Afraid of big dogs
 

We took Chachi out on his first walk yesterday. He did very well except he was absolutely terrified of any dogs and even just a dogs barking. He would be insistent that I pick him up. I was kinda surprised since I've read so much about their fearlessness. Is anyone elses yorkie like this? Is this something they outgrow?

We own a huge dog as well as my yorkie Bailey, so since we've had him, they've been together. It took Bailey about a day to 'get used' to Dozer, our male french mastiff. Since then they've been best buds. Bailey sleeps next to Dozer to keep warm. As far as Bailey being afraid of things, so far I haven't noticed him being afraid of anything.

Sandy is scared to death of big dogs. We have to go out of our way to avoid them, if we meet one (as in SEE one) in public she starts shaking and whimpering. If we see a little dog, her tail wags and she gets excited. Weird, huh?

Yep that is Aimee!!! Thats exactly what my dog is doing too!!

My Mason used to be really scared of big dogs....when I would try to take him to a dog park, he'd put his butt on the ground and refuse to go in. Even after we are in the park, he would jump up and "insist" that I pick him up too. I wanted Mason to socialize, so I didn't pick him up and forced him to be on the ground with other dogs. For the first several visits, all he would do is hide behind my feet, ball up and shiver. I felt terrible and worried that I might be traumatizing him, but I hoped that he would eventually get used to it.

He is now 8 months and finally coming around. I can tell that he is still afraid of big dogs....but last week he finally went on his own and followed around other dogs around the park !! I definitely think it has to do with their personality and not young age. I saw little puppies smaller than Mason actively chasing around St. Barnards!! I couldn't figure out why Mason was so antisocial.

I think you can train your dog to be sociable, but you have to refrain from "babying" your puppy. If you continue to pick him up when he's afraid, he will learn to do this everytime. Believe me, it's hard when those adorable eyes are looking up at you going "help!".....but your puppy will learn!

Mojo used to be scared too...now he simply ignores them...or if they show a friendly interest he will also get to know them...maybe as a puppy they get scared then later on they get over it...i still donnou whether dogs understand size, yorkies think they are big and tough!!

I will say this, I probably do baby Sandy a lot with the big dog thing, but I do know what happened to her in the past which has made her scared and I dont want to put her through any more than she's already been through.

Since Sandy is older, I think of her as more set in her ways, you may have better luck with a puppy :)

Strangely, Lucy is more scared of little dogs! (and cats!). She is 3 and although she has got better, she can still get nervous for no apparent reason.

What we tried with her was not picking her up unless she was in danger from the other dog so that she didn't think 'Oh there is another dog, pick me up mum!'. We have had to relent on a couple of occasions if she has been too distressed, but she mostly grew out of it! :animal-sm

We have three big dogs (a Bloodhound, a Choc. Lab, and a Siberian Husky/German Shepard mix) and Reagan absolutely loves them and has since the day she saw them. She'll chase them around all day. Our Bloodhound loves playing with her and will chase her around as well, which is the funniest thing b/c our Bloodhound just kind of jogs along and Reagan is going full speed ahead with her ears pinned back (like a rabbit). Although I will say our Bloodhound is scared of everything. I took her in a petstore once and someone came towards her with a shopping cart and Auburn, the hound, flipped out and next thing you know everything that was on the shelves hit the floor. So if my big huge bloodhound is afraid of a shopping cart 10 feet away I wouldn't worry too much about your little yorkie being afraid of big dogs...

Toby is more afraid of little dogs.... barking does kinda freak him out though, unless its him doing the barking :rolleyes:

Snoodles chases my daughters two big dogs all over the place, but when she is on a walk, the big dogs behind fences that snarl and bark scare the heck out of her. She does the sitting on her butt thing! I keep telling her it is okay, and go out on the street and then she will reluctantly come along. I think in one way it is good to be afraid of dogs they don't know, and run away .