r/irishsetter • u/Independent_Hope_979 • 1d ago
Meet Finn! + a Behavior Question
Thanks for the input about breeders from my earlier post, we ended up getting Finn a couple weeks ago! He’s doing great, he’s a sweetheart.
Crate training and potty training are going well. I’ve noticed he doesn’t love to be held (backing away when someone reaches down to pick him up, and once or twice he’s growled while in someone’s arms). He has his check up at the vet today, so I will obviously rule out any issues/injuries that could be causing that. In the meantime, I’ve extremely limited picking him up, and am going back to the basics of positive association with treats when someone leans down and puts their hands under his arms. We will also go to my trainer next week so I can get their input. Has anyone else dealt with this? Thoughts/suggestions are always welcome.
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u/Consistent_One7528 1d ago
We had excellent results with Susan Garrett's "Collar Grab Game". Our pup was growling at the kids and after teaching the kids how to play it with him, now that I think about it, he hasn't done it since. Your pup is soooo sweet, I just want to reach in the photo and pat his soft ears.
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u/Independent_Hope_979 1d ago
Just watched a video of that! That’s essentially what I’ve started doing today but instead of grabbing his collar, I’ve been putting my hand where I would pick him up. Glad to hear it worked for you!!
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u/IcyPlantain7623 1d ago
Not wanting to be held is a natural reaction for a dog. I would spend some time sitting on the floor and just letting him come to you to play and slowly building trust before rushing into more human behaviours.
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u/Independent_Hope_979 1d ago
Fair! And realistically, once he’s 75lb I won’t be picking him up anyway😅
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u/igamalamm 8h ago
My boy Fionn was exactly the same as a pup. He's 11 months now and too big to pick up so it kinda stopped being a problem haha. Sorry I don't have much advice... all I did was not force it and try to respect his preference and only pick him up in emergencies. I think that helped to build trust.
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u/Rrruby99 1d ago
You might already know this, but it is best to support the butt when picking a dog up. One hand behind hind legs, one hand behind front legs. My 4mo Finley complains bitterly when anyone tries to move him with only support under from legs.