If a dog lies down with his back legs spread out straight behind him is it a sign that  he has bad hips? He is a GR, a breed which can be prone to hip dysplacia. He is 10 months old if that makes a difference? He was a rescue so we have no idea of his parentage.

In my opinion definately not.  All five of my Norwegian Elkhounds  have laid like this (it is very common for the breeed to choose to lie like this) and so does their Golden Retriever friend who is now 14 years old and her only problem is torn cruciate she had a few years ago which left her with a limp.

Of course it doesn't mean her hips are good either.

Its very common in some breeds to do the frog legs thing.

I've never known a dog with bad hips do this, although thats not to say that its true for all dogs.

Thanks I was just wondering as his hips seem to be at a really funny angle when he lies like this and both hips stay flat to the floor .They look a bit like a butterfly if you understand what I mean . Was wondering if that meant that his hips were very mobile in their sockets which I would have thought wouldn't be such a good thing.

I've always assumed that it means their hips are better too but I don't know that. I guess they do look butterfly-ish but we've always called them frog legs :-)

I know for certain that the dogs we've had with HD would never have been able to lie like this.

I have a bitch which does this, and she has been hip scored with a very good score, so I wouldn't assume that.

As with the other posters the only dogs I've known to do this have had good hips - so while I certainly think it's no guarantee that all's well, IME *to date* it's a good sign :)

My M-i-L's lab cross used to lie with her legs out straight behind her - she had bad HD.

I think we've proved that, as a means of HD diagnosis, it's useless! :D

My rescue Beardie lies like this and she's had both hip sockets removed

MY GSD with perfect hips(0:0)always used to lay like this

It's neither an indication of good or bad hips IMHO it just shows your dog like to lay like this especially in hot weather on a cool surface

Just like bunny hopping isn't an indication also, my girl does both and has a hip score of 5/5 which is quite good and below the breed average.  Actually all of my SWD's bunny jump :d

Two of mine lie like that and they have scores of 3/2 and 2/1. SO i wouldn't worry.

my lab does that sometimes and her hips are fine - she was xrayed not so long since.  Its like a big stretch for them:-)

Both our miniature and standard poodles have lain like that, mainly when young, and it always has reminded me of frogs. The miniature had HD too. The toy never did as she'd had surgery for Legg-Calve Perthes disease.

Hi,

Both my Curly Coats do this but both have slightly higher than average hips scores. Although Mum is nearly 8 and has always lay like this :-)

So I don't think you can say either way

I was told early on it meant she had very good hips... but the scores says different :rolleyes: Saying that she is shown in Veteran and still moves as sound as a pound.

I wouldn't worry :-)

Vicki

My Staffie lays like this all the time. While I have never given it much thought, I have been told that it indicates good hips. Im sure that roughly translated that means that if a dog has very bad hips it would be less likely to lay in this position (although not impossible). It just shows you the assumptions people make doesnt it??

I've been told it indicates good hips too - all 3 of mine can do it! :-)

I hope not, our 3 month old GR lies in this way, I thought it was a good sign of flexibility!!   Our last GR had really bad hips and never lay like this!
Maria

My dachsies lie like that when they are hot and want to make full use of the cool floor,come to think of it all our dogs have done it over the years,Cockers and Dachsies.

Rhona

All 3 of my staffies lie like this and so does my sisters 2.

The way a dog lies has absolutely NOTHING to do with the state of its hips, there are dogs who lie like this which have excellent hip scores and others that do the same which do not.............

my dog has deformed hips and actually had the ball of the right femur removed, when she tries to lie with her hind legs stretched out behind her, she can only extend legs half way, just so her paws her bent up underneath her. i took her a review at vets and found out she cant physically extend her legs.

Hope you don't mind me adding this to your post but I have been wondering about my pup...

Our 5 month BC puppy when he lies on his belly his front legs are at the side of him not tucked underneath him like our adult dog. Is this a sign of anything?? I know that larger breeds lay like this but I don't think that I have seen a BC lying like this

GG :rolleyes:

My BC's have laid in all sorts of odd positions both as puppies & adults & they haven't had any problems. I wouldn't worry too much my Rjj lays with one of his back legs raised(not always on the same side)just one of those odd things dogs do