Holding a dog by the scruff without lifting him can be used as a way of getting his attention if he is doing something inappropriate, but to lift a dog without supporting his body can do harm. You really shouldnt hold a cat like that either unless in an emergency situation.. even if you are doing it to gain control of the cat, you should still try to support the body weight, and not put all the weight on the scruff. 0 0. IN REALITY IT IS BOTH HEALTHY AND NECESSARY. This doesn't mean that you can't grab your dog by the scruff. Learning to properly pick up a puppy or kitten makes handling easier as time passes, says Pam Johnson-Bennett, owner of Nashville-based Cat Behavior Associates. Only days’ old puppies can be picked up this way since they weigh very little. That's normal behavior. Machine washable. Hope this made sense. Newfoundland puppy picking up shih tzu by scruff of neck? Step 1: Never grab or pick up a puppy or an adult dog by the scruff of the neck. Nicky, mum to Uncle Cecil, Pip and Ty . When it comes to holding a kitty via the nape, mama -- and only mama -- knows best. Breathable 4 way stretch material. And it’s certainly not the most respectful or appropriate way to pick up or handle your cat. Just slip it over your dog's head and Scruff it up! 0 2. We should all try to be as good a person as our Dogs think we are (anon) 03-13-2005, 10:22 AM #5. This doesn't mean that you can't grab your dog by the scruff. One of them is a strap, which I pass under his tummy, just in front of his rear legs. Don’t pick them up by their scruffs. After a few times, just saying “no” with a direct glare should be enough to reprimand the dog. This is how the mother dog will pick up a puppy to move it. Picking up a puppy by its scruff is not a indicator of parentage. Mother dogs often hold their puppies by the scruff to move them. 1 decade ago. It is mistreatment for an owner to hold a puppy by the scruff of its neck, with the body weight dangling unsupported. Since I am usually on my own with him, I use a couple of essential tools to help me get him standing. We picked our puppy up like that when she was naughty or in a tight space and we couldn't get her out any other way. This isn’t the case with adult dogs. So they can't tell puppy to behave other than by growling, lying on or even picking it up by the scruff (how they're carried by Mummy in the first place) and tossing it away. It’s probably going to hurt. Once a puppy is no longer a puppy, picking them up by their scruff is risky because they are much too heavy to have all that weight placed on their neck. But No its not bad as long as its done properly. Don’t pick them up by their legs. and I am another ABSOLUTELY NOT under the No picking up puppy by the scruff. Once a puppy is no longer a puppy, picking them up by their scruff is risky because they are much too heavy to have all that weight placed on their neck. Do not “shake” or “alpha roll” your puppy with their scruff to ensure submission, as you can hurt the puppy or it may bite you. They think that because a dog’s mother picks their puppies up by the scruff of the neck, then it’s ok for us to do it. A. You could almost say there isn’t a ‘scruff’ any longer. Quick Drying. In addition, you also want to know what to do when you're picking up a puppy to bring it home to live with you. By shaking the puppy or dog’s scruff, or poking fingers into the puppy’s neck, it has been suggested that dog owners can emulate the scruff shaking carried out by mother dog or applied among dogs. 9 years ago. Village Royalty Join Date Aug 2004 Location Upstate New York Posts 7,510. It can really hurt them to picked up in this way, so please don’t do it. Li'l Lily. Lv 5. There’s More to Picking a Puppy than You Might Think… Choosing a dog or puppy is not an easy task, and the consequences of choosing with your heart may affect your life for the next 10+ years. Step 2: Hold your dog in the crook of your arm, gripping firmly to prevent him from getting loose. I am reaching out to dispel the ridiculous opinions of some of the other posts. I don't recommend it unless it is the only way to break up a confrontation. 10 different sizes accommodating all breeds. However, owners should understand the correct techniques for scruffing their dogs and not hurt their pets. In the past, many people would pick up a puppy by grabbing a handhold of neck-scruff and lifting. Does picking cats up by the scruff hurt them? Nekkid Truth! Thiѕ dоеѕn’t mеаn thаt you can’t grab уоur dоg by the scruff. “That’s what the bitch does to discipline them.” I sometimes wonder if the people who propose these strange and barbaric practices have ever seen a dog before. Aside from that, never pick up your puppy by its scruff because that is cruel and can cause irreparable damage. We have a new Newfoundland / St. Bernard puppy who is 14 weeks. Put your other hand under the hindquarters to support the dog's weight and lift with both hands. Dоnе соrrесtlу, grabbing thе ѕсruff can bе uѕеd аѕ a means оf trаining Picking up and carrying your dog may not seem like a complicated task, but a lot of pet parents surprisingly do it wrong. The scruff is the loose skin around your dog's neck. Dog Picking Up Puppy By Scruff Of Neck. 3 1. Carrying Your Puppy Properly with One Hand ; After picking up your puppy, stand still and move its body under your dominant arm. Donna C. 1 decade ago. You should be careful when picking up a puppy by the scruff as they get some weight on them. Onсе a puppy is nо lоngеr a рuрру, picking them up by thеir ѕсruff iѕ riѕkу bесаuѕе thеу аrе muсh tоо heavy to have аll that wеight placed on their nесk. picking them up by the scruff should only be done when the dog is a puppy because they are lighter and havent grown into thier skin. Much better to put one hand under the chest and one under the rump. To avoid injury or stress to your pup, check out the following video by MercolaHealthyPets.In this short 27-second video, you’ll see the proper way to pick up … Lifting a dog up from a lying position is very different to picking up a standing dog. You should not be carrying him by his scruff at all! Even if you've seen images of countless wise mother cats picking their kittens up by the scruff, that doesn't mean that you can do the same thing with the same exact results. Picking up a puppy by the scruff - the loose skin where his doggie Mom would pick him up. Picking up your dog by the scruff is uncomfortable and painful for dogs since you are putting all the weight of the dog on one pressure point. There is really no reason to pick him up by the scruff anyway except in an emergency, like he fell off a boat. And they don't have hands. That's how the mother would carry the pup. The skin there is loose, like a puppy or kitten's, and when I lifted him up he went limp and didn't seem to be in pain, just kinda pulled his hands up to his chest and looked at me. A STRAP. picking it up by the scruff(or back of the neck) will not hurt it unless it freaks out and gets scared. If you try to use this to hold a cat or worse to pick one up, you are pulling on an area not designed for trauma. When a cat grows up, the body size increases and the scruff becomes tighter. Picking up your English Bulldog puppy correctly. You didn't say that puppy came back to get more of the same but I suspect that's also the case. By Margaret Byrd | December 12, 2020. You must keep in mind that a mother dog or cat will NEVER hurt their puppy or kitten using this technique. Lv 7. My vote would also be a big NO, my husband just moved Viv slightly by the scruff of her neck … I have had dogs all my life and have bred and raised Papillons for over 30 years. If done properly it may not harm young puppies and animals. It can become painful. 8 ) Avoid picking the puppy up by the scruff. She attends puppy playschool once a week and has no problems socializing and having fun with other dogs. She has been socialized since we got her at 8 weeks, has all her shots, is house trained, and crate trained. Your dog will look super cool in The Wanderer Pup Scruff. She is doing very well. Jump to Latest Follow 1 - 5 of 5 Posts ... and he was so fast that I got him by the scruff of the neck. When you're picking up a puppy to hold him, you want to be gentle. Super easy to put on. IT IS FINE TO PICK UP A PUPPY. This practice has gone by the wayside as it can be potentially harmful to a puppy. Do you mean lifting by the scruff of the neck or grabbing by neck hsirs and shaking as a form of punishment. older dogs would growl or bark because they are heavier and they have already grown into it. Donnag. It isn’t. Mother dogs pick up their puppies by the scruff and this may lead you to think that it is ok to pick up your dog this way. I’ve been getting a lot of calls from clients who are looking for advice on how to pick a puppy or dog for their family. Your best bet is to stop picking it like that once it gets a little bigger as it will be hard for your hand and wrist. If your dog is not too heavy and you are able to pick him up on your own, support his hind legs with one arm and with the other arm support your dog underneath his chest or neck. Puppies, like babies, can be easily hurt. Best Practices for Picking Up a Puppy or Kitten. From puppy-hood, the dog will understand the scruff and shake as a reprimand and will eventually learn to associate it with the verbal “no”. Place one hand under the chest, just behind the front legs. Bulldog care. Now then, watch the two of them carefully. Sometimes a dam will pick up their newborn puppies by their scruffs (which none of mine ever did) but that's way different to picking up a dog of that age, and WEIGHT by the scruff and yes, this could cause damage. Then, take your dominant hand and place it under your puppy’s chest between its front legs, while securing her rear end between your side and arm. I touched upon this in a thread last week but it was mixed up in a big moan I had so think it got overlooked I saw a man pick his dog up by the scruff and it made me go a little I remember 30ish years ago it seemed quite a common way to lift a dog but I haven't seen it for years. The scruff is the loose skin around your dog's neck. Try only do it as a discipline :) Source(s): A 11 week old puppy. Lifting a cat or suspending its body weight by its scruff (the skin on the back of its neck) is unnecessary and potentially painful. How To Pick Up An Older Dog. Show off your dog's personality. This is a common mistake with people who own smaller dogs. Picking rats up by the scruff of the neck? 0 Comment. To be fair, I don't like the way the Mother picks up the puppies either as from my point of view it looks like it could be painful to them (even though I know it's not!) What do you mean by scruffing!. About the Scruff Hold. Great for all four seasons. Either way, this article has you covered. I personally would not recommend anyone to pick up a puppy, a dog or any animal by the scruff of the neck. This is not the proper way to pick up or handle a puppy. 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