Thor is definitely a people dog, and loves running up to strangers in hopes that he'll get food. Sometimes he's pretty obvious about it, and after sniffing them, he loses interest, often while they are in mid-coo. As you know, he's generally quite uncomfortable with other dogs, and sometimes he'll bark at people out of nowhere. Like, my superintendent, who he's met 100 times, and is always nice to him, every so often Thor will decide he's An Enemy and will bark his little brains out.
I also have Thor going to a doggy daycare that specializes in small dogs. He goes twice per week. They say he is making progress, but it's very slow.
I guess what I am saying, bottom line, is that it seems to take a reeeeeeeeeally long time to change any kind of fear-based behavior. I treat and distract Thor *every single time* we pass by another dog, and I've been doing this for almost a *year*. And the other night, he went completely apes**t because another (small) dog was getting treats from "his" corner store cashier. I mean, he was all out, lunging against his harness, waving his front paws, and bark bark bark barking. I'm sure he was quite pleased with himself, because of course the dog's owner eventually paid for their stuff and left, ie, Thor successfully scared the treat thief away.
It takes a lot of patience, I guess.
