not cuddly

[Pam and Ginger Snap]

I have a smart, sweet, funny 11 week puppy.  Everything is normal...but she does not like to cuddle or be held much.  She will sleep at my feet, roll over for tummy rubs..but she doesn't like to be held for any length of time.  She wiggles nd wiggles to get down or becomes mouthy.

 

Has anyone else had this problem?

 

Pam

[Denise & Hunter!!!]

Hunter isn't much of a cuddler either ~ I wish that she was and imagined her laying on my lap on the couch.  Now I have to settle for her resting her chin on my lap and it works for both of us :-)  Now in the last 6 months or so she has got more affectionate that she was before so being only 11 weeks old I would say give it time.

[Kimberly Keenan]

Bindi did not cuddle when she was a puppy but she likes to cuddle now. I think it changed when she was 10 months.  She only likes to be held a certain way. you have to hold her with her front feet resting on your one arm and you hold her back legs & behind in the other arm. She doesn't like to be held on her back upside down.

[Suzann, Rosey & Bandit]

Bandit is mega cuddler boy.  He has to be touching me when we sleep at night.  When he naps he is usually snuggling next to me on the sofa.  Rosey will be cuddled in smaller doses but prefers to sleep in he own bed at night.

[Deanna & Desi & Cori]

As a puppy, Sedona did not like to cuddle at all.  In every other way, she was a loving and affectionate puppy - she just seemed to want her own space.  We just figured she was not a cuddler by nature so we just accepted it.  Two months ago (at the age of 14 months) she started laying next to me, which transitioned into laying next to me with her head on my lap, which transitioned into laying on my lap!  Go figure.  We changed nothing in our routine - she just decided the time was right to cuddle!  

 

Give your pup some time - she may come around on her own!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Ned was not cuddly but has gotten snugglier as he has matured.  He is just not a snuggle buddy.  I blame it on the extensive brushing I have to do to keep his coat mat-free.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

That could be a part of Murphy's stand-offishness. Every time I've needed to come near him for most of his life has been to treat his ears, clean them, flush them, pluck them, put some medication in them or brush or comb him or groom him. I bet he just groans under his breath when I get too close for too long. I wish it was different but he has always had ear issues and I keep him groomed nice and short most of the time so there's always something to do to him.

[Linda, Webber and Seda]

I have one independent 3 year old male, who always stays near me but isn't a huge fan of cuddling.  He loves petting and touching.  And, a female that is now 9 months old that has been a cuddle bug from the first day.  She comes up and initiates the cuddles and wants to climb into my lap.  I have wondered if it had to do with how much the pups were handled in the first eight weeks.  My cuddle-doodle was raised by three children and she goes limp in your arms and rolls over on her back.  The two came from different breeders and the male's breeder did not have any children.  I suppose it could also be genetics.

[Judi, David & Maddie Irishdoodle]

Maddie didn't get real cuddly until she was about 9 or 10 months old and over 50 lbs.  Now she thinks she is a lap dog, hops up on the couch and plops her body across my lap. I have to put down the paper or whatever I'm doing and give her some hugs, pats and kisses.  I always sing Maddie the Huey Lewis song -

Yes, it's true, I'm happy to be stuck with you
Yes, it's true, I'm happy to be stuck with you
Because I can see that you're happy to be stuck with me

[Diana Erhart]

When we first got Charlie he didn't want to have anything to do with being cuddled or held.  My daughter, who was 16 at the time, decided he was going to be a cuddle dog whether he liked it or not.  She would pick him up and hold him as often as she could, even though he would squirm and wiggle.  Eventually he figured out that it was pretty nice to be held and scratched and now he always wants to lay with his head on your lap or to be held.  Some days he rings his bells but instead of wanting to go outside, he keeps ringing until I stop what I am doing and just sit on the couch and hold him for 20 minutes or so.  I'm not sure if it was my daughter's doing, or if he just needed to mature a bit, but he is definitely a cuddle dog now (he is 4).

[Adina P]

Every pup is different as I'm sure the rest have told you.  They have lots of energy and wiggles to get out and don't necessarily like being contained.  That very well may change with age.  My Rosco (big male labradoodle) was just like that as a pup.  NO cuddling for him!  He wasn't even a high energy pup, but he didn't like being held or cuddled at all.  He was quite independent.  It wasn't until after a year that he started to get lovey dovey.  So your pup is totally normal =)