurely. Let him "tough it out" and get to know the other dogs. As long as he's not getting hurt, it's normal to be sniffed and pushed around a little bit.

Do the same thing with people. Let others hold him. Let others give him treats. Let others play fun games with him.

I "solved" Eddie's social issues by putting him in multiple obedience classes. He did about 5 8-week classes in a row and was around a lot of other dogs every week. By the time we were through, he loved seeing other dogs.

It'll be work, but it's possible.