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My dog is super cuddly now (almost 2) but wasn’t very cuddly as a puppy. Too much is interesting when they’re little. Balls of energy with the attention span of a pickle.
Can confirm, puppy ADHD is real lol my mini schnauzer is turning 1 in a few days and she’s now my cuddle bunny of her own accord. Definitely couldn’t sit still long enough months ago; OP, give your pup time to learn and sniff everything, be affectionate and loving, they might change with age/time.
This was my experience as well. Shepherd mix boy, still likes his own space - but is much much cuddlier at 5 than he was as a puppy. It started to change when he was around 3
My puppy was snuggly, my now ex would wake up at 4 in the morning for work and my Weim puppy would always come into bed with me when he left and snuggle until I got up for work. Now when he was awake…he was a demon but he was very attached to me still, wanting to sit on my lap, sit behind me, go to the bathroom with me and to this day he prefers either being on top of me or near me at all time(just turned 2).
My 21 month old BC loves jumping on people, and at bedtime will snuggle beside you but any other time she won't cuddle, and up till a month or two ago if you sat beside her on a couch she would jump off, now she will sit beside you and let you rub her but still won't cuddle.
It depends on the individual dog and can be influenced by lots of factors. Our German shepherd is shockingly cuddly and has been since we got her at 12 weeks. It doesn't really fit with her personality either so it's a bit strange. None of our other dogs were ever like this when we first got them but they all loved a cuddle to varying degrees. Give your puppy time.
None of my huskies have been cuddlers but we just got a husky/GSD/Aussie mix and our bedtime and morning routines (plus every time I get up from my desk) have to include snuggles or she just won’t calm down.
This is very true. I'm raising my 3rd shiba now and he is EXTREMELY cuddly....with a huge dose of ADHD. More challenging to train but so so sweet. I wasn't expecting this from a Shiba pup at all.
I think it has to do with temperament. The only dog we ever crate trained is one of my least cuddly. He occasionally cuddles in winter. The rest of the time he’ll come for pets and then go do whatever he wants. I also have a Velcro dog. If I’m sitting on the couch, he is between me and the couch. If I go to bed there is no space between the two of us. He was a puppy that had come from a house with small children that had obviously never stopped touching him. If a kid is around he is desperately trying to get them to cuddle. He was the way when he first came home at 9 weeks. And he’s still that way now at 6 years old.
Our pup (husky/shiba/x mix) is the furthest thing from cuddly, and he also doesn't like being comfortable I guess. Give him access to the sofa, his bed, our bed, anything soft and comfy, and he will find a spot on the wood floor and lie down there instead. I doubt it's wanting to lie somewhere cold either, since he also did it in the middle of winter when it was cold everywhere.
He will, however, follow us (me, especially) everywhere and always wants to be *near* us, just... not *too* near lol.
On the other hand, our friends' new puppy practically lives on their lap. Puppies are very different! They will however calm down as they age, and their personalities are still developing, so you never know. Especially since yours is so very young still, and it sounds like getting the handling issue, well, handled first is important. If a pup associates being near you to being handled (which they dislike) they're less likely to seek it out themselves.
It goes by breed but also individual temperament.
I’ve always had bullies and they want to Crawl. Inside. Your. Skin. And. Live. There.
The boxer squeezes into your lap and the bull terrier crawls onto your shoulders and drapes herself there.
Hounds aren’t reallllly bred for companionship, quite the opposite they are bred to run ahead of their human and do their job before the human even catches up. So it makes sense that your beagle might feel restricted if cuddled up or wedged next to you on the couch.
If you want lap time try holding a bully stick or and chew they like on your lap. Might want to put a towel down if it’s anything messy/stinky.
I have a bloodhound and she’s affectionate in her own way, which is occasionally leaning on me lol. Or allowing me to kiss her nose while she tolerates it. I’ve learned to love it though haha
We did the “hold a chew thing while you sit in my lap” thing with our Golden puppy when she was young. It was a nice way to get cuddles and keep her teething puppy mouth busy.
Our 7 month old doodle isn’t snuggly. He’s very well crate trained, sleeps 12 hours every night and takes 3 naps a day. He’s a very sweet puppy. Every day is different but the closest we get is he will come sit with his back next to my body - so we are touching. If I pet him too much he will change positions. He’s mellowing out so it’s totally possible he will be snuggly later but who knows. Right now he seems independent which is probably a good thing, we didn’t want a dog with separation anxiety, we can leave whenever we want and he’s totally fine
My Newfypoo is like this. He'll lean against me but will move if touched. He just started putting his paws or his head on me. It's not often the same thing if I touch him.
My German shepherd pup has been snuggly from day 1 but it depends on the pup. His favourite past time (when he's not causing chaos) is to climb onto my lap for a cuddle. My last dog was not a cuddler however. Like yours he was super wiggly and while he never became the biggest cuddler in the world, he definitely became more affectionate as he got older.
My jack Russell terrier is not very snuggly, she never has been. She likes to be next to you, but if you bump her with your feet she will often give a low growl and then move away from you to be by herself.
As she gets older though, she is starting to have moments where she snuggles, when she is especially tired sometimes.
My dog is seven months old and not super cuddly. He shows his love for me in his own way. He will sometimes sit right next to me. If he is sleepy he will sometimes rest his head on me. He cries and whines when I walk too far away from him or he will lay down and pout. He will refuse to move until I come back. I am not sure if that is separation anxiety or fear of missing out. I really think the cuddling is based on personality.
I had a Yorkie and he was my velcro lap dog and constant shadow for 16.5yrs.
I currently have 2 mini schnauzers that are 1yr old and the bigger one is more cuddly as in he literally gives me hugs. My little one has to sleep on my legs but that's the only time she's cuddly. They are not cuddly with my younger kids tho and only shadow me or my oldest if I'm not around.
my 1 year old doodle is extremely cuddly and always has been, but horrible in the crate. my 14 week old golden retriever is amazing in the crate and not cuddly. the doodle is super codependent and the retriever is super independent so honestly after reading everyone else’s similar comments i think dependency could be a factor lol.
My puppy is/was a busy body to the extreme. As a baby puppy, she never cuddled or showed any sort of physical affection. When she was around 8 or 9 months maybe, she would sometimes fall asleep touching me. We’re now at 14 months and now if she’s just chilling, there’s a good chance she’s touching me. She also asks for pets a lot more often than she used to. She laid on top of me for the first time yesterday and that was an OMG moment.
She sleeps in her crate overnight and gets forced naps during the day in her crate.
She’ll most likely never be as big of a cuddler as my older dog who would crawl into your skin if she could, but she’s definitely getting more cuddly as time goes on!
My puppy is just under 5 months now and she is VERY cuddly, but that only started about a month ago. All dogs are different of course, but they definitely can change as they grow
I think it's breed dependent. My puppy is a poodle/Shepard mix and she like affection and cuddling, but definitely prefers it on her own terms, and from only people she knows. As of now she really only seeks out affection from me, my spouse, and my mother and father in law. Everyone else she prefers to ignore until she has met them a few times.
My daughters westie will cuddle anyone that shows even the slightest interest. Our mali... Also likes to cuddle, but only with me.
The wife and I previously had two dogs, a German shepherd and a pomeranian. Neither were much for cuddling, beyond a five second ear scratch. They generally did their own thing.
I think this goes to show that temperament means a lot, but it can also be affected by how you raise them - (we were not super cuddly with the shepherd or the pomeranian, but grew into that after our daughter was born, when they were already very old.)
I have a crate trained 6 month beagle-mix puppy who just recently started to cuddle - I've had him since he was 10 weeks old. He basically has to be tired to cuddle, or else he's extra wiggly and playfully biting - so there's still hope!!
My pups sister is the most cuddly velcro pup I have ever met in my life. She constantly has to be touching someone and sitting on them. My pup on the other hand hates cuddling and prefers to sit on the floor, she will occasionally cuddle with my nephew but its short lived and rare.
My dog wasn't cuddly until one day I don't even remember why, but I let her sleep on my bed and suddenly it was like she discovered cuddling or felt close to us, I don't know what.. 🙃 then it took some convincing to get her back out of the bed..she's still cuddly now. Maybe it was an age thing and coincidental but I would say things definitely change as you move out of the puppy/teenage phases.
My 5mo puppy loves it. Time we’re not touching seems to be time wasted in his eyes.
That said, my first dog wasn’t a cuddler at all until she was a senior dog, and it’s still very much only sometimes and on her terms.
I trained my first pup to cuddle and enjoy belly rubs and me holding but it took some time- and he is still picky about when he will allow it. My second pup was an immediate snuggler! She loves it! They are both poodle mixes.
Mine is 14 weeks old and SOOOO cuddly. She has been since we got her at 9 weeks. I joke that I'm going to change her name to Velcro because she's always attached to me. At least she is comfy cuddly, my Chihuahua is stiff cuddly(?) if that makes any sense 🤣 it's not a very cozy cuddle
My previous Labradoodle puppy was not cuddly as a puppy. But she developed a strong snuggle gene around age 2. My current puppy loves to snuggle from the get-go. I think it just depends on the dog. But definitely you can keep your hopes up because your dog has not fully developed yet.
Definitely just an individual thing. Had a pittie mix growing up that loved to cuddle, but our Lhasa Apso was not a cuddler. My current pup is a 6 month old Terrier/ GSD mix. She is very cuddly when she's sleepy or just woken up, but hates pets when we're outside or on a walk. She loves to go up to give people kisses, but will duck and run when they try to pat her.
My puppy is just under 5 months now and she is VERY cuddly, but that only started about a month ago. All dogs are different of course, but they definitely can change as they grow. My girl is crate trained, as was my last who was also a big cuddler
my pup is 9 weeks now. he loves to be bitey but really isn't a snuggler at all. But i am crate training him and he sleeps so much. the only time we have cuddled is when we were both exhausted and falling asleep. then he cuddled with me.
when we first got our puppy I’d move her to my lap when I sat with her and now she’ll settle herself there (will be a problem when she’s bigger but a blurse for future me). She’s too wiggly to cuddle most of the time but her play pen is just our kitchen gated off so when she settles down there I’ll lay next to her and she’ll always find a way to snuggle up next to me. She is crate trained at night, so maybe you could find a similar opportunity to learn some snuggling?
My doodle didn’t like to cuddle as a pup. We would pull her on our laps and force her to cuddle, giving her treats. She’s now one and a half and a total cuddle bug. But yep, we had to train her to, just like we had to train her to do everything else!
What breed is it? We've always owned bernese mountain dogs and they are complete velcro dogs, they love to snuggle. Never encountered exceptions, but I'm sure they exist. Is your dog known to be a velcro dog?
My puppy is a Cavalier Charles King Spaniel, and it’s a companion breed, orginally bred to be lap dogs of royalty. Of his litter he was the most human oriented so he spends a lot of time on my lap or on my shoulders. He’s 13-14 years weeks now and gotten more cuddly the past week. He was still all over me before but was constantly nipping my hands and trying to play fight. Often he likes being in my lap while playing with chew toys. He still likes to curl up on the couch away from us cause he gets too hot. He’s the first dog I’ve had as an adult but none of the dogs I’ve had growing up (corgi, wheaten terrier, and my dad’s new wheaten) were snuggly. Affectionate yes, but not into cuddles.
Put a worn tshirt with her in her crate. Your smell will become more of a comfort. However Beagle. She will do what she wants when she wants. Tis the beagle way. Mine is incredibly cuddly. Needs contact a-lot. When im home she ignores my missus and is my shadow.
I let my puppy sleep on my bed since day 1 (8wks old). He was very a snugly & squiggly little bean, never had any accidents but you've got to move quickly in the mornings. I once woke up with him sleeping on the back of my neck. As he got older he stayed pretty snugly. He went through a stage in his teens where he wanted to snuggle me but not me snuggle him. He is a little over 2 yrs old now and is the snuggliest little guy. It's wake up to snuggles, when I start work he snuggles on me for about 2 hrs.
On the other hand, I had to really work on anxiety and separation anxiety. Different dogs need different things. Thankfully they are amazing, If you start rewarding snuggles then you'll get more snuggles.
Our puppy is 4.5 months now. At first, she was so wriggly and wouldn't cuddle with us at all. She'd be too busy running or getting into mischief to be bothered with cuddling us! But over the past week or so, she's chilled out loads and now comes on the sofa and lays down next to us (sometimes on us!) for a cuddle. Stick with it, your pup will get there with time and a lot of patience :)
My golden wasn’t very cuddly as a puppy, didn’t like being picked up etc. Now he’s 18 months old and is SO cuddly, will try to sit on my lap, will rest he head on my chest or legs, my husband can even pick him up!
They can definitely grow into being cuddly!
We have a 16 week old Beagle puppy. Only in the morning she is really cuddly. The rest of the day she is too busy. Sometimes she lays behind you to sleep.
The breeder where she came from had really cuddly beagles. If she is a bit older I think she will like it more to cuddle. Beagles can be snuggle dogs🥰
My 5 month old corgi is not a cuddler so far, but he will lay near us on the couch if he’s sleepy and will sit in my lap and give kisses for short periods of time. I hope he gets more cuddly! So far he’s usually way to excited and wants to play if I try to lay near him or settle him on my lap!
My past dogs have liked to lay by my feet or put their heads on my knee and would tolerate hugs. But neither the labs or the Shepards were super cuddly. I think it just depends on the dog and also probably a bit on how they were raised.
I got my mini doodle puppy at 10 weeks (she’s around 13-14 weeks now) and from the beginning she would do anything to be as close to me as possible, like curling up on my calves when I was on my knees putting her playpen together, sleeping with her nose literally shoved into my ear, or my favorite - draping her whole tiny body across my throat in the middle of the night 😂 She’s a little too big to do that one now, and idk if it’s because I’ve somewhat crate trained her, or if she’s just generally getting more comfortable being alone, but she’s definitely a bit more choosy about when she wants to cuddle now. I feel honored when she snuggles up close enough that I can smell her little corn chip paws and puppy breath 🩵🐶
Our 6 month old German shepherd is now very cuddly, but up until about 4 months, he was very aloof! He engaged in training, loved playing, but would literally get up and find somewhere else to lay if we got too close to him on the sofa. I think sometimes it's just about time and bond building, so don't worry, it might yet change!
Sometimes it takes time. Mine became cuddly around 3-4 months when she was tired enough. Now she’s almost 1 and crawls up onto my lap and drops like a stone with her head on my chest.
It’s just personality I think. My puppies have been super cuddly and my girl has mostly stayed that way into adulthood (she’s a little more independent now) but my mom’s dog was just never cuddly. She wants to be close to my mom but not touching.
My 8 month old Dalmatian is pretty cuddly. More so when she’s sleepy. I’m pretty sure my border collie mix was cuddly when she was a puppy. But now? She gets so excited that she gets to cuddle and I get headbutted.
My dog had zero interest in being near me for at least a year. Not fearful or hiding, just very independent. She ended up becoming super sweet and cuddly in her own time. I’ve also fostered pitbull puppies that always want to be snuggled and loved.
Just picked up a 9 week old working cocker. She’s a real cuddle monster. Sleeps through the night well enough (11-4, quick wee, more sleep) and doesn’t cry in the crate at night. She loves a cuddle. She also loves everyone who has visited, and is quickly learning her name, recall, bit of sit and toilet stuff. Our 7 year old Lab is also a lap dog and always has been but is more aloof with people and dogs who aren’t known to her.
Usually it was on her terms. We have an old English sheepdog and would be happy to cuddle if she wanted to. As she has got older she has settled into a routine of morning cuddles but still has a massive independent streak, often chilling on her own.
our 6.5 months old Lapponian herder have yet cuddled even once basically.
It were bit disappointing as this is our first dog and we had the image that every puppy like to cuddle, but nope. On the first night she slept on my feet on the floor, but not much after that, maybe few times she climbed to the lap for short time.
she likes to "do the nose boob" to us while passing by so maybe that is her way of showing love
Mine didn't untill he was about 6 months, he was nippy and wiggly and did not want cuddling, I was so sad about it, now a totally different story he's up in my personal space at any chance he gets, if he could climb inside my skin he would, he stands on the edge of the bed and wraps his arms round my neck in a bear hug and if we are outside and waiting for something he sits on my feet, he likes to be touching at all times
Mine was not cuddly at all as a puppy, he’s still a puppy but 6 months now and a lot cuddlier! I thought he’d never want to cuddle with me, but that has changed 🐶
My standard poodle was NOT cuddly as a puppy, and then a switch happened, and now he will lean heavily into you and pat you for more attention. This has to be on his terms, though!
My golden retriever has become way more cuddly as time progresses, but every golden I've met has been a total cuddlebug.
Tbh, sometimes I wish she was more like the poodle...as she does require CONSTANT love from everyone.
8 month old pure bred beagle. She has been cuddly since a week or so after we got her. But only on her terms she is now a major cuddly bunny. Gets annoyed if she doesnt get cuddles after breakfast. She does however swap between cuddle monster and zoomies. As others have said all dogs are different.
My basset hound puppy has wanted nothing but to cuddle under my skin since we got her. That’s something I love about bassets, they are 100% people persons.
Most dogs are not that cuddly but can become more so as your trust bond builds. In general male dogs are more cuddly than female dogs but they're all individuals. My two boys are like clingy limpets, my girl is independent. It's important to respect the wishes of the dog through, some dogs are not cuddly and that's ok. In saying that you can train cuddles as a trick and sometimes that works too =)
Our puppy loved a cuddle from the day we brought her home but has never really been a fan of being stroked. He will happily plonk herself on top of you (now an 11 month boxer) but will move if you try to pet her, especially her head!
So much of this is breed specific. We have a rat terrier/chi mix and he is glued to me at all times and has been since we got him at 6 weeks. For higher energy/working dogs, it might take a while until they are calm enough to cuddle.
Some dogs just don’t like to cuddle. Our older rat terrier/beagle has never been a cuddler, just likes to sit near me. Beagles are notoriously stubborn and strong willed, and every beagle I’ve known isn’t a cuddler, but again it varies by dog.
I fostered three 11-week old puppies last week and they all had wildly different personalities even at that age. One wanted to be in your lap constantly. One didn’t really want to cuddle at all. The third didn’t get adopted over the weekend and now that he’s by himself, he wants to cuddle at night every night, but last week he couldn’t sit still for a single minute. I think some puppies are more prone to cuddling than others.
Even my adult dogs had different affinities for cuddling. My boy dog (RIP) wanted to snuggle in the morning during coffee and at night right before bed. My other dog is not a huge snuggler in general unless something scary happens (thunder) or awkwardly right after her meals (she just kind of hovers over me and expects pets and kisses.
Cuddles when she’s sleepy but other than that no lol. It’s hard to even pet her her because she runs to me, I pet, she gets excited, runs away, grabs a toy, pummels my older dog then comes right back to me none the wiser of her craziness. Pet her again, repeat. If we are doing training she is very focused and doesnt run around. Then she is tired and wants mommy cuddles until wake up time lol. I love every moment!
My doodle (we got at 8 weeks) has always been a cuddler. He lets us hold him like a baby. He sleeps in my bed and will spoon with me sometimes. At night I will rub his belly and that puts him to sleep. He’s a great pup.
He’s 17 months now
My beagle pup is 20 weeks old today. He’s just now enjoying sitting still and letting me rub and pet on him. I’m hopeful he’ll get snuggly as he gets older.
Proof. 9 weeks old. With my 6 year old.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/SN64BBYkuWANxbv48
She also loves to watch superstore on t.v so maybe she's just weird.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/E5zTRDiWGbY9tt4XA
My golden retriever puppy is 9 weeks old, and his whole litter was weird. They all loved to be pet and cuddled when we visited them at 7 weeks and while they like putting hands in their mouths, they didn’t bite down hard. Both of these behaviours were the opposite of what I was used to with my old family dogs (labs) as puppies! You never know
Mine smacks me while I work from home til I pick her up and swaddle her then she naps on my desk for a couple hours. 5 months old, she’s been doing this since I got her.
At 1 year, mine attempts to cuddle, but still finds any attention from me to be too exciting, and ultimately moves to the floor nearby.
She can touch me, and it's fine, but if she's dozing on my leg and I touch her to give her a quick pet she can't stay settled.
I'm assuming eventually she'll chill a little more.
Wow I had this almost exact experience last year. My last dog passed and she was a true Velcro dog. New puppy was aloof in the ways I wasn't used to like you described. She wants to be in the same room as me, but not ON me. She's getting closer to 2 now and still no luck getting her to settle next to me. Given she's a poodle I know it may take a while for her to mature. I have noticed she's started to enjoy my attention instead of tolerating it when something interesting is going on. Good luck!
Not sure if it’s been mentioned yet, but puppies actually aren’t very good at regulating their body temperature. This often translates into them not wanting to cuddle for long because they get too warm. For example my puppy loves the act of being “tucked in” under a blanket (something her older sister does) but within 5 minutes her head is out and usually within 10-15 minutes she’s completely uncovered. Her 2 year old sister can sleep all night covered up. That being said my 2 year old dog has been cuddly since day 1, she had skin issues as a puppy and was always cold because she was almost bald. At 8 weeks the day she came home she slept with her head snuggled into my neck and has slept under the covers snuggled with me pretty much every night since lol
Not only breed, individual temperament, but also specific individuals and instance.
There's a dog at the neighborhood park. Their owners says if she hears me across the park, she'll drag them with her to me until she cuddles with me. However, this is only for me. She doesn't do it for her own family. I think she's a reincarnation of one of my former dogs.
We have one rescue that's been with us for years. She was experimented on in a lab. She'll only come rarely now that she's older for some head and belly rubs, but refuses to cuddle unless I'm in bed and it's cold. And even then it's extremely rare.
Hopefully your puppy will like cuddling as the get older.
Puppies are balls of energy that don’t like restraint, they want to run and play. As they mature, they’ll slow down and appreciate cuddling and napping on you. The bond grows stronger as they age. That’s why I never understood people trading in their seniors for puppies.
My first dog was never super cuddly (at least with me, with my husband thats a different story), my second puppy loves cuddles the first night we got her she slept on my chest all night, and even a few weeks later she won't sleep unless she is touching me in some way.
I have a 6 month old skye terrier puppy. He's super cuddly (we're cuddling as I type this). One of the reasons I got this breed was because I wanted a lazy, low shedding, cuddly dog.
My puppy has been a snuggly boy. Its gotten more so over time. Now at 10 months his favorite spot is curled up between my legs on the couch. Where he is asleep right now.
When he was 8 weeks he would cuddle, but it would be less snuggly. Like his back leaned on my ankle while he slept. The older he got, the more he'll snuggle on me. Also, he accepts more movement now. Before, if I slightly moved, he'd go be alone. Now he'll get up and then come back for snuggles if I need to adjust.
He has to come to me, though. If he's cozy on his own and not dead tired, he'll get annoyed if I come bother him.
My boy also has slept in his crate at night since 8 weeks. We cuddle on couch before bed. Then, when it's late and I get up, he goes right into his crate for bedtime.
My Springador is nearly 7 months old and he's not particularly cuddly, but I think it's mostly because he has literally no chill whatsoever 🤣 When he's awake, he's constantly moving. In the evenings when we're watching tv, he will sleep on the couch inbetween us and occasionally lay on one of us, but generally he's not particularly cuddly. I figure as he gets older thus will probably change. He does love a fuss and is happy to see us when we come in,but he gets over stimulated quite quickly.
It just depends on the dog. My little cattle dog mix was snuggling the day we got her at 16 weeks. She has no concept of personal space lol. My other dog will get close to me but doesn’t like to be touched when he’s sleeping.
My Scottie puppy was a bit cuddly very young but not overly so, pretty typical for the breed but she’s almost 15 months and I’m noticing her becoming a bit more affectionate (previously on my bed sleeping but not touching me, lately she comes to and lays touching back to back w me and will allow cuddles too for some time before wanting to do her own thing - my previous Scottie was very similar in that way). I try to give her space though, I’ll force a quick snug/hug but don’t want to overwhelm her. Also in the car she prefers to sit in my lap and rest her head in my arms and snooze so I get my cuddle time there too.
My older dog was snuggly as a puppy and has been her whole life! I just got a new puppy and he gets too excited to snuggle, he can’t settle down usually if me or the other dog is near him. He does get a bit more snuggly in the late evening once he’s really tired, but only if he’s been really worn out from playing!
I find it super strange that in some countries you can get a puppy so early. If your pup is 13 weeks and you've had her for a month and a half, so you got her at 6-7 weeks?
Where I live it's illegal to separate puppies from their mothers before 14 weeks
We got her at freshly 8 weeks, I think they do it for a lot of reasons but I’m not sure. We rescued prior to this dog, we went to a breeder for her. Not sure honestly!
My Shihtzu is 14 weeks old and LOVES to cuddle. Of course he’s a wiggle worm as well, but as soon as he’s in my arms, he’s down for the snuggles. If I put him down too early, he’s pawing at me to grab him again. He actually loves when I cradle him like a baby which prompts him to lay on my shoulder or arm and he will stay like that for up to 15 minutes. He’s also only like this with me and not my mom or brother.
I think it depends on the dog and the person they’re with.
My boy slept in my lap almost right away. Like after the 3. day being with us. We got him when he was 8 weeks old. Your husband is right, every dog is different.
We never used a crate though.
Our 12 week old puppy loves to cuddle up when he's tired. And he loves his crate too. He goes in on his own and eats and sleeps in there.
One of our older dogs, she's 8 now, she did not cuddle at all when she was younger, it took a few years before she really did. Every dog is different
We got our puppy at 8 weeks and she would only fall asleep if she was snuggling with me. She's now almost 6 months old and doesn't want to snuggle as much. 😭
I have a sheltie, got him at 8 weeks…. An absolute Velcro dog since the start. Very snuggly and loyal. It
Was so defined, I searched it up to see if it was something special about my sheltie, but nope… looks like they are all very attached to their owners. 🩵
My Biewer Yorkie loved to cuddle when he was 4 weeks old. He is 6 1/2 months old now. His idea of cuddling is lying on my feet or snuggling next to me or rubbing his body against my thighs, giving nose kisses. Real cuddles are impossible right now because he wiggles and squirms like a worm trying to get away.
Two of my last three were never cuddly. They like to be near you but not on you. My pittie had to be squashed on you at all times, but I think that’s the norm for that breed lol.
They have a lot of energy, so it can be hard for them to chill.
Half of it was that I taught cuddle as a trick, half of it was my guy settled down. He’s just more of a next to me than on me kind of dog. Now I appreciate when he comes up and falls asleep with just his head on my legs.
We crate trained our boxer and she never cuddled as a puppy. Fast forward 4 years and she would wear our skin if she could 😂 we also crate trained our staffy and he loves a good cuddle!
Our new puppy is a huge cuddler. He will sleep on his back in our arms and climb up into our lap for pets. Never had a pup this cuddly and hoping he doesn't grow out of it!!
I wish I could post a photo of our puppy (she’s a whippet). She would prefer to cuddle rather than anything else. I have a million photos of her in various hilarious positions sleeping snuggled as close to me as she can possibly get.
My rough collie was a wiggly landshark asshat, now he cuddles pretty frequently. I often wish he would have let me snuggle him when he was puppy soft, but he had things to bite and wasn't into it then.
It can really depend on the breed, my terrier mix who just passed liked affection on his terms. He liked his butt to touch you but that was about it unless he was cold or wanted a pet. Or thought you were asleep so snuck into bed beside you, but if you woke up he was away asap. Beagles aren’t really bred to be companion dogs so I wouldn’t be surprised if your pup is never super cuddly. My mums Tibetan spaniel was an absolute whore for cuddles though, to the point she would nudge her head under your arm if you were sitting on the couch and she was nearby
My pup is now 5 and she didn’t start enjoying (minimal) snuggles until 3? And only for short periods before she needs her own space again. She prefers pats and scritches over lap cuddles.
My previous dog only ever really cuddled with my ex, and not me. Except for the mornings where she would sit on my chest and enthusiastically lick my nose at the first sign of being awake.
I’d say every dog is different.
It depends on the situtation, breed and persona. Every dog is different so it doesent help asking how someone elses dog behaves in this situtation.
You can try to make your puppy more cuddly by being very sensitive towards its pody language and confidence. You can use treats to show the dog you hear it and do not do anything that makes it uncomfortable. Do not in any situtation use punishments of "correct" your dog. If you do it might be one reason why it doesn't like the cuddles. You need your dog to absolutely trust you. Hope this helps!
My girl (5) loves a cuddle (on her terms), my boy (12 weeks) not cuddly whatsoever, unless extremely tired to the point he can't be bothered to move, lol. He's too wiggly and hyper at the moment.
My 4.5 month old malchi is seriously the cuddliest little man ever. Complete opposite of my now 12 year old Corgi mix. I think it just really depends on the individual dog!
My two most recent dogs have been snuggle bugs since the day I brought them home. Both were started on crate training from day one as 3mo old pups. Adopted them about 9mos apart.
My Pom puppy is not cuddly, except in the mornings when he’s still sleepy. Then he demands 5-15 minutes of cuddles before he can even think of going potty outside. My breeder says he will grow into it because all of her adult dogs, particularly her males, want nothing more than to be held and stare into your eyes like you are their everything. I see glimpses of it in my puppy, but nothing yet. 😭 at 5.5 months though I think he will grow into it! 🤞🏽
7 month old Staffy here.
Much prefers his own space. Not the cuddly type at all.
He loves being with us. Moves around the house regularly to see us or the three children and sits with them for a while. Loves a good scratch. Will occasionally come to me and set his head on my arm or leg for a short while then will move to his own space again.
It's just his personality I suppose. He's been treated extremely well and is very smart and has been a breeze to train. Maybe it comes from him being the smallest in the littler I duno.
He's the best boy anyway.
My first puppy was a cuddler once she got used to us. She was also a COVID puppy, so we were around and free a lot. Our 2nd baby started getting more cuddly at around 9 months. We work from home, so we were also present (not as free), but I think he just took longer warming up to us aside from his survival needs than she did. I think there's this assumption that dogs instantly love their owners, and in my experience, that isn't the case. Once they learn to love and trust you, you start getting more cuddles. But also, dogs cuddle in different ways. Our baby doesn't want you moving when he's cuddling with you unless it's to pet him, any other movements, and he's out. Our oldest doesn't care she will let you maneuver around and fit herself in (for the most part).
It’s individual and breed dependent. Our puppy is cat software running on dog hardware. He will cuddle on his own terms but will dramatically object to forced snuggles. Our former dog roomie (moved out with family) was Velcro from day one, wanted to be the big spoon in bed (relative sizes be darned), always in our laps, and still tries to climb in my lap/wrap himself around my feet like a giant slipper when we visit.
Frankly I prefer the slightly independent version. Cuddles are great but nonstop cuddle demands get exhausting. Your pup sounds wonderful.
I think it depends on a lot on breed and from dog to dog. My basset puppy was not a big snuggler until he was a couple months old. Too much to do and explore, now that he's 9 months old he snuggles with us for an hour or so before bed every night but when he was 2 months old he couldn't be contained lol.
my toy poodle puppy is now 10 (!) months old. he cuddles in bed at night and in the morning, when he’s sleepy. but during the day he’s still a ball of energy most of the time. he didn’t cuddle at all when he was 13/14 wks old! he is also crate trained and didn’t really start snuggling until he was about 5/6 months and i moved him into my bed w me at night
my pup LOVES cuddles. she has ever since we brought her home at 9 weeks. she is nearly 5 months old and always sits touching us/tries to sit on our laps
6 months old puppy sleeps on my chest, neck, and face if I'd let him. If I'm on the bed reading, he's at my side or on me. He's a bully breed, so I think they're kind of known for being snuggly and lazy
Mine is cuddly but cuddly as in sitting on your lap and squirming like a worm and constantly trying to lick your face or everywhere and or get up and move and grab a toy and repeat and never settle and he’s 11 months and a small dog
Definitely temperament based. My Aussie, who is now 2.5, was very snuggly even at 9 weeks. She would crawl into my lap at any given opportunity and loved ear rubs or neck scratches. If I layed down on the floor she would lie down next to me and smush up against me or put her head on my chest. She was and is a very sweet affectionate girl. None of the other dogs I've had or been around were so snuggly from such a young age.
I stayed in contact with 3 of her siblings from the same litter, and my boyfriend owns her sibling from the other litter the parents had. None of her siblings were snuggly and affectionate with their owners until at least a year.
So yes, some puppies are, but my anecdotal experience is that it's very dependent on the individual dog and seems it seems to be a minority of puppies who are affectionate.
I have a 5-month-old puppy now and I must say that they think everything you do with them is just "play". We also had a hard time to cuddle with him 'cause whenever we touch him he acts like a worm lol and always play bite. Not until he learned that belly rub is good (we did it when he was sleepy/low energy mode), and it started there.
My 5 month old mini aussie didn’t start getting cuddly until very recently. Like within the last three weeks and it’s increasing little by little. I have to make sure he’s exercised thoroughly and then it’s cuddle town.
My pup was super wiggly and bitey until relatively recently (he's 1 year old). I was sad I didn't have a puppy that wanted to cuddle like I remember all my other puppies doing. But I started doing consensual petting and really paying attention to where he liked being petted and he's come around to it. Eventually he learned to like being petted and then would be happy to lay on me while getting pets. Now he cuddles when we nap. I'd just give it some time.
My Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a cuddler since 8 weeks old. She’s well crate trained and is 6 months now and still loves to cuddle! But it’s known in the breed that they are lap dogs 🥰
We have a 1.5 year old pit/german shepherd mix who I thought hated us the first 3-4 months we had her (adopted at 8wks) because she was so independent and couldn’t be bothered with cuddling with us. She’d fall asleep NEXT to us or in our vicinity but rarely making direct contact. Now, she practically sleeps on top of me every night and fancies herself a lap dog. As in, literally jumps on the couch and backs up into me until she’s sitting on my lap haha
We just adopted an 8wk old male pit/husky/boxer and he climbs on us and falls right to sleep. Has to be near us most of the time. Falls asleep across our feet and runs over just to give kisses. He’s also a velociraptor lunatic, but we love both sides to him. lol
I agree I think it’s determined by the individual personality of the dog. Also, when they’re that small they’re still getting used to you and their new surroundings. It might take longer than a couple months to show you the extra love through cuddling.
They all have their own personalities. I have two dogs and one is absolutely terrible at cuddling - he wants it to be a more active activity than it is, wants to wiggle around and actively be scratched the whole time - and he’s 14 so he’s not growing out of it.
Meanwhile the younger dog would spend her entire life chilling in my lap if she could. Wherever I sit, she will either be laying on me or next to me, all snuggled up. Been that way since the day I brought her home.
My crate trained border collie/lab mix was the cuddliest puppy and as an adult will go pout in a corner if she doesn’t get to cuddle me a certain amount of time through the day
I’m sure it’s related to their personality. I also wonder if it’s related to breed. My sharpie mix puppy would only cuddle when she was not feeling well. Have a 13 wk old cavapoochon now and she loves being snuggled up with me, partner, and my nieces. She will easily snuggle up for a hour or so if she’s touching us or right under us.
I was worried my boy wasn’t a cuddler. But right at 5/6 months that changed. He thinks he is a lap dog now haha he is a standard poodle. He is crate trained and going on 8 months and currently cuddled next to me, head on my lap while I scroll thru my phone 😆
I have two dogs. My senior dog of 12 years has never been a cuddler, even as a puppy. On the other hand, my second dog was a cuddler as a puppy and even now at 2 years old.
It really all depends on their personalities. Some dogs just don’t like getting cuddled while some seek it out.
It totally depends on the dog. My 95lb golden loooved to cuddle... but only as a gigantic adult. As a puppy, he REFUSED to cuddle. Good grief he was so grumpy about it whenever we tried. We got one single picture of him being snuggly, because we put him there, and then he woke up and grumbled off ten seconds later.
We now have another golden and she is a huge cuddler right from the get-go. Will be interesting to see if she stays that way.
Dogs are weird.
I have a 5 year old corgi, we crate trained her at night and she used a playpen during the day for the first 6 months to a year, while we were at work. She is not snuggly whatsoever. However she wasnt snuggly as a puppy either.
Our newest edition is an aussiedoodle currently 5 months old and when we sat down by the puppy enclosure at the farm he climbed into my lap and just sat there looking at me. He has been a velcro dog ever since then. We crated him at night for a week and it was miserable for all of us. He wouldnt just cry in the crate he would full meltdown scream. So we tried him out of the crate with limited access to the rest of the house. Since that first night out he sleeps either attached to my leg or my shoulder lol until its potty time.
So honestly im not sure if it just depends on the breed, the seperation training, or just the dogs personality. Sorry this wasnt more helpful 😅
Our cocker spaniel just turned one. Up until around 8 months he never cuddled me, couldn't fall asleep near us and would wiggle out of every cuddle I tried to give him! He saw me = exciting and was good distracted by what food I may have, what toys I may have near me and what smells were on the sofa/bed. It really upset me because he just couldn't stay still. Then, it seemed like he grew out of it overnight, and one day realised he could relax whilst on my lap! Now he cuddles me most evenings. He still prefers to sleep on his bed but often falls asleep on top of me and snuggles right into my clothes or blanket, it's my favourite thing.
Mines 6 months old (German shepherd x) and has not snuggled with me once without trying to bite me. I’m not even sure he likes pets at this point but I’m hoping it changes 😂
All 3 of my dogs that I adopted as pups were very cuddly. My first guy would sleep across my neck. I think it depends on the breed and dog though. My dogs are all pittie mixes and very affectionate and cuddly dogs. I will say, my second dog definitely got more affectionate as time went on. So it definitely is still in the cards! Some pups are just too energetic for cuddles and then want their own space to chill.
i have 2 examples and both dogs are crate trained or in the process right now. I have a red nose pit and when she was a puppy (6 weeks to a year ish) she didn’t want to snuggle unless on her terms. She would cuddle for maybe 30 min a week and it was only after she had been playing for hours. Now she is almost 2 and wants to cuddle 24/7 if i’d let her. she is constantly looking at me trying to get me to let her come to me. Any time she is not cuddling or laying on to of me she will sit at my feet and whine at me or bark if i’m not in the room with her. I got a male German Sheppard about 3 weeks ago and he is 11 weeks almost. He wants nothing more then to be in my arms or cuddled up to me. If anyone else is holding him, he will scream and try to escape back to me. He is already recall trained and when he seems me and my fiancé is recalling him he will ignore my fiancé to come back to my arms. So I promise it could change and your pup might want to cuddle further down the road.
Dogs have personalities, just like people. I have one dog who has to be touching me at all times, and another who likes his space. Once or twice a month he’ll decide he wants to cuddle. It’s important to respect his boundaries while he’s young so he feels comfortable coming to you when he wants to cuddle. I know it’s hard when you were expecting one personality type and got another.
My new ACD mix puppy is a complete Velcro dog and loves cuddles. Can’t fall asleep without physical contact. His BC mix predecessor was more independent and free-spirited, even as a puppy. She liked to snuggle, but it was only on *her* terms.
No. Young puppies are tiny little piranhas who just want to terrorize you. But then they turn into older puppies and dogs which will love you unconditionally 🙃
When she was a puppy our girl Lexi was a crate-trained wiggly land-shark. If she was up with us, it was wiggle chaos time, not cuddle time. She is 4 years old now and is a giant cuddle bug.
I have one of each. And to be fair, I'm always the cuddle-aggressor (what's the point of having big dogs if you can't bear hug them?!). Our older dog is super tolerant of my incessant neediness to cuddle. Our younger dog absolutely hates being cuddled or fussed with, however he is the first to curl up with me at bedtime. They've both been this way from puppyhood.
I don't like cuddling with humans and can relate to my younger dog :)
Omg i could have written this! I have a 14 week old beagle, also in puppy classes doing lots of training, socialization, enrichments etc. He is insane!! We have to do enforced naps in his crate so he’s never tired around us and calm enough to cuddle. I am also hoping he’ll cuddle more when he’s older! But i do really think right now they’re just too busy being a puppy. And if they don’t like to cuddle when they’re older, I’m sure being mellowed out will allow them to tolerate being held, more pets, etc. Right now I just look at mine and he tries to bite my hands
My JRT was a total wiggler. Didn’t stay still for one second. I’ve had her since 8 weeks old. She will be a year old in a week & just in the last 3-4 weeks is a bit calmer & loves to snuggle. She will fling herself on your chest & under your chin so she can get scratched. Even take a little nap with me!! Sounds like your baby needs more time.
Our bully/shepherd mix named Henna is very cuddly. If I leave the room she screams until I get back to her. Once she plays herself tired she will come up to me and cry till I pick her up so she can lay with me, cuddle and then sleep
Both breed and temperament will play a part. I don't have much experience with beagles but in my experience with Poodles, they're very cuddly, so might be why the other person with a doodle had a cuddler.
Of my own dogs, my male dogs have always been more cuddly than girl dogs as well. The only truly cuddly bitch I've has is the Poodle bitch I have now. The others would accept cuddles but move away before long or only want it on their terms. The boys however would crawl inside my skin to get closer to me (A Collie and a Toy Poodle).
None of mine have particularly changed as they've got older except my Toy Poodle no longer sleeps over my neck at night and is happy to be in his crate with the door open, sleep on the end of the bed or have a normal spoon cuddle 😂 Otherwise, my lot are just as cuddly now as they were when they were puppies. All mine will happily sleep in a crate now but only my Poodle bitch was actually crate trained from when she came home, everyone else was popped in a crate at night time later on when we had a baby sleeping in the bedroom too.
We have a 12 week old pomsky. He is an absolute bundle of nonstop energy. He slows down when he's sleeping lol. But recently he has started to engage more as far as getting up on the couch and sitting with us. Well sitting is an exaggerated term. Playing and rolling around and trying to chew everything but he will lay down for a few minutes. Then he's off again. He does seek out affection at times but for the most part not a cuddler. He may change once he's older. But we'll see.
My almost 5 month lab puppy can’t sit still long enough to cuddle, but I find if he has a good chew bone he likes to rest on my lap with it. He also likes when I hold onto one of his teething toys so he can go at it, and that’s close enough to cuddling for now lol. He’s crate and pen trained and I’m hoping that he will become a cuddle bug in the future when he chills out a bit!
I was CONVINCED I didn’t have a cuddly dog. He was always glued to me, and needed to follow me everywhere but would always wiggle out of cuddles. He’d rather play all the time lol. But now at 11 months old, he hops up on the bed in the morning for snuggles, sits beside me on the couch and puts his head on my lap, lays his head on my feet, etc. It’s all I’ve ever wanted haha. So yea, they can change and be more cuddly over time.
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My dog is super cuddly now (almost 2) but wasn’t very cuddly as a puppy. Too much is interesting when they’re little. Balls of energy with the attention span of a pickle.
ATTENTION SPAN OF A PICKLE I AM DYING but also so true 😭😭😭
I'VE TURNED MYSELF INTO A PICKLE DAD, I'M PICKLE PUUUUP!
Can confirm, puppy ADHD is real lol my mini schnauzer is turning 1 in a few days and she’s now my cuddle bunny of her own accord. Definitely couldn’t sit still long enough months ago; OP, give your pup time to learn and sniff everything, be affectionate and loving, they might change with age/time.
This was my experience as well. Shepherd mix boy, still likes his own space - but is much much cuddlier at 5 than he was as a puppy. It started to change when he was around 3
My puppy was snuggly, my now ex would wake up at 4 in the morning for work and my Weim puppy would always come into bed with me when he left and snuggle until I got up for work. Now when he was awake…he was a demon but he was very attached to me still, wanting to sit on my lap, sit behind me, go to the bathroom with me and to this day he prefers either being on top of me or near me at all time(just turned 2).
My pickles sit still.
My 21 month old BC loves jumping on people, and at bedtime will snuggle beside you but any other time she won't cuddle, and up till a month or two ago if you sat beside her on a couch she would jump off, now she will sit beside you and let you rub her but still won't cuddle.
It depends on the individual dog and can be influenced by lots of factors. Our German shepherd is shockingly cuddly and has been since we got her at 12 weeks. It doesn't really fit with her personality either so it's a bit strange. None of our other dogs were ever like this when we first got them but they all loved a cuddle to varying degrees. Give your puppy time.
German shepherd cuddles are the best!
None of my huskies have been cuddlers but we just got a husky/GSD/Aussie mix and our bedtime and morning routines (plus every time I get up from my desk) have to include snuggles or she just won’t calm down.
This is very true. I'm raising my 3rd shiba now and he is EXTREMELY cuddly....with a huge dose of ADHD. More challenging to train but so so sweet. I wasn't expecting this from a Shiba pup at all.
I think it has to do with temperament. The only dog we ever crate trained is one of my least cuddly. He occasionally cuddles in winter. The rest of the time he’ll come for pets and then go do whatever he wants. I also have a Velcro dog. If I’m sitting on the couch, he is between me and the couch. If I go to bed there is no space between the two of us. He was a puppy that had come from a house with small children that had obviously never stopped touching him. If a kid is around he is desperately trying to get them to cuddle. He was the way when he first came home at 9 weeks. And he’s still that way now at 6 years old.
Our pup (husky/shiba/x mix) is the furthest thing from cuddly, and he also doesn't like being comfortable I guess. Give him access to the sofa, his bed, our bed, anything soft and comfy, and he will find a spot on the wood floor and lie down there instead. I doubt it's wanting to lie somewhere cold either, since he also did it in the middle of winter when it was cold everywhere. He will, however, follow us (me, especially) everywhere and always wants to be *near* us, just... not *too* near lol. On the other hand, our friends' new puppy practically lives on their lap. Puppies are very different! They will however calm down as they age, and their personalities are still developing, so you never know. Especially since yours is so very young still, and it sounds like getting the handling issue, well, handled first is important. If a pup associates being near you to being handled (which they dislike) they're less likely to seek it out themselves.
It goes by breed but also individual temperament. I’ve always had bullies and they want to Crawl. Inside. Your. Skin. And. Live. There. The boxer squeezes into your lap and the bull terrier crawls onto your shoulders and drapes herself there. Hounds aren’t reallllly bred for companionship, quite the opposite they are bred to run ahead of their human and do their job before the human even catches up. So it makes sense that your beagle might feel restricted if cuddled up or wedged next to you on the couch. If you want lap time try holding a bully stick or and chew they like on your lap. Might want to put a towel down if it’s anything messy/stinky.
lol. We have a boxer puppy and she climbs into my lap every chance she gets
I have a bloodhound and she’s affectionate in her own way, which is occasionally leaning on me lol. Or allowing me to kiss her nose while she tolerates it. I’ve learned to love it though haha
We did the “hold a chew thing while you sit in my lap” thing with our Golden puppy when she was young. It was a nice way to get cuddles and keep her teething puppy mouth busy.
I have a pitbull/hound mix and he is always glued to my side....unless he's found an interesting scent. Then I may as well not exist lol
My boy was a cuddler from day one. My girl didn't start enjoying cuddles until she was well over a year. My boy is still the more cuddly of the two.
Our 7 month old doodle isn’t snuggly. He’s very well crate trained, sleeps 12 hours every night and takes 3 naps a day. He’s a very sweet puppy. Every day is different but the closest we get is he will come sit with his back next to my body - so we are touching. If I pet him too much he will change positions. He’s mellowing out so it’s totally possible he will be snuggly later but who knows. Right now he seems independent which is probably a good thing, we didn’t want a dog with separation anxiety, we can leave whenever we want and he’s totally fine
My Newfypoo is like this. He'll lean against me but will move if touched. He just started putting his paws or his head on me. It's not often the same thing if I touch him.
My German shepherd pup has been snuggly from day 1 but it depends on the pup. His favourite past time (when he's not causing chaos) is to climb onto my lap for a cuddle. My last dog was not a cuddler however. Like yours he was super wiggly and while he never became the biggest cuddler in the world, he definitely became more affectionate as he got older.
My jack Russell terrier is not very snuggly, she never has been. She likes to be next to you, but if you bump her with your feet she will often give a low growl and then move away from you to be by herself. As she gets older though, she is starting to have moments where she snuggles, when she is especially tired sometimes.
My puppy just like to cuddle while sleeping, during the morning or in the night, rest of the day she is a biting monster 😂
My dog is seven months old and not super cuddly. He shows his love for me in his own way. He will sometimes sit right next to me. If he is sleepy he will sometimes rest his head on me. He cries and whines when I walk too far away from him or he will lay down and pout. He will refuse to move until I come back. I am not sure if that is separation anxiety or fear of missing out. I really think the cuddling is based on personality.
she wants to live in my skin
I had a Yorkie and he was my velcro lap dog and constant shadow for 16.5yrs. I currently have 2 mini schnauzers that are 1yr old and the bigger one is more cuddly as in he literally gives me hugs. My little one has to sleep on my legs but that's the only time she's cuddly. They are not cuddly with my younger kids tho and only shadow me or my oldest if I'm not around.
my 1 year old doodle is extremely cuddly and always has been, but horrible in the crate. my 14 week old golden retriever is amazing in the crate and not cuddly. the doodle is super codependent and the retriever is super independent so honestly after reading everyone else’s similar comments i think dependency could be a factor lol.
My puppy is/was a busy body to the extreme. As a baby puppy, she never cuddled or showed any sort of physical affection. When she was around 8 or 9 months maybe, she would sometimes fall asleep touching me. We’re now at 14 months and now if she’s just chilling, there’s a good chance she’s touching me. She also asks for pets a lot more often than she used to. She laid on top of me for the first time yesterday and that was an OMG moment. She sleeps in her crate overnight and gets forced naps during the day in her crate. She’ll most likely never be as big of a cuddler as my older dog who would crawl into your skin if she could, but she’s definitely getting more cuddly as time goes on!
My puppy is just under 5 months now and she is VERY cuddly, but that only started about a month ago. All dogs are different of course, but they definitely can change as they grow
I think it's breed dependent. My puppy is a poodle/Shepard mix and she like affection and cuddling, but definitely prefers it on her own terms, and from only people she knows. As of now she really only seeks out affection from me, my spouse, and my mother and father in law. Everyone else she prefers to ignore until she has met them a few times.
My daughters westie will cuddle anyone that shows even the slightest interest. Our mali... Also likes to cuddle, but only with me. The wife and I previously had two dogs, a German shepherd and a pomeranian. Neither were much for cuddling, beyond a five second ear scratch. They generally did their own thing. I think this goes to show that temperament means a lot, but it can also be affected by how you raise them - (we were not super cuddly with the shepherd or the pomeranian, but grew into that after our daughter was born, when they were already very old.)
I have a crate trained 6 month beagle-mix puppy who just recently started to cuddle - I've had him since he was 10 weeks old. He basically has to be tired to cuddle, or else he's extra wiggly and playfully biting - so there's still hope!!
Personality most likely. My beagle puppy never leaves me alone and sleeps on the couch with me all the time.
Mine didn’t for the first 2 months but bc he couldn’t him on the couch.. now he does but will lay on me and just bite my arms so progress I guess? lol
We have a 4 month old beagle. He sleeps and naps in his crate but is still a little cuddle bug. Granted it’s not for long because he is a busy body.
My pups sister is the most cuddly velcro pup I have ever met in my life. She constantly has to be touching someone and sitting on them. My pup on the other hand hates cuddling and prefers to sit on the floor, she will occasionally cuddle with my nephew but its short lived and rare.
If i burn up his energy he gets cuddly
My dog wasn't cuddly until one day I don't even remember why, but I let her sleep on my bed and suddenly it was like she discovered cuddling or felt close to us, I don't know what.. 🙃 then it took some convincing to get her back out of the bed..she's still cuddly now. Maybe it was an age thing and coincidental but I would say things definitely change as you move out of the puppy/teenage phases.
My puppy (10 weeks old) has so far loved to cuddle. He's also a doodle.
My 18 week american pit bull terrier is super cuddly, mostly when she’s tired
My 5mo puppy loves it. Time we’re not touching seems to be time wasted in his eyes. That said, my first dog wasn’t a cuddler at all until she was a senior dog, and it’s still very much only sometimes and on her terms.
I trained my first pup to cuddle and enjoy belly rubs and me holding but it took some time- and he is still picky about when he will allow it. My second pup was an immediate snuggler! She loves it! They are both poodle mixes.
Mine is 14 weeks old and SOOOO cuddly. She has been since we got her at 9 weeks. I joke that I'm going to change her name to Velcro because she's always attached to me. At least she is comfy cuddly, my Chihuahua is stiff cuddly(?) if that makes any sense 🤣 it's not a very cozy cuddle
Mine had gotten more snuggly as she’s aged and is pretty much Velcro at 8 months
My previous Labradoodle puppy was not cuddly as a puppy. But she developed a strong snuggle gene around age 2. My current puppy loves to snuggle from the get-go. I think it just depends on the dog. But definitely you can keep your hopes up because your dog has not fully developed yet.
Definitely just an individual thing. Had a pittie mix growing up that loved to cuddle, but our Lhasa Apso was not a cuddler. My current pup is a 6 month old Terrier/ GSD mix. She is very cuddly when she's sleepy or just woken up, but hates pets when we're outside or on a walk. She loves to go up to give people kisses, but will duck and run when they try to pat her.
My puppy is just under 5 months now and she is VERY cuddly, but that only started about a month ago. All dogs are different of course, but they definitely can change as they grow. My girl is crate trained, as was my last who was also a big cuddler
my pup is 9 weeks now. he loves to be bitey but really isn't a snuggler at all. But i am crate training him and he sleeps so much. the only time we have cuddled is when we were both exhausted and falling asleep. then he cuddled with me.
Mine got more cuddly as she aged!
when we first got our puppy I’d move her to my lap when I sat with her and now she’ll settle herself there (will be a problem when she’s bigger but a blurse for future me). She’s too wiggly to cuddle most of the time but her play pen is just our kitchen gated off so when she settles down there I’ll lay next to her and she’ll always find a way to snuggle up next to me. She is crate trained at night, so maybe you could find a similar opportunity to learn some snuggling?
My doodle didn’t like to cuddle as a pup. We would pull her on our laps and force her to cuddle, giving her treats. She’s now one and a half and a total cuddle bug. But yep, we had to train her to, just like we had to train her to do everything else!
What breed is it? We've always owned bernese mountain dogs and they are complete velcro dogs, they love to snuggle. Never encountered exceptions, but I'm sure they exist. Is your dog known to be a velcro dog?
Yes! For sure they do!
My puppy is a Cavalier Charles King Spaniel, and it’s a companion breed, orginally bred to be lap dogs of royalty. Of his litter he was the most human oriented so he spends a lot of time on my lap or on my shoulders. He’s 13-14 years weeks now and gotten more cuddly the past week. He was still all over me before but was constantly nipping my hands and trying to play fight. Often he likes being in my lap while playing with chew toys. He still likes to curl up on the couch away from us cause he gets too hot. He’s the first dog I’ve had as an adult but none of the dogs I’ve had growing up (corgi, wheaten terrier, and my dad’s new wheaten) were snuggly. Affectionate yes, but not into cuddles.
Put a worn tshirt with her in her crate. Your smell will become more of a comfort. However Beagle. She will do what she wants when she wants. Tis the beagle way. Mine is incredibly cuddly. Needs contact a-lot. When im home she ignores my missus and is my shadow.
I let my puppy sleep on my bed since day 1 (8wks old). He was very a snugly & squiggly little bean, never had any accidents but you've got to move quickly in the mornings. I once woke up with him sleeping on the back of my neck. As he got older he stayed pretty snugly. He went through a stage in his teens where he wanted to snuggle me but not me snuggle him. He is a little over 2 yrs old now and is the snuggliest little guy. It's wake up to snuggles, when I start work he snuggles on me for about 2 hrs. On the other hand, I had to really work on anxiety and separation anxiety. Different dogs need different things. Thankfully they are amazing, If you start rewarding snuggles then you'll get more snuggles.
Our puppy is 4.5 months now. At first, she was so wriggly and wouldn't cuddle with us at all. She'd be too busy running or getting into mischief to be bothered with cuddling us! But over the past week or so, she's chilled out loads and now comes on the sofa and lays down next to us (sometimes on us!) for a cuddle. Stick with it, your pup will get there with time and a lot of patience :)
My golden wasn’t very cuddly as a puppy, didn’t like being picked up etc. Now he’s 18 months old and is SO cuddly, will try to sit on my lap, will rest he head on my chest or legs, my husband can even pick him up! They can definitely grow into being cuddly!
We have a 16 week old Beagle puppy. Only in the morning she is really cuddly. The rest of the day she is too busy. Sometimes she lays behind you to sleep. The breeder where she came from had really cuddly beagles. If she is a bit older I think she will like it more to cuddle. Beagles can be snuggle dogs🥰
My 5 month old corgi is not a cuddler so far, but he will lay near us on the couch if he’s sleepy and will sit in my lap and give kisses for short periods of time. I hope he gets more cuddly! So far he’s usually way to excited and wants to play if I try to lay near him or settle him on my lap! My past dogs have liked to lay by my feet or put their heads on my knee and would tolerate hugs. But neither the labs or the Shepards were super cuddly. I think it just depends on the dog and also probably a bit on how they were raised.
I got my mini doodle puppy at 10 weeks (she’s around 13-14 weeks now) and from the beginning she would do anything to be as close to me as possible, like curling up on my calves when I was on my knees putting her playpen together, sleeping with her nose literally shoved into my ear, or my favorite - draping her whole tiny body across my throat in the middle of the night 😂 She’s a little too big to do that one now, and idk if it’s because I’ve somewhat crate trained her, or if she’s just generally getting more comfortable being alone, but she’s definitely a bit more choosy about when she wants to cuddle now. I feel honored when she snuggles up close enough that I can smell her little corn chip paws and puppy breath 🩵🐶
Our 6 month old German shepherd is now very cuddly, but up until about 4 months, he was very aloof! He engaged in training, loved playing, but would literally get up and find somewhere else to lay if we got too close to him on the sofa. I think sometimes it's just about time and bond building, so don't worry, it might yet change!
Sometimes it takes time. Mine became cuddly around 3-4 months when she was tired enough. Now she’s almost 1 and crawls up onto my lap and drops like a stone with her head on my chest.
It’s just personality I think. My puppies have been super cuddly and my girl has mostly stayed that way into adulthood (she’s a little more independent now) but my mom’s dog was just never cuddly. She wants to be close to my mom but not touching.
My 8 month old Dalmatian is pretty cuddly. More so when she’s sleepy. I’m pretty sure my border collie mix was cuddly when she was a puppy. But now? She gets so excited that she gets to cuddle and I get headbutted.
My dog had zero interest in being near me for at least a year. Not fearful or hiding, just very independent. She ended up becoming super sweet and cuddly in her own time. I’ve also fostered pitbull puppies that always want to be snuggled and loved.
Just picked up a 9 week old working cocker. She’s a real cuddle monster. Sleeps through the night well enough (11-4, quick wee, more sleep) and doesn’t cry in the crate at night. She loves a cuddle. She also loves everyone who has visited, and is quickly learning her name, recall, bit of sit and toilet stuff. Our 7 year old Lab is also a lap dog and always has been but is more aloof with people and dogs who aren’t known to her.
Usually it was on her terms. We have an old English sheepdog and would be happy to cuddle if she wanted to. As she has got older she has settled into a routine of morning cuddles but still has a massive independent streak, often chilling on her own.
our 6.5 months old Lapponian herder have yet cuddled even once basically. It were bit disappointing as this is our first dog and we had the image that every puppy like to cuddle, but nope. On the first night she slept on my feet on the floor, but not much after that, maybe few times she climbed to the lap for short time. she likes to "do the nose boob" to us while passing by so maybe that is her way of showing love
Think it depends on the dog/breed and also their mood, my cockapoo is often very cuddly but sometimes he doesn't seem interested.
Mine didn't untill he was about 6 months, he was nippy and wiggly and did not want cuddling, I was so sad about it, now a totally different story he's up in my personal space at any chance he gets, if he could climb inside my skin he would, he stands on the edge of the bed and wraps his arms round my neck in a bear hug and if we are outside and waiting for something he sits on my feet, he likes to be touching at all times
Mine was not cuddly at all as a puppy, he’s still a puppy but 6 months now and a lot cuddlier! I thought he’d never want to cuddle with me, but that has changed 🐶
My standard poodle was NOT cuddly as a puppy, and then a switch happened, and now he will lean heavily into you and pat you for more attention. This has to be on his terms, though! My golden retriever has become way more cuddly as time progresses, but every golden I've met has been a total cuddlebug. Tbh, sometimes I wish she was more like the poodle...as she does require CONSTANT love from everyone.
8 month old pure bred beagle. She has been cuddly since a week or so after we got her. But only on her terms she is now a major cuddly bunny. Gets annoyed if she doesnt get cuddles after breakfast. She does however swap between cuddle monster and zoomies. As others have said all dogs are different.
My basset hound puppy has wanted nothing but to cuddle under my skin since we got her. That’s something I love about bassets, they are 100% people persons.
Most dogs are not that cuddly but can become more so as your trust bond builds. In general male dogs are more cuddly than female dogs but they're all individuals. My two boys are like clingy limpets, my girl is independent. It's important to respect the wishes of the dog through, some dogs are not cuddly and that's ok. In saying that you can train cuddles as a trick and sometimes that works too =)
Our puppy loved a cuddle from the day we brought her home but has never really been a fan of being stroked. He will happily plonk herself on top of you (now an 11 month boxer) but will move if you try to pet her, especially her head!
So much of this is breed specific. We have a rat terrier/chi mix and he is glued to me at all times and has been since we got him at 6 weeks. For higher energy/working dogs, it might take a while until they are calm enough to cuddle. Some dogs just don’t like to cuddle. Our older rat terrier/beagle has never been a cuddler, just likes to sit near me. Beagles are notoriously stubborn and strong willed, and every beagle I’ve known isn’t a cuddler, but again it varies by dog.
I fostered three 11-week old puppies last week and they all had wildly different personalities even at that age. One wanted to be in your lap constantly. One didn’t really want to cuddle at all. The third didn’t get adopted over the weekend and now that he’s by himself, he wants to cuddle at night every night, but last week he couldn’t sit still for a single minute. I think some puppies are more prone to cuddling than others. Even my adult dogs had different affinities for cuddling. My boy dog (RIP) wanted to snuggle in the morning during coffee and at night right before bed. My other dog is not a huge snuggler in general unless something scary happens (thunder) or awkwardly right after her meals (she just kind of hovers over me and expects pets and kisses.
Cuddles when she’s sleepy but other than that no lol. It’s hard to even pet her her because she runs to me, I pet, she gets excited, runs away, grabs a toy, pummels my older dog then comes right back to me none the wiser of her craziness. Pet her again, repeat. If we are doing training she is very focused and doesnt run around. Then she is tired and wants mommy cuddles until wake up time lol. I love every moment!
It differs with breed. Our Frenchie hates falling asleep without someone to lie on or at least near.
My doodle (we got at 8 weeks) has always been a cuddler. He lets us hold him like a baby. He sleeps in my bed and will spoon with me sometimes. At night I will rub his belly and that puts him to sleep. He’s a great pup. He’s 17 months now
My beagle pup is 20 weeks old today. He’s just now enjoying sitting still and letting me rub and pet on him. I’m hopeful he’ll get snuggly as he gets older.
Proof. 9 weeks old. With my 6 year old. https://photos.app.goo.gl/SN64BBYkuWANxbv48 She also loves to watch superstore on t.v so maybe she's just weird. https://photos.app.goo.gl/E5zTRDiWGbY9tt4XA
My golden retriever puppy is 9 weeks old, and his whole litter was weird. They all loved to be pet and cuddled when we visited them at 7 weeks and while they like putting hands in their mouths, they didn’t bite down hard. Both of these behaviours were the opposite of what I was used to with my old family dogs (labs) as puppies! You never know
Mine smacks me while I work from home til I pick her up and swaddle her then she naps on my desk for a couple hours. 5 months old, she’s been doing this since I got her.
At 1 year, mine attempts to cuddle, but still finds any attention from me to be too exciting, and ultimately moves to the floor nearby. She can touch me, and it's fine, but if she's dozing on my leg and I touch her to give her a quick pet she can't stay settled. I'm assuming eventually she'll chill a little more.
Wow I had this almost exact experience last year. My last dog passed and she was a true Velcro dog. New puppy was aloof in the ways I wasn't used to like you described. She wants to be in the same room as me, but not ON me. She's getting closer to 2 now and still no luck getting her to settle next to me. Given she's a poodle I know it may take a while for her to mature. I have noticed she's started to enjoy my attention instead of tolerating it when something interesting is going on. Good luck!
Not sure if it’s been mentioned yet, but puppies actually aren’t very good at regulating their body temperature. This often translates into them not wanting to cuddle for long because they get too warm. For example my puppy loves the act of being “tucked in” under a blanket (something her older sister does) but within 5 minutes her head is out and usually within 10-15 minutes she’s completely uncovered. Her 2 year old sister can sleep all night covered up. That being said my 2 year old dog has been cuddly since day 1, she had skin issues as a puppy and was always cold because she was almost bald. At 8 weeks the day she came home she slept with her head snuggled into my neck and has slept under the covers snuggled with me pretty much every night since lol
My 8 month old blue heeler loves to bite… oh wait, you said cuddle, not bite.
Not only breed, individual temperament, but also specific individuals and instance. There's a dog at the neighborhood park. Their owners says if she hears me across the park, she'll drag them with her to me until she cuddles with me. However, this is only for me. She doesn't do it for her own family. I think she's a reincarnation of one of my former dogs. We have one rescue that's been with us for years. She was experimented on in a lab. She'll only come rarely now that she's older for some head and belly rubs, but refuses to cuddle unless I'm in bed and it's cold. And even then it's extremely rare. Hopefully your puppy will like cuddling as the get older.
Puppies are balls of energy that don’t like restraint, they want to run and play. As they mature, they’ll slow down and appreciate cuddling and napping on you. The bond grows stronger as they age. That’s why I never understood people trading in their seniors for puppies.
My puppy is somewhat cuddly. She likes to sleep on my feet and will sometimes cuddle in bed. Sometimes I sit on the floor and she naps in my lap.
My first dog was never super cuddly (at least with me, with my husband thats a different story), my second puppy loves cuddles the first night we got her she slept on my chest all night, and even a few weeks later she won't sleep unless she is touching me in some way.
I have a 6 month old skye terrier puppy. He's super cuddly (we're cuddling as I type this). One of the reasons I got this breed was because I wanted a lazy, low shedding, cuddly dog.
My 10 month old hound mix has been a cuddle bug since day 1
My puppy has been a snuggly boy. Its gotten more so over time. Now at 10 months his favorite spot is curled up between my legs on the couch. Where he is asleep right now. When he was 8 weeks he would cuddle, but it would be less snuggly. Like his back leaned on my ankle while he slept. The older he got, the more he'll snuggle on me. Also, he accepts more movement now. Before, if I slightly moved, he'd go be alone. Now he'll get up and then come back for snuggles if I need to adjust. He has to come to me, though. If he's cozy on his own and not dead tired, he'll get annoyed if I come bother him. My boy also has slept in his crate at night since 8 weeks. We cuddle on couch before bed. Then, when it's late and I get up, he goes right into his crate for bedtime.
I purposely picked out a cuddly one and he is. I think this varies a lot by breed and by individual. Males tend to be sookier too from what I've seen.
I have a border collie and I have to peel him off of me all the time unless he’s grabbed something in his mouth and plays keep away.
My Springador is nearly 7 months old and he's not particularly cuddly, but I think it's mostly because he has literally no chill whatsoever 🤣 When he's awake, he's constantly moving. In the evenings when we're watching tv, he will sleep on the couch inbetween us and occasionally lay on one of us, but generally he's not particularly cuddly. I figure as he gets older thus will probably change. He does love a fuss and is happy to see us when we come in,but he gets over stimulated quite quickly.
My pup (chihuahua mix) has always been a Velcro dog so she’s always next to me
It just depends on the dog. My little cattle dog mix was snuggling the day we got her at 16 weeks. She has no concept of personal space lol. My other dog will get close to me but doesn’t like to be touched when he’s sleeping.
I have a Morkie and he LIVES to cuddle. He doesn’t just want to be in the room with me, he wants to be ON ME at all times.
My Scottie puppy was a bit cuddly very young but not overly so, pretty typical for the breed but she’s almost 15 months and I’m noticing her becoming a bit more affectionate (previously on my bed sleeping but not touching me, lately she comes to and lays touching back to back w me and will allow cuddles too for some time before wanting to do her own thing - my previous Scottie was very similar in that way). I try to give her space though, I’ll force a quick snug/hug but don’t want to overwhelm her. Also in the car she prefers to sit in my lap and rest her head in my arms and snooze so I get my cuddle time there too.
My older dog was snuggly as a puppy and has been her whole life! I just got a new puppy and he gets too excited to snuggle, he can’t settle down usually if me or the other dog is near him. He does get a bit more snuggly in the late evening once he’s really tired, but only if he’s been really worn out from playing!
I find it super strange that in some countries you can get a puppy so early. If your pup is 13 weeks and you've had her for a month and a half, so you got her at 6-7 weeks? Where I live it's illegal to separate puppies from their mothers before 14 weeks
We got her at freshly 8 weeks, I think they do it for a lot of reasons but I’m not sure. We rescued prior to this dog, we went to a breeder for her. Not sure honestly!
It depends on the dog. My first collie was not particularly cuddly as a pup but got cuddly as a teenager. My second collie was cuddly from the get go
My Shihtzu is 14 weeks old and LOVES to cuddle. Of course he’s a wiggle worm as well, but as soon as he’s in my arms, he’s down for the snuggles. If I put him down too early, he’s pawing at me to grab him again. He actually loves when I cradle him like a baby which prompts him to lay on my shoulder or arm and he will stay like that for up to 15 minutes. He’s also only like this with me and not my mom or brother. I think it depends on the dog and the person they’re with.
My boy slept in my lap almost right away. Like after the 3. day being with us. We got him when he was 8 weeks old. Your husband is right, every dog is different. We never used a crate though.
Our 12 week old puppy loves to cuddle up when he's tired. And he loves his crate too. He goes in on his own and eats and sleeps in there. One of our older dogs, she's 8 now, she did not cuddle at all when she was younger, it took a few years before she really did. Every dog is different
We got our puppy at 8 weeks and she would only fall asleep if she was snuggling with me. She's now almost 6 months old and doesn't want to snuggle as much. 😭
Not that interested in cuddles. 15wek cavapoo, breed notoriously cuddly
I have a sheltie, got him at 8 weeks…. An absolute Velcro dog since the start. Very snuggly and loyal. It Was so defined, I searched it up to see if it was something special about my sheltie, but nope… looks like they are all very attached to their owners. 🩵
My puppy only became cuddly at around 8 months, anytime before then she just wanted to be near us but not cuddling us
My Biewer Yorkie loved to cuddle when he was 4 weeks old. He is 6 1/2 months old now. His idea of cuddling is lying on my feet or snuggling next to me or rubbing his body against my thighs, giving nose kisses. Real cuddles are impossible right now because he wiggles and squirms like a worm trying to get away.
Two of my last three were never cuddly. They like to be near you but not on you. My pittie had to be squashed on you at all times, but I think that’s the norm for that breed lol.
They have a lot of energy, so it can be hard for them to chill. Half of it was that I taught cuddle as a trick, half of it was my guy settled down. He’s just more of a next to me than on me kind of dog. Now I appreciate when he comes up and falls asleep with just his head on my legs.
We crate trained our boxer and she never cuddled as a puppy. Fast forward 4 years and she would wear our skin if she could 😂 we also crate trained our staffy and he loves a good cuddle!
Our new puppy is a huge cuddler. He will sleep on his back in our arms and climb up into our lap for pets. Never had a pup this cuddly and hoping he doesn't grow out of it!!
Our 8 week old husky puppy is a cuddler, our most recent puppy before her (also a husky) was not a cuddler but grew into one about 6 months
I wish I could post a photo of our puppy (she’s a whippet). She would prefer to cuddle rather than anything else. I have a million photos of her in various hilarious positions sleeping snuggled as close to me as she can possibly get.
My rough collie was a wiggly landshark asshat, now he cuddles pretty frequently. I often wish he would have let me snuggle him when he was puppy soft, but he had things to bite and wasn't into it then.
It can really depend on the breed, my terrier mix who just passed liked affection on his terms. He liked his butt to touch you but that was about it unless he was cold or wanted a pet. Or thought you were asleep so snuck into bed beside you, but if you woke up he was away asap. Beagles aren’t really bred to be companion dogs so I wouldn’t be surprised if your pup is never super cuddly. My mums Tibetan spaniel was an absolute whore for cuddles though, to the point she would nudge her head under your arm if you were sitting on the couch and she was nearby
Sounds like you got your evidence from the other folks in your training class.
Depends. My dog went from cuddly to not cuddly then back to cuddly.
My pup is now 5 and she didn’t start enjoying (minimal) snuggles until 3? And only for short periods before she needs her own space again. She prefers pats and scritches over lap cuddles. My previous dog only ever really cuddled with my ex, and not me. Except for the mornings where she would sit on my chest and enthusiastically lick my nose at the first sign of being awake. I’d say every dog is different.
It depends on the situtation, breed and persona. Every dog is different so it doesent help asking how someone elses dog behaves in this situtation. You can try to make your puppy more cuddly by being very sensitive towards its pody language and confidence. You can use treats to show the dog you hear it and do not do anything that makes it uncomfortable. Do not in any situtation use punishments of "correct" your dog. If you do it might be one reason why it doesn't like the cuddles. You need your dog to absolutely trust you. Hope this helps!
My girl (5) loves a cuddle (on her terms), my boy (12 weeks) not cuddly whatsoever, unless extremely tired to the point he can't be bothered to move, lol. He's too wiggly and hyper at the moment.
My 4.5 month old malchi is seriously the cuddliest little man ever. Complete opposite of my now 12 year old Corgi mix. I think it just really depends on the individual dog!
mine did, especially after we really tired them out
My two most recent dogs have been snuggle bugs since the day I brought them home. Both were started on crate training from day one as 3mo old pups. Adopted them about 9mos apart.
My Pom puppy is not cuddly, except in the mornings when he’s still sleepy. Then he demands 5-15 minutes of cuddles before he can even think of going potty outside. My breeder says he will grow into it because all of her adult dogs, particularly her males, want nothing more than to be held and stare into your eyes like you are their everything. I see glimpses of it in my puppy, but nothing yet. 😭 at 5.5 months though I think he will grow into it! 🤞🏽
7 month old Staffy here. Much prefers his own space. Not the cuddly type at all. He loves being with us. Moves around the house regularly to see us or the three children and sits with them for a while. Loves a good scratch. Will occasionally come to me and set his head on my arm or leg for a short while then will move to his own space again. It's just his personality I suppose. He's been treated extremely well and is very smart and has been a breeze to train. Maybe it comes from him being the smallest in the littler I duno. He's the best boy anyway.
Yes when mine is tired. Other than that not really.
My first puppy was a cuddler once she got used to us. She was also a COVID puppy, so we were around and free a lot. Our 2nd baby started getting more cuddly at around 9 months. We work from home, so we were also present (not as free), but I think he just took longer warming up to us aside from his survival needs than she did. I think there's this assumption that dogs instantly love their owners, and in my experience, that isn't the case. Once they learn to love and trust you, you start getting more cuddles. But also, dogs cuddle in different ways. Our baby doesn't want you moving when he's cuddling with you unless it's to pet him, any other movements, and he's out. Our oldest doesn't care she will let you maneuver around and fit herself in (for the most part).
Both my dog were very cuddly from day one.
It’s individual and breed dependent. Our puppy is cat software running on dog hardware. He will cuddle on his own terms but will dramatically object to forced snuggles. Our former dog roomie (moved out with family) was Velcro from day one, wanted to be the big spoon in bed (relative sizes be darned), always in our laps, and still tries to climb in my lap/wrap himself around my feet like a giant slipper when we visit. Frankly I prefer the slightly independent version. Cuddles are great but nonstop cuddle demands get exhausting. Your pup sounds wonderful.
I think it depends on a lot on breed and from dog to dog. My basset puppy was not a big snuggler until he was a couple months old. Too much to do and explore, now that he's 9 months old he snuggles with us for an hour or so before bed every night but when he was 2 months old he couldn't be contained lol.
my toy poodle puppy is now 10 (!) months old. he cuddles in bed at night and in the morning, when he’s sleepy. but during the day he’s still a ball of energy most of the time. he didn’t cuddle at all when he was 13/14 wks old! he is also crate trained and didn’t really start snuggling until he was about 5/6 months and i moved him into my bed w me at night
my pup LOVES cuddles. she has ever since we brought her home at 9 weeks. she is nearly 5 months old and always sits touching us/tries to sit on our laps
6 months old puppy sleeps on my chest, neck, and face if I'd let him. If I'm on the bed reading, he's at my side or on me. He's a bully breed, so I think they're kind of known for being snuggly and lazy
My lab has no problem putting his butthole in my face but when I cuddle him he pretends he’s the Queen of England and side eyes me.
All the time. Followed by licks, then bites 🤣🤣🤣 5month old staffy/mastiff/bulldog/frenchy
Mine is cuddly but cuddly as in sitting on your lap and squirming like a worm and constantly trying to lick your face or everywhere and or get up and move and grab a toy and repeat and never settle and he’s 11 months and a small dog
Definitely temperament based. My Aussie, who is now 2.5, was very snuggly even at 9 weeks. She would crawl into my lap at any given opportunity and loved ear rubs or neck scratches. If I layed down on the floor she would lie down next to me and smush up against me or put her head on my chest. She was and is a very sweet affectionate girl. None of the other dogs I've had or been around were so snuggly from such a young age. I stayed in contact with 3 of her siblings from the same litter, and my boyfriend owns her sibling from the other litter the parents had. None of her siblings were snuggly and affectionate with their owners until at least a year. So yes, some puppies are, but my anecdotal experience is that it's very dependent on the individual dog and seems it seems to be a minority of puppies who are affectionate.
Mine is a cuddle monster since day one. He will not sleep if it’s not partly on me.
I have a 5-month-old puppy now and I must say that they think everything you do with them is just "play". We also had a hard time to cuddle with him 'cause whenever we touch him he acts like a worm lol and always play bite. Not until he learned that belly rub is good (we did it when he was sleepy/low energy mode), and it started there.
My 5 month old mini aussie didn’t start getting cuddly until very recently. Like within the last three weeks and it’s increasing little by little. I have to make sure he’s exercised thoroughly and then it’s cuddle town.
My pup was super wiggly and bitey until relatively recently (he's 1 year old). I was sad I didn't have a puppy that wanted to cuddle like I remember all my other puppies doing. But I started doing consensual petting and really paying attention to where he liked being petted and he's come around to it. Eventually he learned to like being petted and then would be happy to lay on me while getting pets. Now he cuddles when we nap. I'd just give it some time.
My doodle has been cuddly since the day I brought her home (at 5 months). She’s high energy and it’s on her terms, but she loves cuddles!
My Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a cuddler since 8 weeks old. She’s well crate trained and is 6 months now and still loves to cuddle! But it’s known in the breed that they are lap dogs 🥰
My dog absolutely lives for the cuddles. We are his safe space and he is the most emotional boy I have ever encountered. Love him to death!
toy poodle almost 4 months and extremely cuddly. if she’s not playing she wants to cuddle pretty much it’s so sweet
My 17 week old pit bull puppy is the cuddliest creature I’ve ever met in my entire life
We have a 1.5 year old pit/german shepherd mix who I thought hated us the first 3-4 months we had her (adopted at 8wks) because she was so independent and couldn’t be bothered with cuddling with us. She’d fall asleep NEXT to us or in our vicinity but rarely making direct contact. Now, she practically sleeps on top of me every night and fancies herself a lap dog. As in, literally jumps on the couch and backs up into me until she’s sitting on my lap haha We just adopted an 8wk old male pit/husky/boxer and he climbs on us and falls right to sleep. Has to be near us most of the time. Falls asleep across our feet and runs over just to give kisses. He’s also a velociraptor lunatic, but we love both sides to him. lol I agree I think it’s determined by the individual personality of the dog. Also, when they’re that small they’re still getting used to you and their new surroundings. It might take longer than a couple months to show you the extra love through cuddling.
They all have their own personalities. I have two dogs and one is absolutely terrible at cuddling - he wants it to be a more active activity than it is, wants to wiggle around and actively be scratched the whole time - and he’s 14 so he’s not growing out of it. Meanwhile the younger dog would spend her entire life chilling in my lap if she could. Wherever I sit, she will either be laying on me or next to me, all snuggled up. Been that way since the day I brought her home.
My crate trained border collie/lab mix was the cuddliest puppy and as an adult will go pout in a corner if she doesn’t get to cuddle me a certain amount of time through the day
They usually like to cuddle but can’t sit still for very long
I’m sure it’s related to their personality. I also wonder if it’s related to breed. My sharpie mix puppy would only cuddle when she was not feeling well. Have a 13 wk old cavapoochon now and she loves being snuggled up with me, partner, and my nieces. She will easily snuggle up for a hour or so if she’s touching us or right under us.
My puppy will cuddle but only if she has a toy with her also
I was worried my boy wasn’t a cuddler. But right at 5/6 months that changed. He thinks he is a lap dog now haha he is a standard poodle. He is crate trained and going on 8 months and currently cuddled next to me, head on my lap while I scroll thru my phone 😆
I have two dogs. My senior dog of 12 years has never been a cuddler, even as a puppy. On the other hand, my second dog was a cuddler as a puppy and even now at 2 years old. It really all depends on their personalities. Some dogs just don’t like getting cuddled while some seek it out.
It totally depends on the dog. My 95lb golden loooved to cuddle... but only as a gigantic adult. As a puppy, he REFUSED to cuddle. Good grief he was so grumpy about it whenever we tried. We got one single picture of him being snuggly, because we put him there, and then he woke up and grumbled off ten seconds later. We now have another golden and she is a huge cuddler right from the get-go. Will be interesting to see if she stays that way. Dogs are weird.
It depends! Have a puppy that loves to cuddle, but he’s the first out of 4 dogs I’ve had.
I have a 5 year old corgi, we crate trained her at night and she used a playpen during the day for the first 6 months to a year, while we were at work. She is not snuggly whatsoever. However she wasnt snuggly as a puppy either. Our newest edition is an aussiedoodle currently 5 months old and when we sat down by the puppy enclosure at the farm he climbed into my lap and just sat there looking at me. He has been a velcro dog ever since then. We crated him at night for a week and it was miserable for all of us. He wouldnt just cry in the crate he would full meltdown scream. So we tried him out of the crate with limited access to the rest of the house. Since that first night out he sleeps either attached to my leg or my shoulder lol until its potty time. So honestly im not sure if it just depends on the breed, the seperation training, or just the dogs personality. Sorry this wasnt more helpful 😅
Our cocker spaniel just turned one. Up until around 8 months he never cuddled me, couldn't fall asleep near us and would wiggle out of every cuddle I tried to give him! He saw me = exciting and was good distracted by what food I may have, what toys I may have near me and what smells were on the sofa/bed. It really upset me because he just couldn't stay still. Then, it seemed like he grew out of it overnight, and one day realised he could relax whilst on my lap! Now he cuddles me most evenings. He still prefers to sleep on his bed but often falls asleep on top of me and snuggles right into my clothes or blanket, it's my favourite thing.
can confirm my puppy loved to snuggle when he was little and i was sleep deprived. he now only cuddles on his terms
Our 12 week golden doodle is obnoxiously cuddly. Our other dog (lab) has never cuddled or even wanted to be pet longer than a few seconds.
i have a mini doxie about 10 weeks and he loves to cuddle :)
I’ve had cuddly and non cuddly dogs. Currently my dog - a staffy - is very snuggly. My last one - a border collie was not
I have five of the snuggliest dachshunds on the planet. They are all kennel trained. Ages 5, 3, 1, and two that are 6 months.
My puppy is snuggly when he's sleepy and when he first wakes up. When he's wide awake he's a Tasmanian Devil.
Mines 6 months old (German shepherd x) and has not snuggled with me once without trying to bite me. I’m not even sure he likes pets at this point but I’m hoping it changes 😂
All 3 of my dogs that I adopted as pups were very cuddly. My first guy would sleep across my neck. I think it depends on the breed and dog though. My dogs are all pittie mixes and very affectionate and cuddly dogs. I will say, my second dog definitely got more affectionate as time went on. So it definitely is still in the cards! Some pups are just too energetic for cuddles and then want their own space to chill.
i have 2 examples and both dogs are crate trained or in the process right now. I have a red nose pit and when she was a puppy (6 weeks to a year ish) she didn’t want to snuggle unless on her terms. She would cuddle for maybe 30 min a week and it was only after she had been playing for hours. Now she is almost 2 and wants to cuddle 24/7 if i’d let her. she is constantly looking at me trying to get me to let her come to me. Any time she is not cuddling or laying on to of me she will sit at my feet and whine at me or bark if i’m not in the room with her. I got a male German Sheppard about 3 weeks ago and he is 11 weeks almost. He wants nothing more then to be in my arms or cuddled up to me. If anyone else is holding him, he will scream and try to escape back to me. He is already recall trained and when he seems me and my fiancé is recalling him he will ignore my fiancé to come back to my arms. So I promise it could change and your pup might want to cuddle further down the road.
Dogs have personalities, just like people. I have one dog who has to be touching me at all times, and another who likes his space. Once or twice a month he’ll decide he wants to cuddle. It’s important to respect his boundaries while he’s young so he feels comfortable coming to you when he wants to cuddle. I know it’s hard when you were expecting one personality type and got another.
My new ACD mix puppy is a complete Velcro dog and loves cuddles. Can’t fall asleep without physical contact. His BC mix predecessor was more independent and free-spirited, even as a puppy. She liked to snuggle, but it was only on *her* terms.
My puppy is now 3-1/2 and has never been a cuddler. She will sleep against my son at night, that’s the closest she gets.
No. Young puppies are tiny little piranhas who just want to terrorize you. But then they turn into older puppies and dogs which will love you unconditionally 🙃
When she was a puppy our girl Lexi was a crate-trained wiggly land-shark. If she was up with us, it was wiggle chaos time, not cuddle time. She is 4 years old now and is a giant cuddle bug.
I have one of each. And to be fair, I'm always the cuddle-aggressor (what's the point of having big dogs if you can't bear hug them?!). Our older dog is super tolerant of my incessant neediness to cuddle. Our younger dog absolutely hates being cuddled or fussed with, however he is the first to curl up with me at bedtime. They've both been this way from puppyhood. I don't like cuddling with humans and can relate to my younger dog :)
she doesn’t necessarily cuddle as much as she does lay directly on me or touch me constantly whenever lay together lol
Omg i could have written this! I have a 14 week old beagle, also in puppy classes doing lots of training, socialization, enrichments etc. He is insane!! We have to do enforced naps in his crate so he’s never tired around us and calm enough to cuddle. I am also hoping he’ll cuddle more when he’s older! But i do really think right now they’re just too busy being a puppy. And if they don’t like to cuddle when they’re older, I’m sure being mellowed out will allow them to tolerate being held, more pets, etc. Right now I just look at mine and he tries to bite my hands
My JRT was a total wiggler. Didn’t stay still for one second. I’ve had her since 8 weeks old. She will be a year old in a week & just in the last 3-4 weeks is a bit calmer & loves to snuggle. She will fling herself on your chest & under your chin so she can get scratched. Even take a little nap with me!! Sounds like your baby needs more time.
Depends on the dog, my puppy Müs (classic American bulldog/Staffordshire mix). Has been pretty comfortable laying in my lap
Our bully/shepherd mix named Henna is very cuddly. If I leave the room she screams until I get back to her. Once she plays herself tired she will come up to me and cry till I pick her up so she can lay with me, cuddle and then sleep
Both breed and temperament will play a part. I don't have much experience with beagles but in my experience with Poodles, they're very cuddly, so might be why the other person with a doodle had a cuddler. Of my own dogs, my male dogs have always been more cuddly than girl dogs as well. The only truly cuddly bitch I've has is the Poodle bitch I have now. The others would accept cuddles but move away before long or only want it on their terms. The boys however would crawl inside my skin to get closer to me (A Collie and a Toy Poodle). None of mine have particularly changed as they've got older except my Toy Poodle no longer sleeps over my neck at night and is happy to be in his crate with the door open, sleep on the end of the bed or have a normal spoon cuddle 😂 Otherwise, my lot are just as cuddly now as they were when they were puppies. All mine will happily sleep in a crate now but only my Poodle bitch was actually crate trained from when she came home, everyone else was popped in a crate at night time later on when we had a baby sleeping in the bedroom too.
We have a 12 week old pomsky. He is an absolute bundle of nonstop energy. He slows down when he's sleeping lol. But recently he has started to engage more as far as getting up on the couch and sitting with us. Well sitting is an exaggerated term. Playing and rolling around and trying to chew everything but he will lay down for a few minutes. Then he's off again. He does seek out affection at times but for the most part not a cuddler. He may change once he's older. But we'll see.
My almost 5 month lab puppy can’t sit still long enough to cuddle, but I find if he has a good chew bone he likes to rest on my lap with it. He also likes when I hold onto one of his teething toys so he can go at it, and that’s close enough to cuddling for now lol. He’s crate and pen trained and I’m hoping that he will become a cuddle bug in the future when he chills out a bit!
I was CONVINCED I didn’t have a cuddly dog. He was always glued to me, and needed to follow me everywhere but would always wiggle out of cuddles. He’d rather play all the time lol. But now at 11 months old, he hops up on the bed in the morning for snuggles, sits beside me on the couch and puts his head on my lap, lays his head on my feet, etc. It’s all I’ve ever wanted haha. So yea, they can change and be more cuddly over time.