Carrying a dog by his/her scruff

So, after they are no longer itsy bitsy puppies, can you carry a dog by its scruff? I know you can do it for a minute to get their attention but how about carrying a four to six month old puppy by its scruff for five minutes or so down the road? Probably about the size of Titan or so - maybe a tad larger so under 10 pounds. Fluffy.

I just watched a neighbor of ours (who I don't know) catch his dog off leash then carry it back (out of my sight) by its scruff. It wasn't struggling or squirming or crying. It was just hanging there like a kitten would when grabbed by its scruff.

EDITED TO ADD: I just tried it on Titan and on Liz. They completely relaxed and couldn't care less. I did it slowly, of course, but could pick them completely up and they were totally fine with it.

I've heard it's cruel but, obviously, some dogs don't mind. Why is it said to be cruel then?

I'm confused

I would never do it. It doesn't properly support them. Especially with my dachshunds, you have to support their butts and upper bodies at the same time.

And even with my Chihuahua and chi mixes I would never do it.

Don't really have any comments as to why, I just wouldn't.

^^^ditto.

I think its taking a risk... I would be worried about the possibility of injuring them... you could pinch a nerve or do much worse if they squirmed.

I left that up to the Mommys ! Would never do it !

^^Ditto^^

Is there any proof to the whole if a dog is carried by its scruff nd doesn't whine or in pain, it means its a purebred?

lol, that sounds like all the other ridiculous made up stuff about "if a dog does this, or likes this, or looks like this, etc" its a purebred dog.

WHAT?

I don't know if I understand you completely Juicy..........are you asking:

If you grab/carry a dog by the scruff and it doesn't whine/have pain does that prove/mean it's a purebred dog?

If that is your question, I believe it's safe to say NO........it does NOT mean it's a purebred dog, there is no such physical test I can think of to prove a dog is purebred...........NOT ONE.

I have never heard of this theory before (and I have heard of some WEIRD theories) May I ask where you heard of this?

Umm the whippets would scream and they are purebred.

I would never do it short of an emergency.

Something I heard of being brought up. I've heard other people thinking its true. Older people, usually from the islands.

NO NO NO.

Not even a small dog, not even if it's not struggling. Maybe a young puppy - they have the extra skin and are used to it. But after 7 weeks or so? Hell no.

My dogs have been taught to be picked up by the scruff, its used the same as tailing them for hunting.
If done properly and trained they are fine with it.
When I started hunting with my dogs I was advised to train them for it and to start with pups.
It has nothing to do with dominance or any such crap and you don't carry them that way. It is just another way to pick them up out of the earth.

as a method of picking up on a dog thats trained for it...fine...or in an emergency to get the dog off the ground, that i can say ok to..

however carrying them round like that? no its not safe, beyond 4 weeks its rare for the mother to even carry her pups like that, usually after that point a grab to the scruff is a warning/tell off...

Well, I've never tried picking Hannah up by her scruff, but I'm pretty sure it would hurt. Me. :rofl1:

Carrying around, no, but I've grabbed the demonspitz by her scruff (or tail, or pants, or whatever part is closest) when she was doing something particularly demonic.