Is it okay to pick up my puppy?
Puppies are so adorable.
Who gets a puppy and doesn’t want to pick him up for a cuddle every now and again??
But is that okay?
Are you supposed to pick up your puppy?
Is it bad to not pick up your puppy?
Isn’t handling part of socialization??
My Answer
In general, yes: it’s okay to pick up your puppy.
However, just because you can, doesn’t mean you always should.
The Risk with Picking Up Your Puppy
The biggest risk with indiscriminately picking up your puppy is that he learns to hate it.
Puppies are small and cute which means they get picked up a lot.
But if your puppy doesn’t actually like cuddling (yes, those puppies do exist — regardless of breed), and you miss the warning signs, your puppy may start avoiding you.
It’s sad and frustrating to watch your puppy avoiding you. It can also be dangerous.
Here are three ways to keep holding from becoming a yucky thing for your puppy.
#1: Invite Instead of Insist
Use this three step technique to ask your puppy if he’d like a cuddle:
Take a few steps away from him
Kneel down
Wait
If your puppy comes to join you, gently pick him up (see #2) and feed a couple of tiny treats.
If he doesn’t join you, respect his “no, thank you” and Invite again later.
By Inviting your puppy instead of Insisting, you are less likely to miss the warning signs and accidentally teach him to hate handling.
“But what if I HAVE to pick up my puppy and he says, ‘no, thank you’?”
This is tough. Because the more often your ignore your puppy’s request, the worse the problem gets.
But sometimes you do have to pick up the puppy. Those little legs can’t climb into the car on their own.
If your puppy is small enough, you can teach him to walk into a soft-sided carrier and lift him that way. This can be less objectionable for some pups.
If your puppy isn’t small enough for a carrier, try to paint two different pictures:
When he has a choice (he’s Invited)
When he doesn’t have a choice (you Insist)
Give him context clues so he knows when he has an option and when he doesn’t. And make sure he gets Invited FAR more often than you Insist.
#2: Keep Him Comfortable
This may seem like a no-brainer, but make sure to hold your puppy in a way that’s comfortable for him. If being held is physically uncomfortable, he definitely won’t enjoy it.
The black puppy is nicely supported. The yellow puppy could use some more help for the hips.
I spent years carrying and holding dogs as a spay/neuter surgery technician. Here’s how I recommend holding your puppy:
Hold small to medium puppies with the majority of their weight on your dominant forearm, their hips tucked in the crook of your elbow, and your hand cradling their ribcage.
Puppies that weigh more than you can manage with one arm can be held with one arm passed between their front legs, and the other wrapped over their low back/hips.
In general, try to support the front half and the back half.
Please don’t flip your puppy over and hold him on his back.
#3 Don’t Overdo It
Be careful not to hold your puppy so much in the optional moments, that he hates it and won’t let you pick him up for the non-optional moments (like walking into the vet),
This is especially true if your puppy is already actively avoiding you, or tends to bite/mouth a lot when you pick him up and hold him.
If you could only pick your puppy up 10 times this week, where and when would you choose to do it?
Does your puppy already hate to be picked up?
It may be time to get some professional, positive-reinforcement help. Leighann can help you make handling a less painful experience for everyone.
Meet the Dog Trainer and Blog Author
Leighann Hurley founded Koinonia Dogs in 2014 and has been a Certified Professional Dog Trainer in the Austin, TX area since 2019.
She's a problem-solver by nature and loves creating cooperation through conflict-free communication so both ends of the leash enjoy an easier life together.
