Bringing our smaller dog into our arms for "safety" is an easy habit for us to fall into because we're used to picking them up all the time anyway. That's one of the things small dog owners love most about having a little dog. We can hold them. But Fluffy will take her cues from you when it comes to other dogs, so in a social scenario it's not natural, and sends a confusing message. She can't really understand being protected in this fashion, so she will come to see it as an odd form of affection when another dog is around, and will likely develop an abnormal, asocial, isolationist mentality. 

The pack leader's main responsibility is the safety of the pack. But in the dog world, the leader isn't likely to literally pick up a subordinate for protection! The more natural way of the dog is to meet other dogs when you, the leader, approve and to sniff and be sniffed. Your dog should automatically learn, starting as a pup, that you are the sovereign protector, and when we encounter another dog, when it comes to meeting or not meeting, it's your call. If it's "no" we keep moving. If it's "yes" you should closely monitor both dogs during the "sniff dance,” observing their respective body languages to preclude anything potentially negative between the two. After a minute or so of that, we get back to the walk. Picking your dog up in these situations only muddles the socialization process.

Don't worry about her "thinking it's not fair" for you to be the one to choose when we stop to say hello to another dog. She'll be just fine, and to proceed in this manner sends the appropriate message and actually reinforces your leadership, which carries over into every aspect of your relationship. 

A native of Louisiana, SRQ Daily Columnist Gregg Flowers owns Dog's Best Friend Dog Training Services here in Sarasota, where he "teaches dogs and trains people." Gregg became fascinated by our relationship with dogs as a boy in the '60s, and by 1985 had developed his own unique style of working with dogs and their humans

Dog;s Best Friend