I have a little Chi - MinPin mix. She is just about 8lbs. When I first got her she would'nt go near anyone else. I adopted her from a shelter who resued her from a kill house, so she was as bit shaken up from that experience. She is a bit timid with strangers, but lets people pet her. Once she gets to know someone, they are best friends. When I first got her, I took her out everywhere, so she could get accustomed to meeting new people and going to different places. Having heard the same thing about small dog breeds, how they are not very social, and get very exitable, I think it helped alot. She still would rather check people out on her own terms, but doesn't go nuts when people go to pet her. Now storms are a different story. She's a mess when it thunders out, ditto for fireworks. She shakes, hyperventalates (sp?), and hides under furniture. With other dogs, she forgets her size and thinks she is the biggest thing on the block, and lets them know it. But once she gets to know them she is cool.