The one that nudges is younger but bigger in size, it's usually accompanied by a growl and a wagging tail, occassionally an air nip. If your dog encounters another canine and nudges his muzzle -- the mouth and nose region -- using his nose, then he may be attempting to express subordinate status. Those little prodding puppy nudges can have a handful pawful of different meanings. Since dogs bear most of their body weight on their forelimbs, replacing one hip allows them to better distribute the load off the remaining “bad” hip to the other limbs. Can Animals of Different Species Bond like Conspecifics? A hip nudge is the behaviour a dog shows when it nudges another with its hip or rear end. Radiograph (x-ray) showing arthritis in a dog that would benefit from Canine Total Hip Replacement. The older dog is nudging the puppy and at some stages get quite rough even snarling at her. - ISCP, Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT), Certificate in Applied Canine Ethology (CACE), Certificate in Advanced Applied Ethology (CAAE), PRE-2019 Students – Click here to get access to your courses, Terms and Conditions for Book Subscriptions. When dogs push their nose up against the mouths and noses of other dogs, it's a way of showing them submission and saying that they know that the other dog is in charge. Hot Weather Tips When the weather forecast calls for hot and humid days with temperatures in the 80’s, 90’s or higher, it means it will be uncomfortable not only for people, but also for their pets. From osteoarthritis to hip dysplasia, hip problems plague dogs of a variety of breeds. 08. Your pooch doesn't feel like a big shot around this other dog and is trying to make sure the other canine knows it. Running, jumping, walking, and even standing still are made painful, but your dog’s joint condition doesn’t have to take over their life. ~~ ~ ~~ A hip nudge is the behavior shown when a dog nudges another with its hip or rear end.  Dogs often use this sort of behavior towards people, typically during times of greeting when we show the dog passive friendliness by crouching down to it.  The dog will then walk towards us, turn around and either nudge gently with the hip or rear end, or stand passively with its back turned to us.  The hip nudge means friendliness.  By turning its back to us, the dog shows that it doesn’t intend to attack; it’s teeth are turned away from you.  At the same time, it shows that the dog trust us. In a healthy dog, the hip socket (acetabulum) is rounded and deep enough to accommodate the femoral head so that the hip’s ball and socket joint forms correctly.These two bones should fit perfectly together, supported by a strong ligament which attaches the femoral head directly to the acetabulum.In a healthy dog, the two bone surfaces are smooth and contain a cartilage cushion … ~ Roger Abrantes. A painful hip(s) that is affecting your dog's comfort, locomotion and activity levels is the primary indication for a THR.