Should I worry about my dog's joints if he jumps on and off the couch?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! In general, I'm not concerned about an otherwise healthy puppy doing stairs and small jumps. If the couch is particularly high, try to discourage this but otherwise I'm not terribly worried. That being said, I do occasionally see puppies who land too hard from a jump and are now limping with an apparent strain or sprain. Usually, a few days of rest and pain medication is all that is needed but it can still be scary. Of course, if there is an underlying problem, Coco would need to be more careful. Hope this sets your mind at ease. Best of luck to you and Coco!

Small, long bodied dogs like Luna may be prone to more back and knee issues. Generally stairs are fine. Try to limit the jumping though. Try to train them to use doggie stairs to get on the furniture. Sometimes this is easier said than done :) Big things are to make sure they don't get heavy and to have them examined regularly for any signs of joint disease. Eventually they will likely go on a joint supplement as well to support good health. Hope this answers you question!

Depending on what breed Bob B is, you may not be able to train that behavior out of her. You can consult a professional dog trainer to see if they can help you with this problem. Many dogs do lots of jumping and it does no damage to their joints that we are aware of. You could always use a joint supplement like this one to keep her joints healthy. This is not going to hurt anything and may help. http://fraken.en.made-in-china.com/product/HeGQvaRlJdpi/China-Dog-Vitamin-Tablet-Canine-Vitamin-Tablet-Glucosamine-Chondroitin-Msm-Tablet-for-Hip-Joint-Supplement.html Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Jumping up and down on things (like the couch), or running could definitely aggravate the knee and cause pain. It's not easy to keep them from doing this though, so try the best you can. Sometimes, they will just step wrong and aggravate it, so it's really impossible to prevent every instance of pain. It seems like you are doing everything else right though. Keep with it. There is little chance he will injure the knee further if these precautions are put in place. I hope that helps.

To keep your puppy as safe as possible start training him now to learn that he shouldn’t jump up on things. It is also very important that you keep your dog and an appropriate weight. The more overweight the more prone they are to have issues with their joints, including their spines. It may also help to get small stairs or ottomans that he can climb onto to get onto the furniture so he won’t have to jump as far. You are obviously a good pet owner because you are so concerned about him already. As long as you keep him healthy and keep a close eye on him he will do great. Thanks for your question. If you have anymore questions please let us know. And thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I am very sorry to hear that Jake seems less eager to jump then he used to be. This is a very common problem with older small- medium dogs. Though it is difficulty to say exactly what is the cause, I would be worried about osteoarthritis in Jake's hip joints. A vet would be able to diagnose with a physical examination as well as potentially using an X-ray to visualise the changes in Jake's lower back, Such as slipped discs, knees, and hip joints. Because Jake seems otherwise very well in himself I would advise adding a supplement to his diet to help with joint health. There are several of these on the market currently. Look for Glucosamine & Chondroitin in the labels, and always buy a pet formulated brand, as doses are different for humans. I would also advise a change in his exercise regime to promote lean muscle mass development. Muscle wastage is a common contributing factor in older dogs. More frequent, but shorter walks will benefit Jake. For example, two 20 minute walks, One in the morning and one in the evening If you notice that Jake is particularly sore after a walk you can apply a cool compress to hip area I hope this answer was helpful and if you believe that Jake is not benefiting from these tactics I advise a trip to the veterinarian to ensure noting more is occuing.

I think the only way to prevent this from happening is to remove him to correct him when he jumps on something, and then distract him by having him perform a desired command (go to your place/mat/bed is a good one) for a treat. You will also probably need to restrict access when he is unsupervised by keeping him in another room or a crate. Some dogs are agile and he might never fall, but if you feel what he is doing is unsafe you can start some training. It may take awhile before he stops trying - be persistent and remember to encourage good behavior.