creating more confidence

My little man Chopper is full of confidence at home, visiting with my parent's dog and my MIL dog(even though she is 80 pounds) but when I take him into public he slams the brakes on when another dog comes around or pulls trying to get as far away as possible. I do not pick him up to try and comfort him as I hear that makes the problem worse plus is will give him a sense of being the "BIG DOG" being held up above them. But how to I go about making him understand that he is okay without inadvertently encouraging the wrong behavior. I just ignored this behavior while talking to the other dogs owners, I did not tell him it was okay or anything just paid him no mind. The other dogs do not even have to be approaching him for him to get nervous. Which is completely understandable given his 2.5 pounds compared to most other dogs that are towering over him for him to be slightly leary. By the way we were in PETCO, there were probably about 10 other dogs in the entire store at the time, all of them significanty larger than Chopper. Plus as soon as we approach the pet store he slams on the brakes trying not to enter the store but once I got him past the doors he was better until he saw another dog.

Socialization is the key. Has he been to "puppy kindergarten?" Just more and more constant socialization, in safe settings, will help get him used to other dogs, and be more confident around "strange" dogs.

Our Golden Retriever, Honey, is the exact same way. In familiar surroundings, she is fine, but she becomes a nervous Nellie when in unfamiliar places. We've had her since she was six weeks old and now she is almost 9 years old. I've learned to just allow her to be in her comfort zone and not push her.