Worlds laziest Labrador puppy or something wrong?

[Hightideattheseaside]

So my lovely Labrador puppy is 5 months old but she’s so low energy I’m starting to wondering there is something wrong?!

She’s so chilled and sleeps loads. She likes to go for a walk but not too far and likes to play but not too vigorously. She loves to play with other dogs when out and she enjoys her chews (e.g. antler) but is not destructive at all.

But otherwise she sleeps most of the day. Do you think there is something wrong? I was fully prepared for a destructive, loopy Labrador, but I seem to have a lazy lap dog. Not a stealth boast at all, I’m genuinely concerned that something is not quite right. I think I’m going to take her to the vet for a general check up Monday, but just wondered if any one has experienced this?

whats the weather and temperature like where you are?

Is it recent? It could be the heat. I'm a dog walker and every single dog I've seen this week has been calmer, quieter and more chilled than normal, lol.

However, if it's an ongoing thing I would make sure she's okay and would want a check-up at the vet.

Well it’s cool today. But has been hot. But she’s been like this since we’ve had her. If it had just started since the weather got hot I’d have put it down to that.

But we’ve had her for about three months and she’s always been this way! Maybe she is just a low energy dog?

It's very unusual for puppies of any breed to be low energy all the time, in my experience.

Did she come from a decent breeder - what were her parents like as puppies and what are her siblings like now?

I would want a vet check to put my mind at rest, to be honest. There are many conditions that can cause lethargy in puppies - most are easily solved but I wouldn't want them to go unchecked :)

I would take her to the vet. This isn’t normal behaviour for a puppy (especially lab puppy).

When you take her out for walks how do you know she does not want to go any further - what does she do?

Is she growing and putting on weight?

Many dogs are chilled dogs. If you are giving them what they need they should be happy and contented, sleep for many hours of the day. Have happy bursts of interaction.

However like with children the owners gut feeling must be listened to so if you are at all concerened vet check is a good place to start.

Our beagle was the same as a puppy. He’s 11 now and always been perfectly happy and healthy!

@Ifitquacks

Our beagle was the same as a puppy. He’s 11 now and always been perfectly happy and healthy!

Where did you get this calm beagle?!

Ours only started to calm down when he hit two! He was a whirlwind of chaos as a puppy!

a calm beagle

She just slows down on walks which then makes me worry she’s got shite hips despite her parents having good scores. She doesn’t seem in pain though.

She does have happy bursts of interaction and is always energetic when interacting with other dogs. She loves to play with toys just more gentle tugging and biting and loves to flop all over me, rather than high energy tug of war like my previous dogs. She enjoys brain games like hunting out treats or toys. She loves her food and is growing. She’s up to date with worm and flea.

Her parents were fully health checked and working dogs.

I’ll definitely phone the vets Monday and get her seen and chat through my concerns.

Maybe that’s just the way she is @Ifitquacks. I Hope that’s the case rather than something being wrong. I do love her so. Gosh it’s like having another child to worry about.

how long are you walking her? at her age should be 25 mins

Yeah it was about 30 minutes. The route we usually take is 1 mile. But she’s slowing down after about half a mile. So I’ve adjusted to shorter walks (we haven’t walked much during the heat wave).

@Roundearth

a calm beagle

I know . He also isn’t particularly food motivated and only howls about once a week!

They do sleep lots when they're little don't they? But the lack of energy when awake doesn't sound right.

You say she had working parents but is she working or show line (I know people who work show line so that's why i ask).

And a health check is not the same as health tested.

If its any help, ours is pretty chilled too. She is 8 months and has been a lovely sleepy chilled pup. We do exercise her twice a day (sniffy, bouncy walks in forests, farmers fields, beaches) and she swims most days. We dont tend to encourage too much play with other dogs, as we want a solid recall and we try to encourage most interction with us. But she is very gentle and relaxed around other dogs, so no worries (yet) there. She is even quieter at the moment due to the heat and being in season. Not sure if relevant, our children have left home, we live rurally and are at home every day??? So its a quiet environment and she doesn't get hyper really in the house? I do brain games with her and training every day which she loves and yes I was chasing her around the bedrooms this morning making the beds! But she crashed from 10 and is still dozing... working lab parents, fox red if that helps? Get her checked over but she might be a lovely chilled girl :), Pic attached!

Her parents were fully health checked and working dogs.

Were they checked or tested? A health check is just a once-over by a vet to confirm they're healthy with no obvious problems. Health testing is entirely different (and expensive).

A quick Google tells me labradors should be tested for hip dysplasia, and elbow dysplasia at a minimum, and that they should also have eye tests.

l would definitely check with the vet that they don't have a heart murmur. They can cause fatigue and low energy despite seeming fine otherwise.

To clarify her parents were health tested as in genetic testing and hip scoring etc.

@Hightideattheseaside

To clarify her parents were health tested as in genetic testing and hip scoring etc.

That's good!

I would still get her seen, to be honest. If she's healthy - great, you've put your mind at rest, but if there is an issue, at least it's been picked up on and you can treat it properly :) Good luck!

I would get her checked at vet as others have said.

However, give the breeder a call and have a chat. We have always had labs on the farm, as do a few of the gamekeepers. The more traditional farm labs that my Inlaws used to have were like this, big, lazy gentle giants. The ones we have had more recently have all been more bouncy and energetic. Then my SIL got Ethel the golden lab. If she can't be bothered she tootles home. She carries a toy everywhere in her mouth and lies down upside down and has a snooze at any given opportunity. She is like a very large pillow. She doesn't chew, bark, run or pull. She's never been on a lead and just wanders along when she feels like it. Crikey they don't even have the house door shut and she just lies on step in sun.

It could just be that yours is like that.

We call ours a broken lab as he’s always been very chilled even as a puppy. We’re similar to someone upthread who have no children at home and live rurally. Our boy swims most days and walks 10/15k a day when it’s not hot, otherwise he’s asleep either inside the back porch (his fav place to see cars coming up the road) or on the sofa. He rarely barks and I’ve never heard him growl. They’re like like children you never get 2 the same. Our last lab had bubbles for brains - completely wired to the moon!

Get her thyroid checked. Our boxer wasnt energetic at all and that turned out to be the issue

Thanks for those reassuring stories. She does seem happy. She loves to sleep upside down! We have young kids and she plays with them but takes herself off when she’s had enough after 5-10 mins as they’re too boisterous for her. She always has a safe space to escape to and the kids now know to leave her alone unless she seeks them out.

I’ll see what the vet says next week and go from there. Thanks all.