If your dog has been being lazy you might want to know why and what you can do about it.
This post will show you a number of reasons why your dog might be doing it and what you can do about it.
So, why is my dog lazy? Possible reasons why your dog is lazy are that it is getting older and it doesn’t have as much energy as it used to, it’s not getting enough exercise, a problem with its diet, illness, depression or it might naturally behave that way.
There are actually a number of reasons why your dog might be being lazy and it could be the result of a combination of multiple reasons. However, there are some things that you can consider which will help in figuring out the exact reason. There are also a number of things you can do about it.
Why is my dog so lazy?
The different reasons why your dog is lazy will likely come with some clues.
Below, I will mention a number of possible causes and what would make them more likely.
Nature
The reason why your dog is lazy could be that it is naturally calm. This would be more likely if it has always behaved that way and the vet has not found any issues with it.
If it does seem to be lazy by nature then be grateful that it is not destructive. There are many dog owners out there that would love it if their dogs were easier to calm down but yours is calm naturally so you don’t need to worry about it.
Age
If your dog has become lazier as it has become older it could be because dogs will naturally calm down more as they get older. As dogs get older they need to use more energy to move around so they tend to be less active. This is why older dogs will tend to sleep more as well.
Boredom
The cause could be that your dog is under-stimulated. This would be more likely if your dog is lazier when there is not much going on to stimulate it and if it bursts into life when interesting things happen such as when you are about to take it out for a walk. It would also be more likely if your dog is a breed that is meant to get a lot of exercise in order to be fully stimulated but it has not been getting much exercise.
If it does seem to be the case that it is not being stimulated enough, it would help to give it more exercise, to give it things to play with, to spend time training it and to play with it.
Diet
The cause could be that there is an issue with its diet. This would be more likely if it has suddenly become lazy since there was a change in its diet. It might be the case that it has been eating too much or it might have been eating the wrong foods. You can look here to see what you should and should not be feeding it.
Illness or injury
The cause could be that it is ill or injured. This would be especially likely if it has started being lazy suddenly and if it has been showing signs of being ill or injured such as vomiting, limping or being fatigued when it is awake. In this case, the best option would be to take it to a vet.
Depression
Dogs can get depression like humans can and it could be the cause of your dog being lazy. This would be more likely if it has become lazy after something happened that might have caused it to become depressed such as an owner leaving or another pet dying.
In this case, it might begin to improve over the course of weeks. However, if it does not then it would help to seek the advice of a vet or dog behaviorist.
It’s too hot
If it has become lazier as the weather has become hotter it could be the case that the weather has been making it be lazy.
In this case, it would help to make sure that your dog has access to shaded areas, a cool room and water whenever it needs it.
How to get my dog to be less lazy?
Below are a number of options you have when getting your dog to be less lazy. You will likely find that making use of multiple of them will work best.
Make sure that it is getting a good diet
As mentioned above, it could be the case that there is an issue with its diet that has been causing it to be lazy.
It would help to make sure that you have been feeding it the right amount for its weight and breed, that you have been feeding it the correct foods and that no one else has been feeding it without you knowing about it.
Make sure to give it exercise daily
Provided your dog is healthy, it would likely help to make sure that your dog is getting the right amount of exercise for its breed. you can give it exercise by walking it yourself or you could get a dog walker to do it for you when you are unable to exercise it yourself.
Give it some toys to play with
In addition to the above, you could also try giving it some toys to play with to try and keep it stimulated. Things that you could give it would be puzzle games for dogs or traditional toys such as a ball with treats in.
Get help from a vet
If your dog has started being lazy suddenly or it has been showing signs of being ill, the best option would be to get help from a vet. By doing so you will be able to get expert advice tailored to your particular dog and to rule out the possibility of a medical condition.
Things to consider
Below are some things you can consider when trying to figure out why your dog is lazy.
If your dog started to become lazy suddenly
It would help to consider the timing of when your dog started being lazy. If it started being lazy suddenly, it could be the case that there was an event that caused it to start happening.
If it did start being lazy suddenly it would make it more likely to be due to things such as a change in its diet, illness, injury, the weather being too hot, or depression. It would help to consider what else changed when it started doing it.
Whereas, if it has always been lazy it would be more likely to be due to things such as naturally being calm, becoming less energetic as it has gotten older or it could be the case that there has always been an issue with its diet.
Take it to a vet if you are unsure
If you are unsure of why your dog has been being lazy or it has become lazy suddenly it would help to take it to a vet. By doing so you will be able to rule out illness or injury being the cause and you will be able to get expert advice tailored towards your particular dog.
Lazy is better than destructive
As mentioned above, things could be much worse for you than to have a dog that is too lazy. As opposed to being lazy your dog could be destructive and causing many more problems for you.
Why is my dog suddenly lazy?
Likely reasons why your dog has suddenly started being lazy are illness, a change in the temperature, or a change in its diet. It would help to consider what else has happened recently that might have affected your dog. If your dog has started being very lazy, it would likely be best to take it for a checkup.
Is it normal for dogs to be lazy?
It is normal for dogs to sleep a lot and some dogs can be lazy while they are awake especially if they are getting old. However, if your dog never shows signs of excitement and never has bursts of energy such as when you arrive home, it would likely be best for you to take it for a checkup with a vet.