Why does my dog cry when I touch him? A Step-by-Step Guide

My dog whines to the touch, what happens?

In addition to these problems, when he moves you will notice something unusual. It is normal that he increases his aggressiveness due to pain, that he is agitated as if bothered by his own body and he will have a hard time sleeping. It is also quite common to stop eating, especially if the injury was in the mouth or, in place of trauma, the discomfort may be due to infection in the mouth. If it is an injury in the inner ear, he will be disoriented and wobbly.

The pain will cause stress and changes in his behavior and habits. It will cost him a lot to sleep and he can urinate on weird hours and inside the house. Dont be angry with him and take it as a warning for his part that he needs you to help him, that you need to pet him and help him recover.

Listen carefully, when he barks, does it sound pitiful? This is another clue that he feels much pain and that he needs your help.

Dog Yelps When Touched – Causes

Yelping is most often associated with pain or the assumption of pain, meaning that either your dog is hurting or he assumes that your touch will hurt him.

The first is physical, the latter is mental.

And no, it doesn’t mean that you’re an awful owner and your dog lives in fear of you.

It just means that for some reason, which you’ll need to figure out, he assumes your touch will cause him pain.

In either case, it’s important to find out the cause of the yelping so that you can take action to correct either the physical or mental cause.

Correctly the cause of yelping due to abuse will help your dog live a happier life.

Moreover, figuring out what’s causing physical pain will help you correct minor conditions or find underlying major conditions more quickly.

Why does my dog cry when I touch him?

In almost all cases of a dog assuming that touch will cause him pain, it boils down to one of two factors: abuse or chronic illness of some sort.

It doesn’t mean that you’re abusing your dog, however. It just means that at some point in his life, he was abused, and he never got over the experience.

The assumption of pain due to physical abuse is common in dogs who have been adopted.

Dogs are only there because they’ve either been willfully or forcefully abandoned.

While in some cases, this abandonment is from loving owners who are going through circumstances beyond their control, the majority of cases are those of neglect or outright abuse.

An adopted dog has seen and gone through things that a dog raised by loving owners from puppyhood has not.

They’ve had to scrounge for food. They’ve had to run from other animals, in some cases.

In almost all cases, they’ve been abused in some way. The most often seen manifestation of physical abuse is hitting.

So, if you’ve adopted a dog and he yelps when you try to touch him or when he isn’t expecting that contact, he was most likely beaten at some point in his life.

Of course, the other answer to the question of why your dog yelps when touched is actual physical pain.

Physical pain can be the result of trauma or a prolonged illness.

It can be apparent, or it can be a symptom of an underlying cause.

In either case, it’s important to address it immediately, as this pain is a sign that something is potentially severely wrong with your dog.

Waiting it out can lead to a dramatic increase in the severity of the injury or illness, making it much harder to treat.

  • Soft TissueMuscle strains, sprains, or tears or impact to the soft tissue as well as tendon strain or tears.
  • Bone and/or JointBroken bones, sprained joints, severe dysplasia, and other bone or joint conditions.
  • No apparent reason for pain
  • Abdominal tenderness
  • Dog yelps when touched even lightly
  • Ways to Help:

    Does your dog yelp when picked up? Do they struggle while in your arms? Here are some ways to help a yelping pup deal with getting picked up.

    First, it’s important to make sure you pick up your dog the correct way. Holding your dog incorrectly can scare them or hurt them.

    When it comes to puppies, try picking them up by placing one of your hands between their front legs. Another hand should support their rear legs and backside. This is similar to the way you’d pick up a small dog, which requires one hand on their chest and one on their rump. Hold your dog close to your chest, so they feel secure.

    Is your dog a bit bigger? Bend at your knees, not your waist. Then wrap one of your arms across your dog’s front, supporting their chest in front of the legs. Put your other arm around their back legs, supporting their rear end. Then, lift them with your legs, not your back. Medium and large breeds may need two people to pick them up properly and comfortably.

    If you want to pick up your dog, make sure your dog knows that it’s about to happen. Do not pick your dog up from behind without warning, especially if your dog has experienced trauma. You might even want to pet your dog or give them a treat beforehand, making the process a bit more positive and comforting.

    14 Critical Signs Your Dog Is Begging For Help

    Have you just given your pup a big sloppy kiss? Instead of the reaction you were waiting for, which was probably a big, reciprocal lick on your cheek or something similar, did he start crying or whimpering? It can take you quite by surprise when your dog does that, cant it? Were you shocked by the way he reacted to your demonstration of affection? Its quite understandable if you were. All you were thinking of doing was showing your dog you love him and instead you made him cry. That can be quite upsetting, cant it? So why do dogs cry when you kiss them?

    Just because your pups love for you is completely unconditional, doesnt mean he understands everything you do. Kissing doesnt come naturally to our four-legged friends and it can, and often does, just confuse them when we try to do it to them. Humans and dogs, although we cohabitate really well, have very different ways of expressing our emotions. While kissing and hugging come naturally to us as a form of expressing our love, it can cause your dog to have a panic attack. Kissing can give him serious stress. If your actions, as much as they are well intended, make him feel anxious in any way, then he will start to whine or cry. If you grab your dog in a tight hug then press your face close to his to deliver a big smackeroo on his muzzle, his canine brain is more than likely going to completely misinterpret your actions.

    Your dog considers you to be the pack leader. You are the alpha. When you lean in close and bear down on him, youre displaying, to him at least, your dominance. He really doesnt know whats coming next. He may well think hes about to receive some disciplinary action or get bitten rather than be the recipient of love and affection. Also, dogs dont like to be restrained in any way. Yes, they do eventually get accustomed to being on a leash, but that doesnt come easily. When you wrap your arms around your pup, his natural instinct is to want to break free of your grip and put some distance between you. Its a form of self protection. If hed still been a wild creature, anything that got hold of him would probably have the intention of eating him. Hes going to attempt to avoid being another animals dinner at all cost. Who wouldnt?

    As human beings, we understand the need to respect each others personal space. Nobody likes another person to get too close unless theyre invited to do so. Animals, including our dogs, are no different. When you kiss your dog, you are basically crossing the limits of the social barrier and invading his personal space. If hes not expecting it, he could react as if hes under attack and rather than return your affection, he could snap or bite you. If youve just acquired a new puppy its almost impossible to restrain from kissing and hugging him. In fact, its difficult not to be constantly cuddling him because he really is just too cute and thats understandable.

    But sadly, overdoing displaying your affection can make your pup feel threatened which is the complete opposite of your intentions. Puppies take a bit of time to adjust to their new home. It also takes time for them to get to know and understand that their pet owner doesnt mean them any harm. While your puppy is still settling in, its often better to hold back on kissing him too much. It will be much more comfortable for him if you wait until he comes to you and asks for your attention.

    If youre not sure of the correct way to show your dog how much you care about him, consider consulting with a qualified dog handler. Theyll be able to explain some simple and much better methods, other than kissing, for expressing affection for your dog which he will understand and appreciate. If your new puppy doesnt seem to be settling in or is having difficulty adjusting to you, you might want to think about having a chat with a professional dog trainer. Theyll be able to advise you on how to help him adapt to his new situation without causing him too much stress.

    Although we just want to show our dogs we love them with a big kiss, a lot of dogs just do not like it. If your pup is really averse to you kissing him, try to remember what you have recently been eating. He just might be crying because he does not like the smell of garlic on your breath.