Tips on picking up your dog

3 Don’ts When Picking Up Your Dog

1.Don’t involve your dog’s legs — Your dog’s front and back limbs aren’t intended as suspension devices, nor can they be expected to support the full weight of her body if, heaven forbid, she’s lifted by them.

Children who don’t know better tend to lift by the front legs, whereas adults are more apt to put their hands under the armpits and lift as they would a child. Picking up a dog in this manner strains the muscles in the front legs and spine, which can result in torn ligaments and even a dislocated shoulder or elbow.

There’s also the risk of dropping the dog, and in older dogs with arthritis or degenerative joint disease, this type of lifting can be extremely painful.

2.Don’t “scruff” your dog — Yes, mother dogs carry their pups by the scruff of the neck in their first few weeks of life. However, this happens only for a very brief period and doesn’t continue as the puppies get larger.

“Scruffing” is an unnatural, uncomfortable, and even painful way for larger puppies and certainly adult dogs to be lifted or carried.

3.Don’t hold her collar or tail when picking your dog up — It should go without saying that pulling on a dog’s collar, especially while lifting her, can cut off her air supply and cause her to choke. It’s also a good way to do serious permanent damage to the very delicate organs located in her neck, including the throat, larynx, and trachea.

Just as your dog’s collar should never serve as a “handle” to lift her, neither should her tail. Damage caused by pulling your dog’s tail can affect the nerves and muscles that move the tail as well as those that control elimination.

Significant injury can cause the tail to hang limply, no longer move, or even affect your dog’s ability to urinate or defecate on her own.

If you regularly pick up your dog incorrectly but she never complains, it doesn’t mean she’s okay with it or that she, for some reason, can be picked differently from other dogs. Many pets will endure a great deal of discomfort and even pain without yelping or crying.

Chances are your dog is sending you a signal, but you don’t recognize it as a sign of distress, for example, yawning, lip licking, looking away, or struggling to get free. These are all signs of a dog who is at a minimum feeling anxious and may even be in pain.

How to Lift a Large Dog

The best way to lift a large dog is with two people, so depending on your size and health, I recommend getting help if your pet is over 40 pounds. One of you should lift from under your dog’s chest while the other lifts the abdomen and backend.

Dogs tend to struggle more, and risk being dropped when they aren’t properly supported while being picked up.

If your dog has an injured or sore back, get help if necessary, so that you can keep her back completely level as she’s lifted. One of my favorite techniques is the “dog taco wrap.” While your dog is lying on her dog bed, you simply fold the edges up and pick her up in the bed. You can also use a beach towel for this purpose with smaller dogs.

It’s best to pick up your dog when she’s relaxed, because it’s much easier to lose your grip on a bouncy or wiggly dog. If your dog won’t sit still and absolutely must be picked up, as a last resort, you can use a comforter or blanket to scoop her into your arms.