Although it's not normal to carry our dogs like babies, sometimes it can't be helped. Others even have their big dogs on their lap.
Once in awhile, I just love carrying Chooey in a bear hug. Back when China was alive, when I pick him up and cradle him, his tail would wag.
Does you dog enjoy being carried like a baby? Or do they hate it that they squirm and claw until you let go other them.
Or are you the type who strongly disagrees in carrying their dogs because it's unnatural?
I do carry Tiny but not often. I don't want her to feel like she is THAT spoiled. Most of the time she just likes being on my lap or next to me while watching television. She knows not to bother me when I am on the computer but the minute I go to that sofa, there she comes. LOL She knows not to come up unless I tell her it's okay. She's so well behaved. When I do carry her, it's because I want to and am feeling in the mood to give her hugs. It's easy to do this with small dogs, which she is.
Some dogs like being carried but most of them don't and they usually make that very clear. I hate seeing people carrying their dogs while the poor animals are desperately trying to get away. I never carry my dogs, maybe pick them up to play with them, but that's all. They are 4 legged animals, they should use their legs. Of course, sometimes when I walk my puddles and there's a big dog coming, I pick them up to avoid any unpleasant surprises.
Some dogs are used to be carried around and that's the owner's fault. From my point of view it's a bad habit.
I don't particularly really like carrying mine around, it makes me a bit self conscious actually, haha. I mean, I have a small chihuahua and I've tried to take her on hikes and stuff, and she usually doesn't last too long before she starts pulling against the leash and kind of refusing to walk, I assume she gets tired because she generally loves to walk around outside, but only to a point. So I'll end up carrying her around and it makes me feel like Paris Hilton or something when you're carrying around a little chihuahua. People love to make the joke about carrying her in a purse... it's not the mostly manly look for a guy. But hey, whatever, I know my dog isn't a pampered little brat, she's just small and gets tired. At least I'm not that person on the trail that has to fight and use all of their strength to hold their giant dog back from jumping all over you when you walk past!
The only times I pick my dog up is to let her see out the window. That and if I see glass on the ground. My dog is a yorkshire terrior and she was the runt of the pack, always being picked on by her brothers. We rescued her from the pet store, she has been worth every penny. Because of her childhood she doesn't like to be touched other than belly rubs. She also flinches really easily and gets nervous a lot, always needing constant attention. I guess I pampered her too much. Oh and I almost forgot, I squat down and she lies with her back on my knees and I become a portable cradle for her
Picking up my dog is a bad habit, but she loves it. She is a chihuahua and corgi mix, but looks more like the chihuahua. She is the most spoiled thing ever and will even run and jump by me when I'm on the couch and make me hold her and kiss on her, she loves the side of her head kissed and when I stop she'll lean into me for more,it's cute. She never claws to get away from me at all, she just likes being close and held.One of the princess spoiled dogs is what she is and she knows it.
(07-12-2013, 05:21 AM)nafretiti Wrote: [ -> ]Picking up my dog is a bad habit, but she loves it. She is a chihuahua and corgi mix, but looks more like the chihuahua. She is the most spoiled thing ever and will even run and jump by me when I'm on the couch and make me hold her and kiss on her, she loves the side of her head kissed and when I stop she'll lean into me for more,it's cute. She never claws to get away from me at all, she just likes being close and held.One of the princess spoiled dogs is what she is and she knows it.
nafretiti, that is adorable! I'm happy you confessed to spoiling your dog, so I can now make my confession too
My chihuahua turns the side of his head toward me and puts up his cheek as though asking for kisses. I figure he's probably showing some sort of deferential behaviour.
My chihuahua loves being carried. I know many people get annoyed at seeing a dog being carried, saying they have legs and can walk, but I honestly care more about what
my dog wants vs what other people think he should want. When he wants to be picked up, he will stand on his hind legs and raise his arms, just like a little kid asking to be held. When I carry him, I have to carry him specifically in a certain way and in a certain arm, or else he will squirm into position. When he wants to get down, he lets me know.
I mostly carry him when we go out. There are a lot of street dogs, and I hate the idea of one of them suddenly jumping out at us. I always carry him when crossing the road and if there are a lot of people on the sidewalk. He could be stepped on, or worse, hit by a bicycle or car. He's perfectly free to walk on calm streets, but he seems to enjoy a mix of walking and being carried most. It also allows me to go into stores with him—most of them have the same policy: he's welcome inside as long as I keep him off their floor and out of trouble.
A slight tangent with a funny story—I was going into the swap meet one day, after they had established a new policy: no dogs allowed, unless they were carried. A couple was walking in with two medium-sized dogs; they looked like bulldog mixes or were at least around that size and with that same heavy build. The guard stopped them and pointed to the sign. So the couple just picked up their dogs and walked right in. The guard didn't complain, but it was clear they wouldn't be able to carry those dogs for long!
I carry around Peanut on my hip ;-) He is a 5 lb Yorkie. I will carry him around the house when I am cleaning and stuff but not for long, although he would let me carry him all day. He is very spoiled. When I put him down, he literally jumps all the way up to my chin begging me to pick him up again!
I pick up Prissy sometimes but she is a little more difficult to handle. She is 10lbs and very squirmy! She begs to be picked up but then when I do, she is ready to get right back down. She is rotten too! Her thing is wanting to be rubbed and petted all the time.
When she feels like she is not getting attention she will hold up her paw and gently paw me in the face...like if I am watching TV or something.
Well, I didn't like carrying my Lab. I couldn't. She weighed 75-80 lbs.
I admit that I like carrying my Jack Russell around. It's comforting sometimes to carry her and hang out. She isn't thrilled with it all the time. It depends on her mood more than mine.
I usually only carry my dog when I need to move him from one place to the other. He doesn't really like to be carried but will tolerate it if my husband or I do. I think sometimes it isn't comfortable on his old bones to be carried!
In the mornings sometimes I carry him up to one of the kids rooms to wake them up. They like to cuddle with him instead of getting up!
He weighs twenty pounds which is heavy for me! Must have been all the years of carrying my kids around when they were young. Wore me out!
My oldest dog, who was a coonhound mix, did not like to be picked up at all. In fact, for some reason, I was the only person she would allow to pick her up. I was also the person who rescued her from the pound, so that may have something to do with it. But from the day I got her, any time anyone picked her up she would cry as a puppy, and as an adult she would become pretty aggressive. The hardest point was when I she had to get surgery on one of her legs, and I had to carry her outside and hold her while she squatted to go, because she couldn't squat on her own.