How to socialize my antisocial 1.5-year-old Yorkie with dogs & people?

It would be a good idea to enroll her in an obedience class (even if she is older). There she can learn to interact with people and other dogs in a controlled environment, and there will be an instructor there to help you with any particular issues you're having.

Hello, poor Fiddle! He seems to be very scared by other dogs. I think the best way to approach this is by introducing him to dogs that are not overtly playful and pushy in a neutral environment. That is, you may meet with a dog you know is calm and low energy in a park just to have the other dog be around Fiddle to see if he tolerates this. Obviously, avoid any situation which makes Fiddle scared or nervous and don't encourage his fearful behavior with any rewards such as talking to him, carrying him, or petting him as this may equivocally teach him that it is ok to be afraid of other pets. Ultimately, if you're having a really hard time with Fiddle, you may need to have him evaluated by a behaviorist as it is never too late to work with them on improving a behavior. Hope this helps.

Maisy may not have been properly socialized around other dogs, and if she isn't a confident dog, she will react with fear around other dogs. Unfortunately, fear in dogs can come out as aggression, so it would be a good idea to start socializing her now to prevent this from happening. You can speak to your vet about getting her enrolled with a behavioral expert to work on this behavior. The expert can introduce her to other dogs in a safe situation, working on socialization skills, and teaching her that she does not have to be afraid of them.

Poor Mia! You're right that a lack of proper socialization as a puppy can cause adult dogs to be quite fearful and sometimes reactive or aggressive towards strangers or new things. Technically speaking, you can't really "socialize her" anymore at this age - the socialization period in dogs ends at about 16 weeks of age. After that, the brain changes and is no longer as receptive to new experiences. This doesn't mean that there is nothing you can do to help her, but it does mean that it will take much more time and effort than it would have if she were still a young puppy. Normally, the general approach for this problem is to identify what types of situations are scary and stressful for her, and help her to associate good things with these situations by feeding her treats or playing a game she enjoys. It's very important to go slowly and make sure that she is comfortable every step of the way - if she's anxious or afraid, then this is making things worse instead of better. Because it can be very difficult to work with a dog like this successfully on your own if you don't have any dog behavior experience, I would really recommend making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist or a good reward-based trainer who can evaluate her in person and help you put together a detailed plan to help her become more confident and less afraid. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist here (www.dacvb.org) or a qualified trainer in your area here (www.ccpdt.org).

As a dog gets older, it will be harder to train out undesirable behaviors, but Bubby is still young and I don't think it's too late to socialize him. I would speak to your vet about seeing a professional behavioral expert. I'm not sure what undesirable behaviors he is showing, but if it does include aggression, that should be dealt with by a professional. A behavioral expert can work with you and Bubby on training, and can introduce him to controlled and safe situations to work on his socialization.

Yorkies can be somewhat protective, as all terriers can, however they don't have a reputation for being aggressive. I'm assuming your considering getting a Yorkie puppy, and if so you can get her off to a good start by selecting a breeder that takes measures to properly socialize the puppies before they leave their mother. This includes exposing them to humans of all sizes, so that they are comfortable with people. As soon as your puppy has had all of his/her puppy shots (16 weeks) you can enroll in a "puppy kindergarten" class, and this helps to establish good behavior and manners from the start.

Poor Romeo! If he's very anxious and afraid all the time, it's no wonder he doesn't feel much like playing. I'm not sure how long you've had him, but it's possible that he just needs time and patience if he's s still adjusting. You could also try a DAP pheromone collar along with a natural calming supplement like Zylkene or Composure to help him feel more comfortable. If he's severely anxious and these things don't help, I would strongly consider making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate him in person and make more specific recommendations for you about how to help him with his anxiety. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org.