How to Pick Up and Hold a Puppy During the first few days, it will be necessary to pick the puppy up from time to time… There is a right and wrong way to do this. Whenever you pick your puppy up, always use both hands. Place one hand between the forelegs to support the chest and the other behind the thighs to support the rear. This ensures that he is perfectly balanced and unable to wiggle free. Never pick a puppy up by his front legs alone (since this could dislocate his shoulder) or pick him up by the scruff of the neck (which could be traumatizing). Excerpted from: The Art of Raising a Puppy by The Monks of New Skete, pp 107-108. Addt’l picture from The New Knowledge of Dog Behavior by Clarence J. Pfaffenberger "Wrong" photos are used with permission. WRONG technique shown in photos below