Here, this might be a little bit better of a video....

 

Puppies walk like that. Perflectly normal. I call it an alligator walk. My 5-1/2-year-old still walks like that at times and he hips have cleared OFA.

Your puppy is too darn cute!

 

phew! thanks kiddsmom! i just get so paranoid sometimes! hehe! "not a post whore" - cute

 

Buck did that too and sometimes still does. He also kinda shuffles around the house when he is being lazy.
I got all sorts of worried and when he turned 6 months I made my vet do some xrays. His hips look fine. I will have them evaluated again when he is older. But I had to get them checked out now for my peace of mind..

 

OMG, that is soooo cute! CoCo walked like that too... I think its totally a puppy excited thing... wag their tails so hard their butt follows! hehe!

 

Dutch walks a lot like that. I call it his wiggly butt! Enjoy your puppy; sure is cute!

 

Hudler and Grace both walk like that. Hudlers even OFA good. They just have a little more wiggle to their walk!

 

oh my goodness toby is too adorable!
i agree with all the others, he looks like he's just one wiggly puppy!

 

Lexie walks like that too....I'm glad you posted this thread. Cute puppy!

 

That is a full body wag!! My Jackie Oh walks like that too. don't worry till much later.

 

Pups walk funny like that.

 

He's adorable and looks perfectly normal to me. Love the walking wiggle......

 

Yeah they all walk like that. It makes them look like they have a Slinkey for a spine.
Olie

 

Clarence walks like that too, especially when he's tired. Too cute!

 

thanks so much guys! you all have put my mind at ease! how adorable all the labs are on this post! Clarence! what a cuuuttiie!

 

I totally get your concern, hip dysplasia is something no pet parent wants to overlook. At 3 ½ months, many pups are still figuring out their coordination, and some breeds (especially those destined to be larger) go through a clumsy phase where their gait looks a bit “loose.” That said, a pronounced sway can sometimes point to underlying joint or hip issues, so it’s worth keeping an eye on.

With my lab mix, we noticed a similar “waddle” early on. Our vet recommended a simple orthopedic exam just to rule out problems, and it turned out to be nothing more than puppy awkwardness. The peace of mind was priceless.

If you’re still worried, I’d suggest recording his walk from a few angles and bringing it to your vet for a professional opinion. You might also find this information from Four Dog Paws helpful, it covers common puppy gait quirks, signs of possible hip issues, and when it’s time to have your dog checked.

Better to check now than wonder later, you’ll either catch something early or enjoy the reassurance that Toby’s just got a unique little strut.