How to stop your puppy from growling when you pick them up
If you don’t yet have a problem with your puppy growling, or the problem is mild, there are several other steps you can take to make your puppy more comfortable with the process.
Teaching your small dog to be picked up on cue is still an important step, but there are others you can add in as well!
First, you’ll want to avoid picking up your puppy when they are unaware. This includes picking up sleeping dogs. The surprise of being lifted into the air can be a cause of concern for many puppies.
By making sure that your puppy sees your hands, and is aware of what’s coming next, you’ll avoid accidentally surprising your puppy when you pick them up.
In some cases, you can wake up your dog by gently petting them before picking them up. However, if your dog is likely to still growl or bite at any form of physical contact waking them up, you’ll want to try something different.
Simply making some noises, by noticeably walking across the floor or talking, can help wake up your puppy. You can also try moving the bed or couch cushion that they are sleeping on first.
You can also help keep your puppy comfortable with being carried and picked up by only picking them up when it’s absolutely necessary. It’s easy to scoop up puppies that are getting in trouble, but there are other ways to redirect troublesome puppies as well.
Rather than picking your puppy up when you catch them chewing on something, practice redirecting your puppy to something else instead, or removing the object they are chewing on from their vicinity.
This is especially true if your puppy won’t remain small forever. While small dogs will benefit from being trained to be picked up on a cue for the rest of their lives, a larger dog may quickly outgrow the ability to be carried.
Rather than relying on carrying your puppy out of trouble when they’re small, and having to change tactics when they grow up, it’s easiest to start with a training method that applies to their adult size as well.
The redirection of behavior is the best method for this, so be sure to have lots of toys around that you can easily access.
You might like to read our post, Why Is My Puppy So Naughty? (Explained)
Why is my puppy growling when I pick them up?
The reasons why your puppy may be growling when you pick them up include pain, discomfort, frustration, and fear. If you address the underlying reason for the growling, you can start to change your dog’s feelings regarding being picked up.
If you think your puppy may have a problem with aggression, please read our comprehensive guide to puppy aggression.
If your puppy is picked up in a way that causes pain or discomfort, or is painful in general, then they might be growling to tell you they aren’t physically comfortable.
You should especially consider pain or discomfort as a reason for your puppy’s growling when you notice other signs that your puppy may be in pain, including hesitation in their movements or lethargy.
More obvious signs of pain may include yelping and limping, although dogs can be very good at hiding their discomfort.
Pain is often the reason for sudden growling, when your puppy has normally been comfortable with being carried in the past.
Your dog might physically be comfortable being carried, but still not enjoy the process.
It can be frustrating to be carried when you want to explore the world! It also just might be more awkward than walking on their own.
However, if your dog is growling because you are picking them up when they are sleeping, it’s best to avoid picking them up when they are sleeping at all. It can be scary!
Instead, try to lightly wake your dog up before proceeding with picking up your puppy.
If your puppy is only growling when kids or one specific family member picks them up, it can be tempting to assume that your puppy must have had a bad experience with them in the past.
While this can certainly be true, your puppy might just not enjoy the awkward way that kids hold them, or might not trust a specific family member as much in general. Both of these can be changed with training, for both the puppy and the person.
The context in which you are picking up your puppy can also play a role in their behavior. For example, if you pick up your puppy in the bathroom in order to give them a bath, they might resist being carried when in the bathroom.
If this is the case for your puppy, you’ll want to practice having positive associations with being carried in that context.
You can also teach your puppy to be comfortable with having a bath, so they aren’t worried about being carried to the bathtub.
If you’ve ruled out pain and discomfort as a medical reason for your puppy growling when being picked up, you’ll want to follow the steps outlined in the rest of the article to teach your puppy to enjoy being picked up.
If your puppy has had a bad experience in the past with a person, they will likely have a fear of being picked up. They will want to protect themselves and so will give their warning by way of a growl.
If this is the case, then it will take time to build trust in your puppy. This is achieved through lots of treats during play, petting, and eventually, picking up. But don’t rush to pick them up if they’re having a fear response. This will be a slow process.
And giving them lots of love during this time is vital.
The worst thing you can do is force the process and pick up your puppy no matter what. Scolding them for this behavior will only create a fearful dog and fear will present itself in troublesome behaviors later on. Behaviors that can be become very difficult to teach out of your dog.
How to teach your puppy to enjoy being picked up
If you think about times when you pick up your puppy, it often comes with little warning to your dog. This can make it a scarier and more uncomfortable experience for your puppy.
One of the most important steps to teaching your puppy to enjoy being picked up is to put it on a cue. This cue will alert your puppy to the fact that they are about to be picked up, and it can help them feel more comfortable with the process.
The first step in teaching your dog a cue for being picked up is to decide what you want to call it. “Boost”, “up”, “ready”, etc. are some options, but you’ll want to use whatever you’ll easily remember and won’t say too often otherwise.
Next, pair this cue word with being picked up for just a moment, and give them treats!
Here is the action to teach a cue:
Give your cue
Pick up your puppy
Feed a treat
Set your puppy down
With practice, your puppy will start to anticipate that this cue will mean you’re about to pick them up and feed treats, so it’s nothing to be worried about. In fact, it’s something to love doing!
You’ll want to make sure your puppy stays happy and engaged in this process. If your puppy is backing away when you try to pick them up, it’s a sign that they are nervous about being picked up.
Instead, we want our puppies excited enough that they are at our side and ready when given the cue.
You can also use setting your puppy down as a reward for calm behavior when being held. While it’s not advised that you struggle against your puppy and continue to hold them, you can try to catch them in calm moments to set them down, instead of waiting for them to start to struggle.
By picking your puppy up for a short period of time, and setting them down when they are calm, they will also learn that being picked up doesn’t have to ruin their fun.
Sometimes, your puppy might not want to be picked up because they want to continue engaging in the activity they are doing, or because they are having fun and don’t want the fun to end!
Instead of only picking your puppy up to remove them from situations they enjoy, practice randomly picking your puppy up for a brief moment and then letting them go right back to their fun activity.
As your puppy becomes comfortable with being carried, you can start to teach your puppy to tell you when it’s OK to pick them up. This is called a voluntary behavior, and Amber with Summit Dog Training has some great tips for this process – and even a video – in her blog post on the topic.
Important: If your puppy is uncomfortable just with being touched, you’ll need to back up further in your training process.
Puppy Growls When Picked Up, Moved, or Touched
If you have a new puppy that you want to shower with love and cuddles, you are understandably upset if they growl when you pick him up. Why do puppies do that? Is it a sign that something’s wrong? Will they grow out of it? What should you do about it? Here’s everything you need to know.
So, why does my puppy growl when I pick him up? Puppies can growl when you pick them up because they want to be left on the ground. You might have disturbed them, caused them pain without meaning to, or they might just be frustrated or frightened. Either way, it’s a sign they don’t want to be raised at that moment in time.
Once you discover the reasons for your puppy growling, you can address the issue so that your puppy learns to enjoy being picked up.
So, let’s get into those reasons in further detail before turning to the approach to correct them – for good!