# 8 month puppy is not energetic or affectionate



## mareolia (May 28, 2018)

Hi, my puppy is not energetic or affectionate and he has me worried. I've read through forums months ago (when he was around 4 months old) and read that he'd become more loving as he got older (around 8 or so months). He also doesn't like going on long walks and is rather stubborn. Have any of y'all experienced a puppy like this and do their behaviors change?


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## Deby De Leon Thomas (May 28, 2018)

My Sam was playful but would not run, fetch, retreive (only brief sprints). We have had six Goldens so this was very odd to us. At about 6 months of age he went lame. Many dollars later he was diagnosed with elbow dysplasia. My professional breeder would not answer my emails. We gave him joint meds and rested him and tried to keep his weight down. He never was energetic. A month ago I noticed he was panting a bit, seemed extra clingy, often laid on top of me all 75lbs of him, but he did that from early on, would come in the bathroom and lay by my feet when I was getting ready for work, would stare at me in such a different way, would stand over me in my bed, yes we let him on the bed. May 6 I took him to the vet when he for the first time in his 2 yrs on the earth he did not eat. Next day he had exploratory surgery because the vet said an ultrasound showed something in his abdomen. He was riddled with tumors and the vet said she had never seen anything like it. She didn't think she could remove any of it. We let him cross the rainbow bridge. I am so sad and bewildered that I only had two years with him. All that said, if I had to do it again, I would do annual Exrays and ultrasounds especially since spleen tumors/cancer is common in Goldens. I know that now. Sam had been sick for a while given how much was found inside such a young dog. Maybe have your vet do a more extensive exam and include exrays and or an ultrasound. I have another golden who is one year younger than Sam was and he will have Exray so that we have something to compare every year when he has his annual physical. He also isn't very cuddly. He shows his affection by fetching almost to the point of dropping from exhaustion. Each Golden has their own personality. My Sam was the cuddler and my heart misses him so.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

He's such a big puppy, it's totally normal for him to be busy and not affectionate. Most of them calm down and start to be more affectionate at maturity 1-2 years old.


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## Catgondek (Jul 3, 2017)

At 7 months, Bella is content with a short walk now and then, if we try for longer she either pulls or toward home or plops down for a rest wherever we happen to be and won’t budge. She has short bouts of craziness or fetching in the air conditioned house but is content to sleep away much of her day in preparation for a long night’s sleep. She is 58 pounds and the vet said that a lot of her energy is concentrated on growing. 

Classes are challenging ... she is fine for a half hour, then that is simply enough and down she plops. She can sure do stubborn! But I have to respect what she is telling me.


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## puddles everywhere (May 13, 2016)

So is the vet concerned? Have you had any blood work done? Health and weight would be the 1st thing I would look at. What you feed and how much you feed can have an affect on your pup. 
iF your vet doesn't find any health problems are you enrolled in a good obedience class? (No petsmart/petco) Formal training is a wonderful way to bond with your dog. It's also great exercise and gets their little minds churning. 
I hope there is nothing serious going on and good luck with the training. Just like people, exercise can improve your spirits. BTW, walks are boring


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