# Do Puppies Walk Weird?



## RaeganW (Jul 14, 2009)

I was at the dog park yesterday and there was a lady there that had part of a litter of Goldens. The puppies were probably 4-6 months old. They were walking kind of weird in the back, sort of stilted and stiff but also kind of puppy-floppy. Is that a normal growing stage thing? 

I've seen a German Shorthaired Pointer at the park before that was doing a similar thing and at first I thought it was maybe a hip problem, but maybe it's just a large breed awkward growing stage. I've never spent much time around puppies. Or could hip problems really be surfacing that early? The dogs didn't seem to be in pain, they ran and played pretty normally.


----------



## Nargle (Oct 1, 2007)

Hmm, I'm not sure. I know puppies DO walk pretty weird. I've seen lots of puppies that seem to swing their hips in an exaggerated way and swing their butt around. Is this what you're talking about? I think it's because the back legs grow longer first, right? I think I would be worried if they looked like they were skipping or hopping with their back legs. I think that's a sign of HD.


----------



## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

> Is that a normal growing stage thing?


It is in most of the puppies I've noticed. Especially breeds that are a bit robust. They do this "waddling" in the rear that's kinda cute (SO adorable in Rotties and Dobermans xD). A lot actually seem to toe in as itty bitty babies, and as they grow things straighten out.

In breeds like the sighthounds, I've noticed a much straighter gait at that early age. Dogs with longer legs may be a bit "looser" but can track straighter


----------



## Conard10 (Sep 25, 2010)

We have a 7 month old Lab pup....since Labs are prone to HD I'm completely neurotic about it! At around 3 months old I started noticing the weird walk....kind of loose hips, wobbly, butt swaying side to side. I freaked out! But, after seeing our vet she said it's perfectly normal for larger breed dogs because they are just a little awkward as they grow into the bodies. She didn't see any issues with our pup. 

Like Nargle said...our vet said if you see your pup bunny hopping, or using front legs to get off the floor, then there may be an issue with hips.


----------



## Independent George (Mar 26, 2009)

I've seen it mostly in the larger breeds - there's a Great Dane in my building that did this until he was about 18 months! - so I would guess it's a normal developmental thing. 

Just to be clear, this is different from the 'puppy bounce', right? I know that's perfectly normal, and I see that all the time - be the sort of gangly, disjointed "rear legs catching up to the front legs" kind of thing I've only seen after 6 months in the larger breeds.


----------



## SOKAIBA (Aug 17, 2010)

My boy is five months and has a super tall rear end, like a 68 Charger. It makes him run a bit funny, more like a GSD, but it is changing each week. He also has the exaggerated hip shake which gets even more exaggerated when he wags his tail. He is quite awkward running around the dog park at nearly 60 lbs all gangly and goofy, 100% puppy. I'm still wating for him to truely run like a dog. With his large gait it should be a sight to see.

Kai


----------



## pbmix (Sep 8, 2009)

SOKAIBA said:


> My boy is five months and has a super tall rear end, like a 68 Charger. It makes him run a bit funny, more like a GSD, but it is changing each week. He also has the exaggerated hip shake which gets even more exaggerated when he wags his tail. He is quite awkward running around the dog park at nearly 60 lbs all gangly and goofy, 100% puppy. I'm still wating for him to truely run like a dog. With his large gait it should be a sight to see.
> 
> Kai


Kai, what kind of dog is it you have? My boy is also 5 months and quickly approaching 60 lbs as well (he's at 55 as of yesterday). He runs all kind of goofy, and when he walks down the stairs to the back yard he goes almost sideways, as if his butt is just TOO heavy lol. Also, his legs are getting longer by the day, making it seem even goofier when he bumbles around awkwardly.


----------



## SOKAIBA (Aug 17, 2010)

He's a Catahoula.


----------



## pbmix (Sep 8, 2009)

SOKAIBA said:


> He's a Catahoula.


*drool* 

I love Catahoulas.


----------



## melaka (Mar 31, 2010)

Buffy's a 9-month-old medium-sized mixed breed and her back legs often did look too long for her body, which made her walk a little funny and do the hip shake thing many here are talking about. She also sometimes had a cute, uncoordinated puppy run that I really can't describe.

She does bunny-hop down stairs though, which makes me worry a little. I sway between thinking I'm not concerned enough with feeling like a hypochondriac where my dog is concerned.


----------



## theyogachick (Aug 2, 2009)

melaka said:


> She does bunny-hop down stairs though, which makes me worry a little. I sway between thinking I'm not concerned enough with feeling like a hypochondriac where my dog is concerned.


Gracie does this, too, but when she goes up, she takes it a leg at a time. I think going down she is just moving so fast she doesn't have time to alternate legs...lol!

I am also a hypochodriac with Gracie. We have gone through so many things with our other dogs that I worry all the time. I had the vet check her hips out when she was five months old :redface: because of the odd puppy gait.


----------



## melaka (Mar 31, 2010)

Oh, I'm glad to hear that Gracie does it too but that she checked out OK. My steps are really steep, so I think that might be part of the reason too. She does walk up normally, and runs, jumps and plays a lot every day without showing any signs of pain.

If I really thought there was a serious problem, I'd get her checked out. As it is, I'd rather save my money in case an emergency crops up.


----------

