Can you hold them too much?
 

I brought my little guy home a week and a half ago. The first week, I pretty much held him nonstop. When I couldn't sit with him and hold him, I put him in my purse and carried him around in a hobo bag with the purse slung over my shoulder and him in the front of me close to my chest. I did this because he was terrified when I first brought him home and I wanted him to feel secure. I had people tell me not to do this but I thought it was best. I have literally taken him everywhere with me in that purse (the store, gymnastics, daughter's school and very few people really even notice.) This week I have noticed that I can get away with holding him less. I have noticed that he is whining less and more willing to be in his xpen or crate. Today I was even able to leave the room without him whining. Of course, this week I have been letting him whine just a little because I don't want to encourage the whining by picking him up every time he does it. Now that he is adjusting more, I am finding that I miss holding him so much and have been holding him for hours even when he doesn't need it. So my question is can you hold them too much? Am I doing this right? I don't want him to be spoiled, but I don't want him to be scared and insecure.

Well I can see how much you love your furbaby:D. For what I understand in your post seems like is working for you. I have three girls and I always have someone in my arms or somentimes all three are with me:eek:

I believe they are like skin babies. You can never hold them enough!!

I don't know the answer, I would think that there is no limit though.

I wonder if it could cause separation anxiety though?

When my oldest yorkie who is 3 now was a puppy I did the same thing! We were inseperable, I took her everywhere, let her sleep with me and held her in my arms at all times! I couldn't help it. The older she got, the worse her behavior got. She had very BAD seperation anxiety. When I would leave her she would go crazy trying to scratch the door down. She would tear things up when I left. That is when I decided to get my little boy yorkie. She is still to this day spoiled rotten and I am her favorite person in the world. But having the company of another dog helped. If I could change things I would have done the same thing! I love her so much and I think holding her all the time let her know that!!

I don't know if you could hold them too much. I don't hold mine that much, he would much rather rough play with my boxer then be held. He has way too much energy to sit still. The olny thing that I would worry about with holding them all the time is that they may not be able to have as much exercise and build up muscles. My yorkie is 7 months old, he is a big boy (thank God) weighs 8 pounds. When I give him a bath I can not believe the amout of muscle this little guy has, he is built like my boxer. :p The only time Snickers is ready to be held is when he is tired. He will jump up around me and want me to sit down with him so he can take a nap.

I think you're just being a loving mommy. I don't think you can give them to much attention. They really love it.

I think Yorkies like to be held. If I'm doing something, like homework, and Vickie can't see she'll scratch my leg to say "Mommy, pick me up so I can see!". I do and then she's fine.

My breeder told me to do one certain thing for sure when I got Kalina and that was to introduce her to as many people as possible the first few weeks I had her. She said to set my goal at 100 people and, if I truly trusted them, to hand Kalina to them. Well, it was nice weather and I was able to do that. As a result, she loves everyone and will let anyone near her. I think holding your baby alot is fine, but don't keep him from other people. He needs to be socialized if you want him to be well adjusted. That's just MHO. It worked for me. :)

awww I think you just love him so much and I think thats so sweet!!!

Only thing I would worry about is him getting overly spoiled where he wants to be with you non stop!

I don't think you can hold them too much. Lucy wanted to be held all the time when we first brought her home...Less now that she is older but she still likes it.

I think it is great you are getting your puppy used to going places with you in your purse/carrier. That way you can take him lots of places :) I introduce Lucy to anyone and everyone I feel comfortable with on our travels and as one of the other posters said, as a result she loves everyone!

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup: Really excellent advice. I did the same wih Mango and she is a happy, well socialized little dog. My sister did the opposite, would not allow anyone to touch her Yorkie and now that he is an adult, he is scared of everyone and shows extremely aggressive behavior towards others, has lunged at and bitten people that come near him. My sister held him constantly, but no-one else ever did.
Lauren:D

I'm glad you asked this, as I've been wondering the same thing too! I take Mocha everywhere with me and he is constantly being held or curled up on my lap. He's very attached to me and people have been telling me that I shoudn't smother him too much because he'll freak out whenever I'm gone. I just can't help it though, I always want to be holding him and petting him lol. He does freak out whenever I put him in his pen or crate, so I've been trying to put him in there more often so that he can get used to it. I'm just worried that he might start to resent it and then not want to cuddle with me anymore :( If there is such a thing as holding them too much, then I'm definately guilty of it too :rolleyes:

Thanks Guys. I have been letting people pet him when they notice, but not hold him, so I will definatley be doing that more. Having him well adjusted and well socialized is very important to me. I'm also about to take him to puppy training classes, so hopefully that will do him some good:)

I def don't think you can hold or love them too much, but def. introduce them to as much as possible. He will be a very well adjusted pup.