I have three neices and the two youngest are deathly afraid of cats and dogs. One will be 8 in March the other 3 in May. The youngest will freeze dead in her tracks, start screaming and shaking if she sees either a cat or dog. The oldest is now ok with Reagan, my yorkie, but still doesn't like my two cats or big dogs. Her grandmother held her and made her hold Reagan. The poor child screamed and cried, then finally calmed down and is now ok with her. I have to say I don't know that I myself would've tried this but really all she needed was to see that Reagan wasn't going to hurt her.
I think though that with her (your cousin) being so young she is just scared and after a while seeing everyone else isn't scared, that there's nothing to be scared of she will probably come around. My youngest neice hasn't come around but she sees her older sister(the 8 year old) scream as well as the fact that the 8 year old didn't want to be the only one scared so she would tell the 2-3 year old to "come away from the cat/dog, you're scared of them remember". I'm sure with with a little time she's get used to your pup.
Oh and by the way, your pup and cousin are both cuties....
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Courtney |