It’s such a lovely sight to behold a litter of puppies playing together and having a good time. But as a pet owner, you can’t help but notice the unusual manner they walkabout. It appears to be clumsy, wobbly, and weird in short.
Dog owners are concerned about the health and well-being of their dogs. You are on the lookout for your dog so you can detect any problem it has early on. You don’t just want to take chances. So it’s natural to be worried when you see your new puppy walking strangely. Do puppies walk this way, or is something wrong with my puppy, you wonder?
In this article, we will see if it’s normal for puppies to walk with a weird gait, why they walk with a weird gait, and what you can do about it. Let’s answer the first question, is it normal for dogs to walk weirdly?
Is It Normal for Puppies to Walk Weirdly?
It is a fact that puppies walk particularly funny; all puppies walk strangely at some point as they grow up. They are young and clumsy, just like human babies tend to walk unsteadily when they’re learning to walk.
Puppies will be able to stand on their legs around 2-3weeks after being born; they should start walking by the 4th to 5th week with a wobbly gait. So a puppy at this stage will walk funny; It is completely natural; it’s a phase. If your dog is not reaching these milestones at these periods, you should see a vet or contact your breeder. They might be able to shed more light on why your puppy has not started walking.
We have seen it’s pretty normal for puppies to walk with a weird stride, especially when they just start walking. There is no reason to be disturbed when you see your pup this way. As earlier discussed since this is a phase, the wobbly gait should gradually disappear as they grow older and get used to their legs. If this wobbly gait persists for too long, it could indicate something is wrong with your dog.
Why Do Puppies Walk Weirdly
Puppies walk weirdly at the initial stage due to their growing legs. The rear or back legs grow longer than those at the front, and this causes a waddling gait; it appears the pup swings its hips when walking. This wobbly gait will disappear as soon as your puppy gets used to its leg and starts playing.
As earlier discussed, it’s normal for puppies to walk wobbly when they just start walking. This is a phase that should wear out within weeks. If this phase doesn’t wear out in a few weeks, you will have to contact your vet. Furthermore, If this wobbly gait persists in your dog as it continues to grow, a serious medical condition could be present in your young canine. Your dog could be suffering from a condition known as “Wobbly syndrome.” It is a disease that affects a dog’s neck and spine, leading to a loss of balance, paralysis, or even death in serious cases.
Another condition that can cause a weird gait in your dog is Hip Dysplasia. It occurs when the head of a dog’s femur doesn’t fit nicely into the hip socket leading to pain and discomfort for the dog when it walks. Hypoglycemia is another condition that causes dogs not to get enough nutrients or energy from their food, thereby causing unsteadily walking for them. If you see any sign of the conditions mentioned above in your puppy, please contact a veterinarian immediately.
Why Is My Dog Walking Weird with Its Back Legs?
It can be quite unsettling to see a young dog in a park swaying its hips abnormally as if its butt was too heavy for such a dog to carry. It appears their back legs are not coordinated with those in front.
As earlier discussed, the rear legs of dogs seem to grow faster than the front legs. This discrepancy in growth makes dogs walk in a sort of tilted and stiff way, much to the astonishment of their owners. Furthermore, this causes dogs to swing their hips exaggeratedly.
The breed of your dog also influences its gait. Heavier breeds like Danes and Sighthounds tend to walk awkwardly with their back legs due to their size. It’s good you compare your puppy to a similar breed to know how your puppy is faring. You can check with your breeder for more information on this. If your dog skips or hops with its back leg, it could signify hip dysplasia in your dog; your vet would need to check your dog to confirm this. How can you get a puppy to stop walking weirdly? Let’s answer that now.
How Can I Get My Puppy to Stop Walking Weirdly?
The only thing you can really do to get your puppy to stop walking weird is give it time. In most cases, it will get better as they get older and more accustomed to their legs. However, if it persists for too long or you see other worrisome signs, Then a vet visit is always your next main option.
Young canines walk awkwardly in the first few weeks; they start walking as we have seen earlier. But it is good you make sure the reason your puppy is walking is weird. Is your pup going through a development phase that will soon pass, or is something wrong that is causing your dog to walk this way? Is your puppy showing signs of discomfort or pain walking? Is your puppy walking awkwardly too long for your liking?
If the answers to the above questions are yes, you need to see a vet so your puppy can be examined. The most important thing is to know what exactly is happening to your puppy. Taking your pooch to the vet will be the wisest choice so you can know if anything is wrong with your dog and, if otherwise, your mind can be at rest. Your pup is doing just fine!
Conclusion
We have seen why puppies walk with a weird gait when they just start walking; it’s a developmental phase that will soon pass, and before you know it, they are bouncing around like other dogs. But if this awkward gait persists in your puppy for too long, then you will need to go and see a vet who will inspect your dog to see if there is an underlying medical condition behind this unusual gait in your dog so it can be treated.
