Handling

Puppies are soooo cute - who doesn’t want to cuddle them all the time? 

And whilst puppies don’t always welcome as much physical contact as we would like to give them it is essential that they accept handling whenever required. Otherwise future visits to the vets or groomer could turn into a stressful drama for you, the dog and the handler!

Handling all of puppy's body parts should be introduced at an early stage and in a positive way, using lots of praise and rewards when doing so.

Gently stroke him down the length of his body, praise him and give him a treat for remaining calm. Check his mouth, teeth, ears (don’t forget that he’s got two ears), eyes, stroke him down his front legs, under his tummy, back feet, around his neck and collar, check under his tail, the paws, between the toes...

Use higher value treats for sensitive areas such as paws, base of the tail and neck area.

Once your puppy is happy with you handling him get other members of the family and friends to handle him too.

For further advice and if any concerns around handling your puppy please come and see us.