When you have little dogs it’s especially tempting to pick them up to keep them out of harm’s way – but it can be counter-productive. Scooping Phydeaux up may be teaching her that other dogs/people/situations are, in fact, scary. You get tense, Phydeaux senses your tension, and becomes even louder, more obnoxious, and less likely to welcome new situations and experiences.
This exact situation is addressed in a recent Ask The Trainer column in the Shreveport Time
