My puppy is less playful and mischievous. Is he sick or growing up?

When puppies are sick they usually start with just laying around more and not as playful. They can progress to vomiting or diarrhea or no appetitive. Some have respiratory signs such as coughing or sneezing. Some larger puppies can have a vitamin D deficiency from not enough sunlight and have too much flexion in their joints... maybe it was something like that he noticed? Maybe he was imply he could get sick by walking around the neighborhood without being fully vaccinated yet due to his age? If you are not noticing any changes and he checked out well at your vet visits, then I would not worry what someone told you in passing unless they can explain

For puppies that are still eating and drinking but lethargic and no signs of GI issues I would be suspicious of a couple of things: 1) puppy is just sleeping more now because he is still growing, Pitt Bull terriers and other large breed dogs can go through pretty fast growth spurts and this can definitely cause pups to sleep more. 2) If puppy is overly lethargic and running out of breathe easily or becoming intolerant to exercise or play I would be suspicious of a cardiovascular abnormality. I would recommend you schedule an appointment to have a vet do a heart auscultation (listen to the heart with microscope) to ensure your pets heart does not have any arrhythmia's or murmurs.

It is normal for dogs energy to levels to decrease slightly as they age. You should consider if Calhoun is still interested in the same activities, or if he no longer plays or gets excited for walks, for example. You know Calhoun best, so if you are concerned that he seems "off" I recommend having him seen by a vet who can perform the appropriate diagnostic tests. I'm happy to answer any additional questions you may have!

If he is playful, active , growing and not losing weight it is unlikely he is sick but you should schedule a vet check if you are concerned. Most pups will have a reduced appetite as their growing slows down

He may be going through a bit of stomach upset. I would see how he does by tomorrow to see if this passes, since he isn't vomiting or having any loose stool. As long as his gums are still nice and pink it is ok to wait things out. If he still isn't eating or seem worse after 24 hrs, then its best to have him seen by your vet to ensure he doesn't have any internal organ issues. Best of luck and I hope that Levi is going to be ok moving forward. Take care!

Any abrupt change in behavior is a good reason to get him checked by your vet. He may be just starting an illness and the only symptom so far is a change in demeanor. Sometimes this is a pet's only way they can tell us something is wrong. Your vet will do an exam and possibly further diagnostics if indicated, and based on these results, will be better able to tell you what is wrong and how best to treat it.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Puppies do sleep a lot, so if Callan is just sleeping in between running around and playing normally this might be normal puppy behaviour. If Callan is very low energy all the time, and you feel the tummy is bloated, then I recommend a visit to the vet. You cannot tell their internal temperature without a rectal thermometer and 'feeling' them gives very inaccurate results of temperature. Possible causes of a puppy not feeling well include intestinal worms, a tummy ache from a change in food, a virus, and other more serious causes include severe viruses such as parvovirus, intestinal obstructions, congenital malformations, etc. Best of luck with Callan, I hope he is up and running around and playing again soon!