Did your dog run crooked as a puppy + bunny hopping?

Zion is healthy as can be (4 months). His behavior, energy, attention, appetite, and bowel movements are good.

1. I've observed when he runs, he does it crooked. He does run straight but his forelegs are positioned slant from hind legs. His body looks like an italic 'I' when viewed from top. Initial research shows some saying it's okay as a pup and he'll grow out of it. Some say it's a sign of hip dysplasia. The running has been crooked since I got him as a baby (8 weeks). The slant is only shown during running, not walking. Is this a cause for concern?

2. When he runs or walks around in heavy vegetation or grass, he bunny hops- front and hind legs hopping in unison instead of four paws landing separately. Is this something I should be worried about?

Did your corgi do these?

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jen on November 15, 2010 at 9:43am

Ginger does the exact same thing, and has ever since we brought her home at 10 weeks. She is about 4 and a half months old now. She only "slants" when she's running really, really fast. She starts out straight, but I think her hind legs are going faster than her front legs so she gets a head of herself. I don't think there's anything to be worried about. Ginger also does the bunny hop thing when she's playing with her toys.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Kari & Quin on November 15, 2010 at 9:55am

I think Corgis have to bunny hop when they run. Their legs are so short, when they walk their whole rear end wiggles back and forth so to have any speed when they run both feet almost it the ground at the same time.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by John Wolff on November 15, 2010 at 12:50pm

See if the slant occurs when he's off-leash. I've noticed Al walking askance like this sometimes; I thought he was making allowance for the leash, not wanting to tangle his hindlegs in it.
Inspectig tracks on sand/snow/mud might tell something, if it's level.
It might be a sort of "handedness" -- you'll notice this in yourself if you pay attention -- when you squat down on one knee, it's likely always the same knee.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Melissa and Franklin! on November 15, 2010 at 4:15pm

if you look at most dogs you will see that when they trot or run they tend to slant a bit. Its nothing to be worried about, and the bunny hopping in tall grass....I think its an adorable corgi thing. Mine does it too.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Misti, Guinness and Finnegan on November 15, 2010 at 5:27pm

Both of mine do both things. Guinness stays mostly straight when he runs now, and he bunny hops often. Finn is still pretty crooked, but he's only 6 months old. And he's very long and gawky, much more so than Guinness is. He reminds me of slinky dog on Toy Story, his butt gets out to the side of him sometimes.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Chris Payerl on November 15, 2010 at 7:49pm

Our first corgi did this as pup; we said she needed a "wheel alignment." She outgrew it. She also did the hopping thing in tall grass; I think she just didn't like how it tickled or scratched her tummy. Sophie still runs like this and seems to do fine. She also does the bunny hop in tall grass and deep snow; she looks like "Max" from "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" when he's pulling the sleigh up the mountain!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mr. Bingley on November 15, 2010 at 9:23pm

Yes, my corgi did the same thing when he was a pup. When he ran, it looked like his back end was running too fast for his front end. It was kinda funny and he eventually grew out of it. Now, over a year old, he runs straight. The bunny hop is a puppy thing... my little guy did that too.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by alicrimson on November 18, 2010 at 6:53pm

Beau is a puppy and about five months and he always does the bunny hop whenever he's going fast or "motoring" as well call it about the apartment. I don't think there's anything to worry about.