Lab coming up to 2 - two steps forward, three back!

[bingohandjob]

Love my lovely silly, gentle, goofy boy who over the summer seemed to steadily settle into a good routine of bursts of excitement on walks/off lead and lovely, chilled lazy loafing about the house and dozing but just this week he's gone full Kevin in teenage sulks and stubbornness. He's two in December. Every evening for this year he would curl up on one of us, this week just skills off to his crate. We've got two sofas and he has never been able to sit on the fabric one, only the leather one (easier to clean) but ALL he wants to do is jump up onto the forbidden sofa, seems a little sullen and moody. On the flip, he's eating, sleeping and pooing well and doesn't appear to be anything physically impacting. Is this just lab life??

Anyone able to offer their insight? Thanks in advance

No advice, we have a 4 year old border collie, never really cuddles, but likes to sit next to me for a short while, then prefers to lay on the floor. My cousin has a lab, he isn’t allowed on sofas (yet) but they have dog beds in each room where dog likes to sleep.

I think you need to take him to the vets - all this behaviour is pointing to something being wrong - likely joint pain.

Leather sofas are slippery and harder to jump up/down from in comparison to fabric ones. Fabric ones have much more texture and grip, so they'll be kinder on his joints.

Choosing a crate over a sofa is also likely to be pain-related - he knows he won't be disturbed in his crate and so he feels safer there.

Moodiness and "sullen" behaviour is often a sign of pain as well.

Please get him checked over - especially all his joints.

Thank you for replying - we will. We do have a grippy tucked in blanket on "his" side of the leather sofa for this reason and it's a low sofa so a step up rather than a jump (the fabric one is a jump, we lift him down!). We've tried to be very conscious of his joints since we've had him from 9 weeks.

The thought of him in pain is heartbreaking. Will follow up asap!

I hope I didn't worry you! It might be nothing but it's well worth getting him checked with all those symptoms, especially as labradors are unfortunately prone to joint pain.

No, I'm really grateful for your comments 💐goodness, it's bloody hard seeing them out of sorts.

If he's anything like mine, you'll book a vet appointment, take him in and he'll be absolutely fine 🙄🙈

My lovely boy now on a week's pain trial to see what impact this has. Fingers crossed it's a temporary thing as it's so tough seeing him so out of sorts. Just want him to have his bounce back.