He didn't hold it like a toy. It's very common to hold puppies like that. Maybe we don't do this in europe or the usa - but many other countries do it like that. You can google it. It's nothing bad, just uncommon for us.
EDIT: Because of those many downvotes, I googled myself and found out, that you're all correct. It's wrong to hold puppies like that.
Observing and learning from the natural world is in no way dumb, it is extreme hubris to think we humans are so smart that we don't have to listen to nature. Or that society gets to be somehow outside of nature. It is that kind of logic that got us global warming, obesity & diabetes epidemic, big pharma, and loss of traditional knowledge and wisdom. If I see a momma holding her cub by the nape of the neck my first thought isn't going to be that I know better how to care for her young.
What did I not understand? That it is bad and you want to kill animals, if you threat them like this? Bullshit! This is quite a normal behaviour and doesn't harm puppies. And if I wanna sleep on a rock, I can do it, you shouldn't judge me for it. In fact some cultures do sleep on the hard floor. It isn't a bad thing.
If you want to show me indicators for beeing a bad human beeing search for other things.