How do I socialize a fearful/anxious dog?

Mariannevukasovic said:

What happens in the future if I ever decide to get another dog though? I feel like it's bad to allow my dog to think it's okay to hate other dogs. I'm the type of person who loves having many animals, so I know in the future I will want more dogs and she's only 5 and a half. I just think there has to be some way to teach her that she doesn't have to be so afraid.

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It isn't about "allowing" your dog to hate other dogs as much as working with the dog and understanding what she is comfortable with, what can be improved on and what is just simply her/how she's going to be.

Are these other dogs meeting her on-leash? Both dogs on-leash? Her on, them off? Both off leash like at a dog park or large public area?

It is not uncommon for a dog to dislike or be uncomfortable with being approached by a strange dog (especially on-leash) but still be OK with living with another properly introduced dog. Even some dogs who are out and out aggressive with some other dogs or in certain situations can live happily with another dog with proper supervision and if she is growling (communicating that she doesn't like the situation) and letting you lead her away, then IMO she isn't full on dog-aggressive per se.

Look at the sticky in the training forum on "leash reactive/aggressive dogs"-- don't let the wording of aggressive turn you off, fear and anxiety can cause aggression but more than that, there are a ton of resources for body language and training to be around other dogs etc.

What happens in the future is you create a plan that weighs in your needs and your dog's needs. I think counter conditioning and desensitization can help (and search "Look at That"). Become skilled in reading body language, and be open to a ton of separation and management when you want another dog. Let her move away from other dogs if she wants. Avoid on leash interactions (look up "leash reactivity").

But there are plenty of dogs in this world who don't like another dogs. It's normal. You're not "allowing" or not allowing anything. It's who your dog is. Imagine you hated eating peas and your friend decided "well I really NEED you to like peas".

Like I said, training can help. But very likely your dog will never be a dog who loves and plays with every other dog out there. I have a dog who is well socialized since 12 weeks of age, and I've had him for a decade. He's even worse than yours; I wish he'd growl more but if he doesn't like a dog he will go straight to lunging and snarling. He's pinned a few dogs in his lifetime. He is a severe resource guarder (against dogs and people) and has punctured dogs in the past. Yet, we hike fine with friends' dogs. I've dog-sat for friends. We've lived with dogs. And I just got a puppy a few months ago. He bit the puppy once, but 6 months later they started to play and now I'd loosely call them friends.

The first thing that changed wasn't my dog. It was me. I accepted him for who he was, which changed what situations I put him in and how I reacted to him around dogs. Then I trained. And that allowed him to show me his comfort around other dogs and we've made plenty of friends since.