I'm worried....

[Hailey and Oliver]

  Oliver hasn't been doing so well.....  when it comes time for bed, he only gets his front paws up on the bed and i have to help him get up the rest of the way.  Since he is a big dog, it could mean hip dysplasia, but i REALLY  hope not.  as fellow doodle owners, could you help me shed some light on this?  he is only 2 (turning 3 in about a week) so i dont know what it could be.  PLEASE help!!!!

[Carole (*Koda*Monty*Bindi)]

I agree with the others that an examination by your vet would be prudent but I wanted to share with you that all of our doodles in our family do this at night time.  When it's bedtime/snuggle time, they all put their two front paws up onto the bed as if to say "lift me up".  They are all three large sized standard doodles ranging from 1 1/2 years to 4.  All are in great health.  This only happens at night.  All other times they have no trouble hopping up on the bed on their own.....especially when I'm attempting to make it :)

[Stella]

I would recommend a visit to the vet.  It could be his back.  Often if there is a disc problem in their back, they don't like to jump up anywhere where they have to put their front legs up first - onto a bed, into the car, up stairs etc because it puts more pressure on the disc.  The foot chewing could be a separate issue.  But, if a disc is pressing on a nerve root it can cause abnormal sensations the area that nerve supplies that will make a the dog chew on the area that feels funny (just like a person would get sciatica or pins and needles from a pinched nerve in their back).  Hope you get some answers soon.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yep. One of the first signs of JD's ruptured lumbar disc was his sudden inability to jump up onto the beds and sofas.

[Hailey and Oliver]

Good news!  No, great news!  Oliver jumped onto the bed faster than snot runs on a pig (thank you duck dynasty)!!!!!!   I whistled and he came and jumped right up!  No vet trip, we were too busy today.  Although i'm sure we could have made time................  I'm still watching him carefully up and down the stairs, and i haven't seen any foot chewing today!!!!   Why when I was most worried about it did it stop?  i have no idea.  I'm just glad it did.  Thank you all for the concern.  it's nice to know that there are so many people who care about your doodle even though they have never met him.  omd i'm getting teary eyed now.  like i said thank soooooooooo much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Anne & Mr. Haley]

Glad to hear the great news.  Oliver is obviously feeling better.