I also have a little niece(going to be 3) that is deathly afraid of Ahi.(or any dog) I have tried things but it doesn't seem to work either. She will just scream and scream at the top of her lungs. You can't even talk to her because she will keep screaming. And poor Ahi....she is a mother hen. If she hears a baby/kid cry she gets frantic and wants to kiss them till they stop. So it only fuels my little nieces fire more.
I will have to stand with my niece or she will sit on the couch and not come down.