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Care & Training Q&As / My Havanese 4 Year Old Male Growels If Non Family Members Attempt To Pick Him Up. How Do I Correct?
My Havanese 4 Year Old Male Growels If Non Family Members Attempt To Pick Him Up. How Do I Correct?
You dont he just has to get used to them because he doesnt know them and hes not sure what their intentions might be
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Don’t let them pick him up. He may be small and cute, but he is an adult. Would you pick up an adult human just because he was small and cute? I think he would growl too!! Teach them to respect him.
Stop picking him up. He doesn’t like that.
Instead, invite him to sit next to you (or them).
You can try to desensitize him to being held by doing it more, ignoring the growls and praising him for being cooperative, but I don’t think it will work.
It’s sort of like someone coming over and ruffeling your hair every 2 minutes, then trying to convince you it’s your new favorite thing. You’d start to growl a little too.
Cheers!
well she the isue is that when he growls you back off so just go right up to him and pick him up show him you arn’t gonna back off. he learned that when he does not want to be picked up he growls and you guys back off. so tell him who is boss and just pick him up even if he growls the whole time he will soon stop. and maybe take him to the vet to insure no health problem or injuries then once sure he is fine use the method i said above.
and be sure to not pick him up constantly or all the time or i would growl too just every once in a while to put him in a crate or take him somewhere you don’t want him to walk or to get him out of a room quickly. but don’t pick him up to say how cute he is. so like every once in a while to say hi or if he refuses to go somewhere. and reward him when you pick him up with little bite size peices of chicken, pork, steak, just some type of left over in the fridge or dog treats. and every time you pick him up he will learn that that gets him a treat.
It seems they are generally very friendly to new comers. I would take him out of the family setting and introduce him to other people that way, so he isn’t trying to protect his territory.
Show him it’s alright by standing next to him and petting him while the other person pets him too.
People need to learn how to “meet” a dog and just because they are small, furry and cute does not mean they can pick them up or put their faces up to them and kiss them! Those are big mistakes. You need to explain to people to allow him to smell their hand (fingers curled in) and allow him to engage them vs the other way around. In the meantime you also need to work on your socialization of your dog – take him out to meet others and to crowded places (but not on the floor were he can get hurt) and explain to friends about your socialization so you can hand them your dog – that is part of your socialization. Growling can/should also be corrected by you by saying ‘NO!’ in a stern voice – not yelling. Do not allow him to growl at you or anyone else for that matter and do not soothe or pet when he does as you would only be reinforcing it. The Havanese is a highly intelligent animal and they respond to praise and positive reinforcement. You can also try having your visitors bring him a treat – try Bil Jack liver treats cut into tiny pieces and keep working on it he will no doubt come around. With all that said, make sure they are picking him up correctly and that he has no painful areas on his bodies that you maybe overlooking. Good luck! Enjoy your Havanese there is NOTHING like them, but I am sure you already know that!!