# Carrying puppies...



## APBTLove (Feb 23, 2009)

Is there actually anything wrong with carrying your pup around?
Or is it just one of those old training myths that carrying your pup will cause problems? 

I carry Sparkles often, especially if there is a threatening dog around, I don't see how it would be bad, I'm pretty she knows I'm protecting her. 

But I will be doing a lot of carrying Jaeger before he gets the rest of his shots... LOL at a 'trainer' who confronted me for carrying Sparkles at a local nature park, told me it probably ruined her, and will make her disobedient and spoiled *as his dog chased down and rolled some little kids' pup*

Just another question that floated through my head.


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## Steffanie (Oct 1, 2005)

I think that's just a myth.

How the dog acts depends on how you train and socialize. I've seen many people who carry their dogs who if they put them down they'd be little hellions, because they didn't train and socialize them and spoiled them, so maybe that's where that connection comes from?

When Cheyenne was a little puppy we'd carry her around in a little blanket until she got all of her shots. No effect.

I can't wait to see picks of Jaeger, your excitement and posts have kept me excited to see him with you!


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## atravis (Sep 24, 2008)

When Mulder was a puppy, he would get too tired to finish most of our walks, and I would have to carry him back to the car. 

The only problem he has that I could possible relate back to this... is his desire to be a 75lb lap dog! He always wants to be in my arms









I think people relate bad behavior with being carried more for little dogs, because there are people out there that LITERALLY never put their dogs down. They don't know how to walk properly on a leash, or how to interact with other people/animals, because they've never been given the opportunity to do so properly! 

Somehow I don't see you carrying your GSD around for the rest of his life (lol, that'd be a sight to see!), so I don't see why it would cause any lasting issues.


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## littledmc17 (Apr 9, 2008)

I could only carry Brady for the first 3 weeks we had him 
and then he was too big 
but he still likes to put his head on my lap every now and then


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## Alto (Nov 18, 2008)

There are many, many small dogs owners who carry their pup/dog 90% of the time - as a result, the dog never learns how to socialize with other dogs, doesn't learn any dog-dog language, has very poor muscle mass (they rarely walk more than a block) etc; often these dogs also have no manners as they are treated more as toys than as intelligent learning-abled beings.

If Sparkles is dog savvy, I'd leave her down to meet the dog as a dog, if she isn't, I'd tend to stay clear of dog parks etc - you DO NOT want a large dog to move the aggression up into your face when you pick up Sparkles; it's much better if you can discourage the other dog while leaving S on the ground.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

I still carry Stark down the stairs if he is tired or if they are a long way down or cement because he ends up on his head half the time.

But he is getting to be too big for me to carry and I think in another week or so, it will be stopping.. Haha.


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## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

I have a 13" beagle, who is well socialized and my trainer uses to help socialize other dogs, including big dogs.

I often hoist her on my hip, especially when I'm in a rush. She listens but she listens in a beagle way, which means she comes but sniffs as she does. Sometimes, it's just easier to pick her up and carry her. 

I've owned dogs for years and years, and if I had a dollar for every person who has approached me over the years and told me that they were a 'breeder" or a "trainer..." Lol... I could afford to own even more dogs!









Here's the deal, professionals don't walk around giving out advice for free, whether they're doctors or attorneys or trainers, because once they put their necks out, they can be held legally liable if something goes wrong. 

That doesn't mean that someone who is offereing helpful advice might not know what they're talking about. But they're likely just a helpful lay person. Would you accept dog training advice from your mailman? Maybe. But maybe not. Likely only if it made sense to you. 

Same thing. 



> Quote:
> There are many, many small dogs owners who carry their pup/dog 90% of the time - as a result, the dog never learns how to socialize with other dogs, doesn't learn any dog-dog language, has very poor muscle mass (they rarely walk more than a block) etc; often these dogs also have no manners as they are treated more as toys than as intelligent learning-abled beings.


As a small dog owner, I"m pretty sympathetic to many of the people who feel that they need to haul around their dogs. My small beagle has been approached fast and furious by large dogs dragging their







owners who are busily telling me "Buster just LOVES other dogs!" and I'm trying to body block Buster who is not only out of control, but often overweight, so there is a lot of Buster to block. 

My little dogs grew up around GSDs and other big dogs. They can handle themselves well enough. But they aren't a match for 90lb dog, especially one with intense prey drive that the owner thinks means "he LOVES little dogs."

So the next time you see your neighbor pick up her yorkie when you walk by, talk to her. Tell her that you respect her yorkie's right to walk on the sidewalk unharrassed. Then, make sure your GSD does a rock solid "leave it" when you walk by. You'll probably be the one of the first big dog owners that has ever done that. 

We often talk about being an ambassador for the breed. Disparaging small dog owners (and either not understanding or dismissing their concerns) doesn't help. Yes, there are a lot of moronic purse dog owners. But quite a few small dog owners are genuinely concerned.


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## Dinahmyte (Sep 26, 2004)

I don't think it is the carrying so much but not doing the other things. Most little dogs that I see "don't walk on a leash" because the owner gave up and threw it in a purse the first time the dog sat and didn't budge with a leash and collar on. So as long as the dog is taught to walk properly and taught to behave on a leash, carrying it occasionally shouldn't cause an issue. Shouldn't be too hard unless you plan on throwing an 80lb + dog over your shoulder. ;-)


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## APBTLove (Feb 23, 2009)

What you guys have said is what I thought...
Sparkles means too much for me to take a change with a big dog showing aggression, she is 12" tall and 12lbs, one bite from a bigger dog could kill her.

When we had my poor, poor pit bull girl, I would hold her bottom in one arm and wrap the other around her shoulders so that her head was facing behind me to take her out to the car if it was raining, as she went everywhere with us... She was nearly 60lbs and it was a funny to sight to see a muscle-riddled dog with a sad face being carried like baby. She was one of my very few friends.


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## APBTLove (Feb 23, 2009)

I'm too excited myself... I cannot wait to get him into my arms!
We have next week planned around socializing him with kids and vaccinated dogs already.


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## Jessica H (Mar 14, 2009)

I used to carry Dozer when he was little but it didn't last long, he got big fast.
I would carry him up and down the stairs b/c I heard its better for their joints, I used to lift him into the car (until he weighed 60lbs and I was a SUCKER and my DH showed me how he jumps right in for him). I bring him everywhere with me and if we were at my work or in a store sometimes he would get really tired so I would carry him.
I carried him a lot when he was little but not like the people do with their small dogs. I carried my Cairn Terriers a lot when they were young and we were in public, they turned out just fine and perfectly socialized. They hate if I pick them up for a minute now though.


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## APBTLove (Feb 23, 2009)

I will mostly be carrying when he's too tired to go on, or if I do not feel it is a safe place for him to be on the ground (for any reason, pet stores being one place he won't touch ground until he's had his 3rd set of vaccines).


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## mjbgsd (Jun 29, 2004)

I made the mistake of letting Cody sit in my lap when he was younger for car rides. If there is no crate in the car, he tries to get to the front and in my lap, that's 85lbs worth right there! I only carried Isa when needed to and then stopped, never had a problem with her.


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