Why your dog cries when you pick it up

If your dog has been crying when you pick it up, you might be wondering why and what you can do about it. This post will show you a number of common reasons why they do it and what you can do to stop it.

So, why does my dog cry when I pick it up? A common reason why dogs do it is that they are injured. The best option would be to take it to a vet especially if it has started doing it suddenly or it has been showing other signs of being in pain.

There are a number of reasons why it might be doing it and there are some things you can consider when figuring out the main reason. Once you have a good idea of the main cause, it should become easier to get it to stop.

Why your dog cries when you pick it up

Below are some common causes and what would make each of them more likely to be the main cause.

Injury

The reason why it has been doing it could be that it is injured. This would be more likely if it has started doing it suddenly, if it has been showing other signs of being in pain or if it has been behaving unusually in other ways as well. If it does seem like injury might be the cause, the best option would be to take it to a vet. If it has not been to the vet for a checkup recently, it would also likely be worthwhile to take it the the vet for a checkup anyway.

The way you pick it up is painful

It could also be the case that the way you have been picking your dog up has been painful for it. This would be more likely if you have been picking it up quickly or forcefully and it does not cry when you pick it up gently.

Excitement

The cause could be that it is excited. This would be more likely if it shows signs of excitement when it does it by doing things such as wagging its tail, having wide-open eyes and showing its tongue.

Fear

It could also be the case that it gets fearful when you pick it up. This would be more likely if it tends to cry more when you approach it quickly and if it often cries when you do not pick it up as well. If it seems like your own actions could be making it be fearful, it would help to be calm around it and to give it positive reinforcement training as opposed to negative reinforcement.

It’s getting surprised when you pick it up

The cause might also be that it was not expecting you to pick it up. This would be more likely if it only cries when you pick it up suddenly or when you pick it up from behind.

Things to consider

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

What else happened when it first started doing it

If your dog did not always cry when you used to pick it up, it would help to consider what else happened when it first started doing it. If it started doing it suddenly, it would be more likely to be due to getting injured but it might also be due to picking it up in an usual way as well.

What else is different when it does it

If it does not always cry, when you pick it up, it would also help to consider what is different when it does it. For example, if it tends to do it more when you pick it up quickly, it would be more likely that it does it because it doesn’t like being picked up that way.

What to do about it

Below are some things you can do about your dog crying when being picked up.

Take it to a vet

If it has started doing it suddenly, it has been showing other signs of being injured or you are not sure why your dog has been doing it, the best option would be to take it to a vet. By doing so, you should be able to get expert advice tailored towards your particular dog and to see whether or not injury is the cause.

Avoid picking it up in a way that might be painful

If you have been picking it up quickly or forcefully, it would help to avoid doing so and to pick it up slowly and gently instead.

Be calm with it

It might also be the case that it cries because the way you interact with it when you pick it up, causes it to become fearful. Instead, it would help to be calm when interacting with it and to avoid picking it up forcefully.