Puppy growls when he's picked up.

Hello all

We've had Nero for less than a week now. Things have gone well.... He's sleeping through the night now and had very few 'accidents' inside.

My only concern is he gives quite a manacing growl when I pick him up. Has anyone else encountered this? I just hope it's not a sign of bad things to come. My last Staffy never did this.

Other than that he's an absolutely beautiful dog

Ive never had this so cant really help, only thing i would say is possibly have a vet look at him encase the picking up is causing him discomfort maybe?
My nan owned a yorkie cross and he was overweight! :@ but if he ever gor pickes up he would yelp.
Sure someone with other opinions will be along shortly

Are you sure that he isn't in any pain as this may aggrivate it.

Hi,
Stella did this couple of times shortly after I got her; she must have been 9-12 weeks old then. She did it several times and I was worried but then I read here that some puppies do it.
She has never done it since she was some 12 weeks old and she has never growled since at people (apart from vet...), she is the most placid dog and I can do anything to her, she takes firm hugs, endless cuddles, claws clipping, eye cleaning... So I'd say no worries.
Yes actually I asked at puppy school about it and they just said "OK, well so don't do what makes her growl, she is just tiny and protects herself".
So I believe there is nothing to worry about
Xx

It's unusual, but not unheard of. Have you taken her to the vets yet for her 1st jabs? If not, it might be an idea to arrange it sooner rather than later & just mention it to the vet. She might need worming - if she has a really bad worm load then it might well be causing her tummy a lot of discomfort when it's pressed.

I would advise a trip to the vet as well

Thanks for your replies.

The growling seems more sporadic now. I'll keep in mind a trip to the vets if he's still doing it in a day or so. Otherwise he seems so lovely and healthy.

Can't be of any help, but he looks so cute in your avatar

How are you picking him up, the way people pick up animals is so un-natural to them they disagree, try spacing your hand out over his shoulders and grab him there (not by scruff) then as support one hand under your other hand by the chest in a grabbing motion *biting like the picking up by his mother*, this is much more natural.
Or another way if he is too big for that, one hand under the chest pick him up and tuck him kinda like under your arm.

To be honest contray to some peoples advice i would probably make a point of picking her up more often....show her the treat let her smell the treat pick her up put her straight back down then give her the treat. That is if she is okay medically.

blaze wrote:To be honest contray to some peoples advice i would probably make a point of picking her up more often....show her the treat let her smell the treat pick her up put her straight back down then give her the treat. That is if she is okay medically.

^^

totally agree, make sure the puppy is well and then do it till she trusts you to pick her up without feeling threatened to growl

blaze wrote:To be honest contray to some peoples advice i would probably make a point of picking her up more often....show her the treat let her smell the treat pick her up put her straight back down then give her the treat. That is if she is okay medically.

I have been picking him up a lot more often as well as using treats. It seems to have done the trick, no more growling He's due for his last set of injections soon I'll also mention it to the vet just in case. Many thanks

Glad he is improving

Hi, I've got a blue staff puppy, well she's 6 months old now and she growled when picked up till she was around 4 - 5 month. I think she just grew out of it.