Hi. New guy here.

[Abulafia]

Unfortunately, Milo does NOT like to be carried.

Well, to be clear, we did that from when Hoku was brought home at 7.5 weeks, until she was about 12 weeks—when, yes, they are getting larger (she was probably ~30lbs) and less "wanting to be carried all the time." We didn't really carry her many places—the police station, a few hardware stores, etc.—but if you didn't start with that, then I am not surprised he won't like it now.

I'm going to have to find a different way to take him places.

I think the point is that socialization does not require that you take your dog places. You bring people and experiences to your dog. Hoku didn't leave the house much before her third shot. Puppy classes were the only exception—and I carried her into the building, and out. All other socialization—save the police, hardware stores, etc.—occurred at our house. That's how you do it.

...doesn't really like to be touched or petted.

Hmm. If you just have a dog who does not like physical contact, that's fine—he may just be a physical-affection averse dog. But if this continues, you'll want to be very careful about who you let get near him as he grows. I'd be concerned by a puppy that avoided human contact, but I am surely biased by my own experiences w/ Labs and ... well, dogs in general.

[QUOTE]The biting thing is getting worse so that's a problem as well. My arms are gashed in several places and it looks like I got into a fight with a barbed wire fence. LOL. [QUOTE]

Hoku had begun to develop bite inhibition by about 3 - 4 months, so hopefully this is coming to an end soon. It is indeed frustrating.

At this point, he cannot be taken anywhere. Just gonna have to deal with it at this time and work it out later.

I think that what we are saying is that socialization does not require you taking the dog out of the house. You must bring the experiences to him. This is not the sort of thing you can "work out later."

[TT120]

We brought him home at 8 weeks and he has never tolerated being carried from day 1. I've actually never seen a puppy that didn't like human contact so this is new for me. I don't think he was mis treated or anything, just likes to be on his own. I don't really have anyone that can come over to the house save for my daughter and grandson who, by the way, doesn't like Milo cause he bites.....LOL. We're working on it. It looks like it's going to take a while tho. He seemed ok when the pizza guy came by the other day but he didn't want to have anything to do with Milo, he just wanted his tip and to get back to work.

[Abulafia]

Well, good luck. You have a tough road ahead, I think. Wishing you the best!

[Meeps83]

We brought him home at 8 weeks and he has never tolerated being carried from day 1. I've actually never seen a puppy that didn't like human contact so this is new for me. I don't think he was mis treated or anything, just likes to be on his own. I don't really have anyone that can come over to the house save for my daughter and grandson who, by the way, doesn't like Milo cause he bites.....LOL. We're working on it. It looks like it's going to take a while tho. He seemed ok when the pizza guy came by the other day but he didn't want to have anything to do with Milo, he just wanted his tip and to get back to work.

Maverick didn't like to be carried either. He didn't have the time for it. There were too many things to sniff, people to see, or new things to explore. He sounds very busy and like he doesn't have time for cuddling. I'd actually work on commands. We did both verbal and hand signal. We also did "puppy push-ups". Sit-down-sit treat. Down-sit-down treat. They're never too young to learn. As for the human contact and cuddling, Maverick didn't shy away from human contact but he was not a cuddled. As our bond strengthened, yes thru training together, he's extremely cuddly with me. We sleep together until DH comes to bed every night. He lays on my lap every morning before work, and he lets me use him as a pillow when I take a nap. He may never be cuddly, but if you form a strong bond he may be cuddly for you. As for human contact again it sounds like he's just too busy to care right now.

[Snowshoe]

How are you carrying him? Sorry, don't mean to be rude but some people don't know and it's especially hard for children to carry large puppies. Many puppies (and dogs) don't like to be picked up. Make sure nothing is dangling and he is securely wrapped in your arms so that he is looking forward. Still, some/many don't like to be carried. You might see the same response on things like a tobaggan or wagon or even, heaven forbid, in the car. They don't like to be moving under the power of something other that their own four feet. And of course they don't like to be UP in the air.

JEt didn't like to be carried, she wiggled and squirmed the whole way over to a place we walked. She didn't bite, lucky me, because she was necessarily close to my face. Oban doesn't give a hoot and that means that even though he is at least 10 pounds more than her adult weight, he is much easier to lift and carry, he just flops there like an old bunched up rug.

Ditto the socialization and habituation, if you can't go them try to bring them to you. TWo places we did go that might work for you were my Aunt's nursing home and the local ski resort. Therapy dogs did visit the nursing home but staff are constantly cleaning up the floors there, how infected could they be? I've rarely seen dogs at the ski resort (or try golf course) and the parking lot and lobby were great for new, strange sights, sounds and smells and lots of people happy to give a little puppy a pet. With permission at both of course.