If your Golden Retriever is lazy you might be wondering why and what you can do about it.
This post will show you a number of possible reasons why it is lazy and what you can do to get it to be more energetic.
So, why is my Golden Retriever lazy? Possible reasons are that it is ill or injured, there is an issue with its diet, being too hot, not getting enough exercise, depression, getting older or it might naturally be lazy.
There are actually many different possible reasons why it has been being lazy and it could be due to a combination of multiple reasons. However, there are some things you can consider when trying to figure out the exact cause. There are also a number of things you can do to get it to be less lazy.
Possible reasons that your Golden Retriever is lazy
Each of the different causes will likely come with some clues.
Below are some possible reasons why your Golden Retriever has been doing it and what would make them more likely.
Nature
The cause of your Golden Retriever being lazy could be that it is naturally calm. This would be more likely if it has always been lazy, it has not started behaving differently suddenly and the vet has not found any issues with it.
If it does seem like your Golden Retriever is 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 your Golden Retriever is calm naturally so you don’t need to worry about it.
Age
The reason why your Golden Retriever is being lazy could be that it is getting older. As dogs get older, they require more energy to move around so they will naturally need to sleep more in order to recover. If your Golden Retriever has gradually become lazier as it has gotten older then it would make it more likely to be age-related.
Boredom
Golden Retrievers are meant to get a lot of exercise daily in order to be fully stimulated. This would be more likely if it is lazier when there is not much going on to stimulate it and if it has become lazier since getting less exercise. It would also be more likely if it bursts into life when interesting things happen such as when you are about to take it out for a walk.
Generally, it is recommended to give Golden Retrievers an hour of exercise daily. If yours is not getting that much and it is healthy then it would help to make sure that it does start getting more exercise.
Diet
The cause could also be an issue with its diet. This would be more likely if it started being lazier since a change in its diet and if it becomes lazier after being fed. It could be the case that it is being fed the wrong foods, not enough or too much.
You can look here for some advice on what you should and should not be feeding it and it would help to discuss its diet with your vet when you see them next. It would also help to make sure that no one else has been feeding it without telling you.
Illness or injury
The cause could also be that it has gotten ill or injured. This would be more likely if it has started being lazy suddenly and if it has been showing other signs of being ill or injured such as vomiting or limping. If it does seem like it has gotten an illness or injury, the best option would be to take it to a vet.
Medication
It could also be a side effect of medication it is taking. This would be more likely if it started being lazy since it started taking the medication, if the vet mentioned it as a side effect and if it is listed as a side effect on the bottle. In this case, it would help to confirm that it is nothing to worry about by consulting with your vet.
Depression
The cause could be that it is depressed since dogs can get depression like humans can. This would be more likely to be the reason if it suddenly started being lazy after something happened that might have caused it to get depression such as another pet dying, an owner leaving or if you have recently adopted it.
In this case, it might begin to improve over the course of weeks. But, it would help to give it positive attention in the form of training, exercise and by playing with it. If it does not begin to improve then it would help to discuss it with your local vet.
It’s too hot
If it has started being lazier since the weather has become hotter, it could be the case that the hot weather has been causing it to feel fatigued. In this case, it would help to give it lots of access to shade, a cool room and water. It would also help to avoid letting it be out in the sun for too long so that it avoids heatstroke. It would also help to walk it in the morning or evening when the sun is not as strong.
Is there anything I can do to get my Golden Retriever to be more active?
Below are some options you have when getting your Golden Retriever to be less lazy.
Make sure that it is getting a good diet
As mentioned above, it could be the case that an issue with its diet has been causing it to be lazy. It would help to make sure that you have been feeding it correctly. You can look here for some tips on its diet and it would help to talk about its diet with your local vet.
Make sure to give it exercise daily
It is also important to make sure that it is able to get exercise daily provided that it is healthy. You can exercise it yourself or you could get a dog walker to do it for you when you are unable to do it.
Give it some toys to play with
In addition to the above, another way to get your Golden Retriever to be more active would be to give it things to be stimulated by. You can do this by giving it things such as toys to play with, puzzle games or you could stimulate it by giving it training.
Get help from a vet
If your Golden Retriever has become lazy suddenly, it has been showing signs of illness or injury then the best option would be to have a vet take a look at it. By doing so you will be able to rule out the possibility of it being due to medical causes and to get expert advice tailored to your particular Golden Retriever.
Things to consider
Below are some things you can consider when trying to understand why it has been doing it.
If it started to become lazy suddenly
It would help to consider whether or not your Golden Retriever started being lazy suddenly or if it has always been acting that way. If it started doing it suddenly it could be the case that there was an event that caused it to start doing it and it would help to consider what else happened when it started being lazy.
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, becoming ill or injured, something causing it to be depressed or a change in the weather.
What time it becomes lazy
It would also help to consider if there is a certain time that it starts being lazier. If there is then it could be the case that the timing has something to do with it.
For example, if it starts being lazy after being fed it might be the case that it is being fed too much or there is another diet issue. Whereas, if it does it when the weather is hotter then it would be more likely that the hot weather is making it feel fatigued.
Lazy is better than destructive
Another thing to consider is that if your Golden Retriever is naturally lazy it would not be so bad. There are many dog owners with destructive or overly energetic dogs that would love it if there dogs would be more on the lazy side.