Throwing himself on the ground could pawsibly be his way of telling you that he is exhausted. Four times a day sounds like a lot of walking for the little guy. How far and how long are you walking? At less than a year old he still shouldn't be walking more than a mile a day, even as a four legger.

When I was a puppy, I used to do the same thing. I had four legs then, but the behavior was identical. My Mom and Dad were just walking me too far. Once the realized this and we scaled back the walks, I got stronger and stronger. Eventually I was able to go on long hikes with them, but not until I was over a year old.

A dog's size usually has very little to do with how he handles life as a Tripawd. Even a 165 pound pup will do fine physically and remain strong, as long as he is getting the right amount of exercise and isn't overweight. It's a fine line to walk (pun intentded!), but I would definitely think that the throwing himself down is a sign that he is tired.

For some tips about exercising your Tripawd without getting them exhausted or damaging their health, check out these posts from CARE Rehabilitation in Los Angeles. And then be sure to join us this Saturday 7/10 in the chat to ask Dr. Waldman your physical therapy and rehabilitation questions. See you there!

Just curious ... does Cheek get carried around a lot, whenever you go out? If so that could be the reason for him not wanting to go on walks.

Aww Cheek, I"m so sorry. But you know what? I had hip displaysia too, and was diagnosed before I got cancer. I did fine as a Tripawd. My recommendation is to see a canine rehabilitation specialist, and find out how therapy and proper care can improve your strength. Lots of dogs live happy healthy lives with hip displaysia and so will you! Good luck!