Hi, everyone!! I have a 10 weeks puppy and he stays with my 4 older doggos. He gets to play with them too. The thing is, he snarls to me whenever I try to pick him up or cuddle with him. He isn't really that type of dog, unlike my 4 older ones. Is this normal for a puppy? Thank you so much!
No, it's not normal for a 10wk old puppy to snarl when you try to pick him up. I would first take him for a vet check (or ask the vet to look him over at his next vaccine appointment) to be sure he's not in pain when you try to pick him up. If it's not a pain issue, then you really need to work with a qualified behaviourist who uses force-free methods, to try to change the way he feels about being handled and picked up - before this fear generalises into being touched anywhere on his body...
Are you putting pressure on his stomach when you lift him? My pup hated being lifted when I was doing that now I avoid her stomach and scoop her up with my hand on her bottom and she is fine being picked up now.
Is your pup with the other 4 dogs all the time? I wonder if he is generally feeling stressed and intimidated by them so when you come along to pick him up he has no control over that either and is reacting in the only way he knows how. Make sure he gets lots of time out away from the other dogs at this early stage. In another post you mention having a one year old too. You have quite a handful!
