Why does my dog let me hold him like a baby?

If your dog lets you hold it like a baby, this post will show you likely reasons why and what you can do about them.

So, why does my dog let me hold it like a baby? Likely reasons why your dog wants you to hold it like a baby are that it has some separation anxiety, it likes the attention, or that it has learned that the behavior is rewarded.

There are actually a number of possible causes and it could be due to a combination of them. However, there are a number of things you can consider to help figure out the main cause and there are a number of things you can do about it.

Why does my dog let me hold him like a baby?

Below are likely reasons why your dog lets you hold it like a baby and what would make each of them more likely.

Separation anxiety

The cause might be that your dog has some separation anxiety. This would be more likely if your dog tends to want you to hold it before you normally leave or as soon as you tend to arrive home. It would also be more likely if your dog tends to become anxious when you are leaving by doing things such as pace or cry when you are leaving.

It wants attention

The cause could also be that it likes the attention and that it wants attention. This would be more likely if your dog tends to get you to hold it more when you have not been giving it much attention in a while.

Encouraging the behavior

It might also be the case that your dog has learned that the behavior gets rewarded. If you tend to give it things such as toys, treats or extra attention, when it gets you to hold it, it will likely do it more in order to get more rewards.

Affection

It might also be the case that your dog is just being affectionate and it wants to be able to greet you at the face. This would be more likely if your dog also does things such as lick your face when you hold it.

Fear

It might also be the case that there is something that is causing your dog to be fearful that is causing your dog to want you to hold it. This would be more likely if your dog tends to do it more when it is likely to be fearful such as when there are other pets around or loud noises inside.

Things to consider

Below are some things to consider to help figure out the main reason why your dog has been doing it.

If your dog has always wanted to be held like a baby

If your dog did not always want you to hold it, it would help to consider what else happened when your dog first started doing it. If it started doing it suddenly, it might be due to things such as learning that the behavior is rewarded or something causing it to get fearful or anxious.

The timing of when your dog wants to be held like a baby

It would also help to consider if there is a certain time that your dog tends to want you to hold it. If there is, it could be the case that the timing has something to do with it. For example, if it does it when you arrive home, it could be due to some separation anxiety.

What to do about your dog wanting to be held like a baby

Below are some things to consider to help figure out the main cause.

Let it do it

If your dog does not seem to be behaving unusually in other ways and it seems to be doing it because it just wants attention or it is being affectionate, the easiest option would be to just let your dog continue doing it.

Train it not to

Another option would be to train your dog not to do it by not rewarding it whenever it tries to get you to hold it and only rewarding it when it behaves the way you want it to.

Limit reasons why it might be anxious

If it seems to have been doing it due to something causing it to be anxious, it would also help to limit reasons why it might be anxious by doing things such as letting it stay in a quiet part of the house and letting it pee, eat and get exercise before leaving it for a long time.

Why does my dog want to be petted like a baby?

If your dog wants you to pet it like a baby, it is likely to be because your dog has learned that the behavior results in you giving it extra attention.

Is it ok to carry my dog like a baby?

As long as you do not hurt it, it is ok to carry your dog like a baby. However, it might result in your dog becoming overly attached to you if you do it too often.