My dog is scared of other dogs. How can I help her overcome her fear?

Question

Normally dogs are pretty playful with other dogs, but when it comes to Aira she's not. She is scared of other dogs. We have tried to take her to a dog park so she can socialize with dogs, but all she does is hide behind me or just run away from them. She loves people though, but only if they don't have a dog with them. What should I do to make Aira overcome her fear? Pet's info: Dog | Bichon Frise | Female | 5 months and 19 days old | 390 lbs

Sara Farmer, DVM · Accepted Answer

This actually is not particularly unusual - while many dogs enjoy playing with other dogs, some dogs definitely prefer people. The dog park can be overwhelming even for social dogs so I would recommend avoiding it for now - if she continues to feel overwhelmed she could start to become fear aggressive. You may want to start by meeting one on one with a quiet dog friend to get her used to dogs. Make sure it is a good experience by offering treats, and if she starts to become too anxious stop and try again another day. She may never get to the point where she loves other dogs that are not familiar, but hopefully you can find a few dogs that she knows and will play with.

My dog is scared of other dogs. How can I help her overcome her fear?

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