My Puppy Will Not Be Cuddled
 

I now have four Yorkie Puppies Two Female Two Male.

One of my puppies (Robby) will not be picked up at all he just refuses to allow anyone to pick him up or cuddle him.

If we try doing so he will wriggle and fight until we put him down.

He will not take a treat from the hand and if we put it in front of him he will push it with his nose, pick it up and throw it in the air a few times, then he will eat it. After doing this he will take another treat from the hand.

We have been so concerned that we brought in a behaviourist (expensive) who spent two hours sitting observing Robby.

She eventually declared that we had an extremely happy and active little man who loves playing with the other three. (geezzz didn't know that).
She went on to say he is extremely timid (didn't know that either, do I sound sarcastic here) and we may never ever get him to come and enjoy a cuddle but should try doing it slowly over many months.

This little boy will come and put his legs up on mine as if to be picked up but as soon as I put my hand down he is away.

He is a joy to watch at play and he can eat like there is no tomorrow but ONLY if we lock him in his cage with his food with the other three left outside. He will clear his bowl every time but if given food outside he picks at it then leaves it.

We feel so bad that he is missing out on sharing love but we are told by the behaviourist that dogs are not meant to be picked up so we shouldn't worry too much.

I post this thread to ask if there is anyone out there who have a similar situation and if so how do they handle it.

:aimeeyork:aimeeyork:aimeeyork:aimeeyork:aimeeyork

This may be the wrong thing,but if it were me. I would lay in the floor and be on his level,let him approach me. Start out with all of the pups,if that is to much activity for him and he wont approach while the others are crawling all over you,try it with just him.
As for his treats,mine did this when I first brought her home. It was a trust thing,so I would act like I would take a bit and then give it to her. She has no problems taking things from my hand any more.
We do have a poodle like this. He is always the last to approach new people in the house,under the dining room table is his safe place where he can watch and not be touched until he is ready.
Good luck.

Mia was just like that when we first brought her home, she is almost seven months and is settling down quite a bit and will actually come and cuddle on her own.
She still dont like to be picked up to cuddle it as to be her that comes but she loves to cuddle now :) and she would wiggle so much when we would pick her up that i was scared i couldnt hold on lol.
must be a puppy stage.:)

Nilla was similar to this as well. When we brought her home, she HATED to sit on anyone's lap. I don't know if it scared her or what, but she didn't want to be held, petted, or loved on in general. Now if she's not playing, she wants to be in either my lap or my husband's, or sitting with us on the couch (it sometimes drives my dh insane!). I wouldn't give up hope on your baby boy! It's said that males crave more affection anyway, and if Nilla can do a 180, I'm sure he can and will too! Just keep showing him that you love him and he will probably come around.

My little boy was like that too and was very shy as a puppy. We spent alot of time working with him and exposing him to new things. Now he is such a lover boy. He wakes me with a little kiss (or a million) every morning and will come to cuddle. He comes to check with me throughout the day and sit nearby but likes to cuddle on his terms. He still is a shy outside the home but loves to go for a walk or bye bye in the car. He is cautious of strangers, will smell and greet them but will back away if they try to pick him up. I'm OK with that - no one else needs to be picking him up.

This puppy may not see you as a significant member of the pack and may be looking to one of the other dogs as a leader. Are they littermates? How old are they? Sorry if I missed this. When you bring a single puppy home they are dependent on you and only you. When you have multiple puppies/dogs, they dynamics of the pack changes and everyone has a role and a place in the pack, including the humans. You may have another little "pack leader" challenging you for your spot.

I wouldn't put too much thought into what the behaviorist said. She must not know yorkies too well.

Lillie was the same way. She didn't want to be picked up, cuddled or anything. She just liked playing with the others. I remember I would pick her up and try to give her a kiss and she would even turn her head away, lol.

She is now the biggest cuddle bug I have. She completely changed, she just needed to grow up first. She even sleeps under the covers snuggled up right beside me every night now. And now she loves my attention and being picked up, she will smile and dance for it.

Destiny was a bit like that as well when I first brought her home and I've heard many others who had yorkies that were the same way. They've all changed as they became adults.

Just give him time to grow up and show him love and affection. Once he matures I can bet you he will change and be a cuddle bug. Just let him enjoy his puppyhood for now.

Dogs don't have the need to be picked up and cuddled like humans have, and some dogs don't tolerate it well. Others learn not only to accept cuddling, but to thrive on it. I think it's important you train your dog to accept your hands, and when you pick him up, do a little grooming, and give him a reward, even if he is never a great cuddler, he should learn that hands give good things. Dogs that aren't great at cuddling, still love it if you hold their chewing sticks, and this is how I get a lot of one on one time with Joey. Don't confuse cuddling with showing love, cuddling doesn't show love to some dogs. Showing approval, and feeding and spending one on one time show love, but many dogs and most large dogs are never cuddled and get through life just fine. Also, instead of cuddling, try playing, most dogs love tug of war. Just remember the cuddling is more for the human than the dog.

I had a poodle once that was very independent and seemingly totally disinterested in human affections, didn't want to be held, etc. She was very, very task and play oriented though and trained very well. And she would play for an hour at a time alone with her toys, totally lost in her world of activity. She would have been a wonderful service dog for DEA or some such agency. Many people that train working dogs are looking for just such a temperament as the little boy you describe.

Being a Yorkie, though, with some age and maturity and that terrier ability to feel deep emotion and show it, I'll bet he will eventually warm up to personal affection - though his early indications are he will probably always be a task oriented dog and very well suited for training and a job of some sort.

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
I was JUST thinking he has a good temperament for a service dog. :)

The one thing I love about this forum is that we are never alone in here there is always a friendly voice to turn to who will offer help and advice.

I send my grateful thanks to those who have taken the time to answer my post as the answers given make me realize my little man is normal and this is a great relief to Joan and I.

I do get dow2n on the floor and play attempt to play with him but without the other three he will run off and hide.
If the other three are playing he will join in as he love to tug on soft toys.
If I have a toy in my hand he will play tug as long as I do and he can give as good as he gets from the other three.

He just does not like being touched and we are working on it but there is no way I am going to force him I will encourage but will not force.

I now look forward to him doing the "U" turn as he is loved so much by both of us.

Thanks again to all who took time to answer my question. ;)

Joey was a lot like that and cheerios given as a treat after grooming or holding helped him get use to being held. Cheerios are a nice treat for puppies because they are small and not calorie dense, dogs love them, use the unsweetened kind. They are a life saver at bath time. I think you have a great attitude and I'm glad you know not to force him, but to encourage. I wish all parents would learn this!

It sounds like you have a perfectly happy, normal, independent Yorkie.

My Lollie is the most loving, secure, intelligent, happy little gal around. She is very opinionated about being picked up - sometimes she wants to be picked up, other times she doesn't. She can be a huge tease, I can tell that she is playing by the look in her eyes.

[QUOTE=chattiesmom;3730305]It sounds like you have a perfectly happy, normal, independent Yorkie.

My Lollie is the most loving, secure, intelligent, happy little gal around. She is very opinionated about being picked up - sometimes she wants to be picked up, other times she doesn't. She can be a huge tease, I can tell that she is playing by the look in her eyes.[/QUOTE]

That is too funny!! :p

I forgot to mention Kaos doesn't like to be picked up either. If a stranger attempts to pick him up or anyone other than me he backs up or wiggles his way down. He wants to interact with EVERY one, just not in that way. :) AND he is the biggest snuggle bug I have ever met.

Good luck! :animal36

My Chachi didnt want to cuddle at all untill he was about 1 1/2 and then he became a big cuddle baby