My puppy yelps when picked up or dried after bath. What can I do?

Thanks for using Boop by Petco! Besides this being behavioral, this could also be due to a medical issue such as a display of pain of some sort. I recommend that if this persists, you have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for this possibility and treat him accordingly. This may require taking x-rays. Good luck and have a great day!

Hi, thanks for using Boop by Petco! Molly is adorable! I don't think there is anything medically wrong with her. She may not like being picked up. I would slowly start to regain her confidence but having her fist not run from you. Sit on the floor with treats and toys and have her play with you, giving her treats often. Keep doing that until she stops running from you. Then you can gradually start to pick her up but keep the sessions brief and don't "love" on her until she is good with being picked up. Every dog has a different personality but something may have scared her from enjoying this time with you. I hope this helps and I wish you and Molly the best!

Hi, thanks for using Boop by Petco! Poor Blue! Common causes of pain when small dogs are picked up are: neck and back pain for forelimb pain. If this is new and he is also jumping up less, shivering or tremoring and not using the stairs I would take him in to the Vet this week for an exam as that indicates pain. Other reasons for crying when picked up is arthritis or being scared or surprised. So try to go slowly and gently if he is otherwise acting normal. Good luck!

Hello. Thank you for using Boop by Petco. I recently raised a litter of puppies from a dog I adopted, & at about the same age, 1 of the puppies became very shy & scared. If you picked her up, she would sometimes scream like she was being murdered. With extra attention, over the next 4 weeks, she became much calmer & less anxious. She was never as assured as her litter mates, and all I can hope is she continues to mature & do well. All animals have different personalities, & at this young age, you cannot say how one will turn out. Give him as much of your attention as possible, & when it comes time to place him ( if you decide to ), it might be best to find someone with some experience raising dogs ( not a first-time dog owner ), & is possibly willing to put a little extra time in to train & socialize this pup. Take care.

Thanks for using Boop by Petco! I’m sorry to hear Lily isn’t feeling well. It sounds like there may be some pain in her neck or back. If there is a pinched nerve in the neck, it will radiate through the whole body and cause discomfort when picking up. I wouldn’t consider it “urgent” but it does sound like she may be in pain and need some medications to help relieve her pain. Please do not give any over the counter medications as they are not safe for pets. Good luck and kisses to Lily!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Lacey. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian. Small breed dogs are prone to neck and/or back pain. It can present as yelping. Her veterinarian will carefully examine her to determine if she is painful. If so, x-rays may be needed. In the meantime, keep her quiet and carry her as much as possible. Do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Boop by Petco. I'm sorry to hear that Sophie has been seeming uncomfortable when being picked up a certain way, and is eating and drinking less. While more common in larger breed dogs, it is possible that she has some "growing pains", or panosteitis, in her long bones, which is painful for her when she is picked up as you are describing. This discomfort may be causing her to eat and drink less, and be less playful too. I'm glad to hear that she is not painful in her chest, abdomen or back. She may be suffering from neck pain, which can be a common occurrence in smaller breed dogs. If she continues to seem uncomfortable, lethargic, and have a decreased appetite and water intake, I recommend having her evaluated by your veterinarian. He/she can perform a thorough physical exam to better localize her discomfort and pain. He/she may also recommend bloodwork to evaluate for any underlying systemic disease that could cause her to have a decreased appet

Congratulations on your new puppy! Dogs can be bathed once weekly, but unless there is an issue they are typically bathed monthly. She can be dried with a towel or a hair dryer on a low setting, just ensure that it isn't held too close to the skin and is not focused on one section for too long. Thanks for using Boop by Petco!

That does sound a bit like nerves, especially if it is only happening when you pick him up a certain way and he doesn't have any other symptoms. I would try to pick him up in a way that is more comfortable with him, as well as try to get him more used to be handled. This can be done by offering a favorite treat every time you handle him -- such as when you pick him up, touch his paws, face, etc. Praising and rewarding will help him to associate it with good things and can make handling and picking him up a bit easier in the future as well. If the behavior continues, worsens, or other symptoms appear, it is always a good idea to have your vet take a look as well to rule out any health or pain issues that could be causing it.

Poor Joey. The two possibilities here are that it hurts or that he scares him when you pick him up. I'd lean towards pain from your description, but keep fear in mind since your vet didn't find any pain. One area pain can "hide" during a physical exam is in the spine or neck - vet's don't always check this area carefully. I would recommend a recheck visit, since it's still going on with no changes to see if anything is different on physical exam this time, and ask if doing a trial of pain meds for around 5 days would be appropriate. If pain meds don't help, experiment with never picking him up to see if that makes him happier. Good luck!