# Puppy afraid of big dogs



## lisahi (Jun 19, 2011)

Hey all. Well... it looks like my 4 month old toy poodle mix, Coco, is afraid of big dogs. I think she's definitely entered the fear stage because she'll startle at shadows, air conditioning, etc. She was exposed to all this prior to her entering the fear stage, but she's still become, at the very least, wary of a lot of things.

Coco used to want to play with every dog she met. About a week ago, she met a GSD in our apartment complex. She wasn't afraid--she wanted to play. I kept her on leash, but let her run around with the GSD for a bit. I guess the GSD accidentally stepped on her foot and she started crying and ran to me. She seemed to get over it and wanted to return to play, but the GSD left our apartment's dog area shortly thereafter.

A couple days later she met another big dog (a mix--can't remember of what). She seemed fine with that dog, but that particular dog was a senior and very, very calm.

Tonight we were back in the dog area (alone) when a guy walked in with his two dogs. One was what looked like a black lab (maybe a mix). The black lab was calm, and Coco just sat as she approached. But once the black lab got too close, she retreated and started crying. The dogs walked away and Coco got in between my legs. I fed her a few treats as she stared at them, trying and say, "hey, good things happen when these dogs are around." The lab was off leash (Coco was on leash) and approached Coco again. I put myself between them, but at that point Coco was glued to the back of my legs. She refused to take any treats at that point, obviously anxious and scared.

So we left. I wasn't going to force anything.

Now I'm afraid I did everything wrong and have scarred my dog for life. I don't want a dog with DA, even if it's confined to DA with big dogs. Unfortunately, the majority of the dogs in the apartment complex are large breed dogs. I'm trying my best to socialize her, but I'm not sure how to resolve Coco's fears.

PS: I don't think she's afraid of smaller dogs. My sister's dog, a short-legged JRT, stayed with me for a night while her lawn was being sprayed for ants. Coco and Twinkie (the JRT) were separated, but had some time together. All Coco wanted to do was play with her. This was just a few days ago, after the incident with the GSD.

PPS: She's going to start doggie daycare next week (a couple days a week) in an effort to exercise her while I'm at work and socialize her better. But she'll only be with dogs under 20 pounds.


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## JulieK1967 (May 29, 2011)

Aw, poor little thing. I'd be scared, too, if I was that tiny and faced with something as big as a GSD. I would try to avoid bringing her around dogs bigger than she's comfortable with for a while. She's still very small and young. Sounds like she did well with the JRT. Can you schedule some play time so she gets socialized with someone more appropriate to her size? It's great that she's going to a daycare situation where she won't face the stress of big dogs.


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## lisahi (Jun 19, 2011)

Thanks for the response!

I would bring her over to play with the JRT again, but while Coco was all for playing, the JRT just kept walking away (probably annoyed). lol. I think daycare is going to be her main socialization, since nearly all the dogs in my complex are large breed. There's one terrier/greyhound mix puppy (odd looking fellow) in the complex that is hyper, but fairly small. They seem to get along pretty well.

So I should basically steer her away from large dogs for the time being?

By the way, she LOVES people. Almost too much. lol.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

I wouldn't literally steer her away from big dogs-- meaning, don't turn tail the minute a regular on-leash big dog is in the area. You don't want to reinforce the big dogs are scary mindset. Just walk on by while handing out treats.
But let her get a little more used to other dogs and a little more confident before expecting her to interact with big dogs. then, try to find a calm large dog, like the senior mix you met or ask the daycare people (after she's been there a little while) if there are any big dogs there that are used to small dogs that she could meet some.


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## kna (May 7, 2010)

Bumping this thread because my 4.5 month old Westie seems to also be afraid of big dogs. In general, he's tentative with all new dogs, but always warms up to them and plays with them in no time. However, he gets very timid around big dogs (tail tucked, avoids them, NOT aggressive fearful) and this is even more amplified if the big dog/big puppy is particularly boisterous. What can I do to help socialize him with big dogs and get him to see that he can play with them too? without pushing him too far, of course.


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## JulieK1967 (May 29, 2011)

I personally don't see any reason to force the issue at all. If she's scared, she's scared and I'd honor her feelings. Playing with other dogs isn't the be-all/end-all of dog existence. I've backed way off some initial attempts to get my dog to socialize with other dogs after I read an eyeopening article on this issue. It's completely changed my mind about dog parks & forcing dogs to try to "get along." I think we do smaller or fearful dogs a major disservice when we expect them to play with dogs they're clearly not comfortable with. I'm not a big fan of the "deep end" approach. www.apdt.com/petowners/park/docs/DogParks_King.pdf


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## RoughCollie (Mar 7, 2011)

I take Aidan to a family-owned daycare. Everyone who works there brings their dogs to work. I spend time with him and the employees' dogs when I pick him up. At first, he was obviously scared -- the dogs were bigger. Over the last 2 weeks I have seen a remarkable change in that Aidan is no longer afraid of those dogs. He is familiar with them, they do not try to play with him, and they are all well-behaved. His favorite is a St. Bernard who just stands there and lets Aidan inspect him. Last time, Aidan drank out of the St. Bernard's water bowl with him. I have to refill that bowl several times while this is going on.

A week ago, a lady brought a GSD in, who already knew the other dogs. One of them started playing with the GSD. Aidan retreated under a table I was sitting beside and watched the big dogs playing. He was fascinated, but he wasn't about to venture out. I was fascinated too, because I have never seen that. I was alarmed at first, but the trainer told me they were playing and he was watching them for any signals that it would get out of control.

I don't want Aidan to play with bigger dogs like that unless he would be totally safe. I just want him to relax around other dogs and feel safe. He plays with large breed puppies at the daycare, all of whom are around his size (but younger). That is more Aidan's speed, and that is fine with me.

I had wondered why the other dogs weren't more playful, but I discovered that when they are outside they are rambunctious and play with one another (including the St. Bernard, who I thought was a couch potato). Inside, except for when the GSD came, they don't play.


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## Fuzzy Pants (Jul 31, 2010)

My pup has no desire to play with big dogs and I have no desire to make her. At 8 lbs. even most of the dogs in the small dog section of the dog park are still twice her size. For me, it isn't worth the risk of injury to let her play with big dogs even if they were getting along. I always find it perplexing when I look over into the large dog section and see someone with a toy dog cowering in fear while labs, pit bulls and huskies run by and nearly trample it. There are always people that think their little dog should learn to play with the big dogs even though a yorkie was killed in the large dog section last year. I'd never take that risk with my pup and I promptly leave whenever a jerk brings their large dog into the small dog section even though they should be the one to leave. And when I'm walking her around my apartment complex and I see someone approaching with a large dog I will turn to walk another way.


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