My dog hates to be picked up. He growls or runs away if you are behind him. I still want to pick him up but I don't want him not to like me/?

When you pick up a small dog, it is the equivalent of a human going from the ground to
30+ feet in the air with feet not touching a solid object. Maybe it scares the dog. Maybe he has tender areas and it hurts him/her.
Maybe the dog was abused in some manner earlier in its life. I don't know its breed, size, age or previous treatment.
I'm no dog expert by any means.

It's a boston terrior, about 3 and it is small to medium

Hopefully, a real expert will chime in.
Can you pick him up when you are sitting, will he sit on your lap? Maybe you can get him used to being picked up just a few feet and he would gradually tolerate a little higher?
A small treat once in a while if he lets you pick him up? You didn't say if you are his only master. If not, maybe being picked up meant being put in a kennel (cage). Maybe it meant the master was going to leave him by himself or something else he didn't like, or maybe he was boarded at a kennel and was put in a cage higher off the ground. I have already told you everything I know so I had better stop.