Firstly just want to thank everyone for all there advise over the last few months! Albie is my first puppy and it's fair to say I'm a bit paranoid about him! Someone cometed on him today saying he walks with his rear legs apart almost like a cowboy style walk. Is this normal for a leggy Labrador and am I just been paranoid again
As Kona is my first labrador, i am paranoid bit paranoid too; especially since I read about hip/ elbow dysplasia. But a friend, who've owned labs most of her life told me it is the way most of labradors walk, including her 2 years old labrador female (ed 0, hd A). I do think Kona does sway more in intervals, periods when her legs grow and is more leggy.
Ha it's good to hear I'm not alone! Our pups fine when he's running around its more when he is walking he looks like John Wayne in a old cowboy film!
Same here, she walked like this since she was little puppy, and still (7 months old now) walks like that (the last video shows it well: http://thelabradorforum.com/threads/the-battle.13748/#post-2084687). She doesn't do bunny hop, I try to carry her over the steps most of the time, she doesn't sit like a frog/or does lazy sit, I don't let her play with the dogs that are much heavier there she is and play rough... but the cowboy walk is still present.
Aww she looks lovely so it sounds like it's just a Labrador thing then and we should all stop worrying?
Charlie most definitely has a rear end swagger. He would also bunny hop a bit as a puppy. His hips are near perfect. Limps, stiffness, anything that looks like your pup is struggling with movement - see a vet. Swaggering, confident, cowboy bums are nothing to worry about.
Bramble has a very pronounced sort of hip sway, a sort of cowboy walk. She is 15 weeks old and all legs atm, she will grow out of it in a month or so and I will then miss her cute puppy walk!
It's so reassuring to hear from everyone on here but I really need to stop stressing and enjoy our little guy!
My dog has a cowboy walk and he has great hip joints (he's had X-rays). Sometimes dogs walk like this because they are 'pacing' - they are moving the right legs together as a pair then the left legs together as a pair. The 'proper' way to walk is this 4 beat sequence of the feet hitting the ground: 1. left hind, 2. left fore, 3. right hind, 4. right fore. The proper way to trot is this 2 beat sequence: 1. left hind/right fore, 2: right hind/left fore. In pacing the dog walks or trots in a 2 beat sequence: 1. left hind/left fore, 2. right hind/right fore. Pacing is pretty normal and nothing to worry about. It does make for a swaying, cowboy style though.
I've rarely seen a dog pace - or, I've not been looking closely enough. I thought it was undesirable in terms of a dog adopting it because a human was walking at a pace that a dog struggled to match with a walk or a trot
I googled "puppy walks like John Wayne" and once again ended up on the lab forum reassuring to know she's not the only one
