7 Reasons That Little "Skip" in Your Dog's Walk Isn't Just a Cute Quirk
If your little one hops on three legs for a few steps, then runs like nothing happened, this is for you. Here's what that hop really is, why small dogs are built for it, and the simple daily routine that helps their knees keep up with them for years.
It usually happens on a walk. Your dog is trotting along happily, and then one back leg comes up. Three hops, maybe four. Then the leg goes back down and off they go, tail up, like nothing happened.
Most owners laugh. Some film it, because it looks so funny. A lot of people even have a name for it: the Pom skip, the bunny hop, the happy little hop.
I'm a veterinary surgeon, and I've operated on the knees of many dogs who started with that exact hop. It isn't a quirk. It's a knee. Here is what is happening inside it, and what you can do for your dog, starting today.
That Little Hop Has a Name: a Slipping Kneecap
Does any of this sound like your dog?
- 🚩 Hops on three legs for a few steps, then walks normally again.
- 🚩 Kicks a back leg out to the side, as if shaking something off.
- 🚩 Holds one back leg up for a moment, then runs like nothing happened.
- 🚩 Stops at the edge of the couch and waits to be lifted down.
Vets at Cornell describe it as a sudden hop on three legs that goes away after a few steps. That's the classic sign of a slipping kneecap. Your vet may call it a "luxating patella," which means the same thing.
Almost every week, an owner holds out her phone in my exam room and says, "Look, he does this funny little hop." Most of them are smiling when they show me the video. Most of them had never heard the word "kneecap" until that day.
My dog only skips sometimes. Should I worry?
Skipping that comes and goes is exactly how a slipping kneecap usually shows up. Mention it to your vet at the next visit, even if your dog seems fine the rest of the time, and bring a short video of it on your phone. A limp that doesn't go away needs a vet visit soon.
Small Dogs Are Built With a Groove That's Too Shallow
Inside the back knee, the kneecap is meant to glide up and down in a small groove, like a train on its track. Every step, every jump, every burst of zoomies.
In many small dogs, that track is too shallow. So the kneecap can slip off to the side, then pop back in. That moment is the hop you see.
It comes from how tiny dogs are built. In a study of more than 210,000 dogs, Pomeranians were 6.5 times more likely than mixed-breed dogs to have a slipping kneecap, Chihuahuas 5.9 times and Yorkies 5.5 times. Toy Poodles, Maltese and poodle mixes are on the same list. It is not something you did. But it does mean those little knees need a bit more from you than a bigger dog's would.
What exactly is a slipping kneecap?
The kneecap sits in a groove at the end of the thigh bone. When the groove is shallow, the kneecap can slide out of it, and it often pops back on its own after a few steps. Your vet can usually feel it during a normal exam and will give it a grade from 1 (mild) to 4 (severe).
Every Slip Wears the Knee Down a Little More
Each time the kneecap slides out and back, it rubs the smooth cushion inside the knee. Once is nothing. Thousands of times over the years add up. In one study, about half of the dogs who needed knee surgery already had a worn cushion.
Last year I operated on a 5-year-old Chihuahua whose owner had been "keeping an eye on it" since she was a puppy. When I came out to tell her the surgery had gone well, she was in tears, and she asked me one question:
"Could I have done something?"
That question is why I wrote this page.
Because the slip is only the start. The knee feels a little off, so your dog moves a little less. Moving less weakens the muscles that hold the knee steady. And little by little, the dog who used to race you to the door starts waiting to be carried.
Can a supplement fix the kneecap?
No, and I'll be honest about it, because a lot of brands aren't. No chew puts a kneecap back in its groove, and only your vet can tell you whether surgery is needed. What daily support can do is give your dog's body what the cartilage and joint fluid use every day.
"Let's Watch It" Shouldn't Mean "Do Nothing"
If your vet has already felt the kneecap slip, you may have heard something like: "It's a grade 2. Let's watch it." That's a normal answer. Most dogs with a slipping kneecap are never operated on; their vet keeps an eye on it instead.
But I've watched a lot of owners walk out of my office after that sentence with no plan for the months in between. They went home and waited for the next limp. Your dog's knees don't wait. They work on the couch, the stairs and the bed every single day, and the wear often starts years before you see a limp.
Here is what "watching it" can look like at home, starting tonight:
- ✅ Put pet steps or a ramp by the couch and the bed.
- ✅ Lay rugs or runners on slippery floors.
- ✅ Keep your dog lean: on a 6-pound dog, one extra pound is like 25 pounds on you.
- ✅ Film every skip on your phone, so your vet sees what you see.
- ✅ Give those knees daily support. That is what the rest of this page is about.
Is my dog too young, or too old, to start?
Neither. Most slipping kneecaps are found before age 3, and supporting joints while they are still healthy is the whole point of a daily routine. Senior dogs need it as much as young ones. Ask your vet what is right for your dog's age and health.
Most Joint Chews Do One Job. A Slipping Knee Needs Three.
Your vet sees those knees once or twice a year. The knees work the other 364 days. That's where you come in.
Most joint chews are built around glucosamine and little else. That helps one part of the knee. But a knee that lets your dog run, jump and climb comfortably needs three things, and Little Joints gives all three in one chew:
Glucosamine, chondroitin and eggshell membrane: the building blocks of the cushion inside the knee.
Support for the joint fluid, so the kneecap glides instead of grinding.
MSM and other actives for a normal inflammatory response, so your dog stays comfortable on walks.
It's a chicken-flavored soft chew, with every amount printed on the label. Two a day with a meal. No pills to hide in cheese, and no fight.
"I'd tried fish oil, glucosamine tablets, powders, pills hidden in cheese, you name it. This is the only thing that actually made a difference in how she moves around, and it's the simplest of all of them. She jumps on and off the furniture with less hesitation and seems more comfortable on walks. They smell like chicken treats so she's at my feet when it's time. Already on our third tub and got my sister hooked for her Pom too."
Side by Side, It Does More Than a Typical Joint Chew
If there is already a joint chew in your cupboard, here is how Little Joints compares:
| Little Joints | Typical joint chew | |
|---|---|---|
| Cartilage support (glucosamine + chondroitin) | ✅ 1,000 mg | ✅ Usually |
| Joint fluid support (hyaluronic acid) | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Not always |
| Comfort support (MSM, turmeric, green-lipped mussel, omega-3) | ✅ All four | ⚠️ Not always |
| Every amount printed on the label | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Not always |
| Chicken-flavored soft chew, no pills | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Varies |
| Money-back guarantee | ✅ 90 days | ⚠️ Varies |
| Subscription you can cancel in 2 clicks | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Varies |
You Get 90 Days to See the Difference for Yourself
Picture your dog a few months from now. The leash comes out and your little one is first at the door. Down from the couch without that little pause. On walks, trotting out in front, tail up, instead of lagging behind you.
That's what daily support is for. It builds over weeks, not days, so give it a fair chance: most owners notice the first small changes after a few weeks, and the clearest ones after 8 to 12 weeks.
And you don't take any risk. Give Pupsy a fair 90 days. Not happy? You get your money back. If you choose the subscription, you can pause or cancel it anytime, in 2 clicks, from your account.
🎁 Good to know: Pupsy is currently offering 45% off. If you've been meaning to do something about that skip, now is an easy time to try it.
What should I watch for in the first weeks?
Weeks 1 to 2 are about building the habit, so don't look for changes yet. From weeks 4 to 8, watch the moments that matter: getting up after a nap, the couch, the stairs, the whole walk. Weeks 8 to 12 are the real check.
Your dog will never tell you a knee just slipped. They hop, shake it off, and keep trying to keep up with you. The skip is the only way they have of telling you.
You can't change the knees your dog was born with. What you do get to choose is what happens every day: the steps by the couch, the treats you count, a video for your vet, and whether those joints get daily support. Little Joints is the daily part.
No supplement replaces your vet, and none puts a kneecap back in place. But for a small dog who skips, a simple daily routine started now is what I would want for my own dog.
Dr. Garner works with Pupsy.
What Owners Are Saying
Joint support doesn't change a dog overnight. What owners notice first are small, everyday moments: the stairs without stopping, the jump off the couch without that little pause, and a dog at the door before you even reach for the leash.
"Several months in. Her little hesitations before jumping off the couch are gone & Pip is acting like herself again. She thinks it's a treat."
"Going on 4 months and noticeably smoother on the stairs and hopping on and off the couch."
"Less than a month in, her loving the flavor is the reason we're finally consistent. Every other joint chew got sniffed and left on the floor, he actually runs over for these."
"My old girl has always been fussy about anything new. No more trying to hide a tablet in dinner, which is a relief."
"honestly he keeps up with me all day now 🥰"
"She's waiting by the cabinet every morning when it's chew time. 💗"
- ✅ Cartilage, cushion and comfort in one chew
- ✅ Chicken-flavored soft chew, no pills to hide
- ✅ Every amount printed on the label
- ✅ Pause or cancel anytime, in 2 clicks
- ✅ Currently 45% off
Quick Answers to Your Most Important Questions
How do I give it?
Give 2 chews a day, with or after a meal. One tub holds 60 chews, so it lasts one month.
My dog is picky. Will she eat it?
Most dogs love them: they're soft chews with a natural chicken flavor, so there are no pills to hide. If your dog is fussy, do what a lot of owners do: crumble or cut the chews into small pieces and mix them into her food. Most of the time, that's the easiest way, and she won't even notice. If your dog is allergic to chicken, check with your vet first.
How long until I see a difference?
Joint support builds up slowly, so give it time. Some owners notice small changes after 3 to 4 weeks, and the clearest changes usually come after 8 to 12 weeks of daily use. Every dog is different, which is why our guarantee lasts a full 90 days.
At what age can my dog start?
From 1 year old. You don't have to wait for a limp: in small dogs, joint wear can start before age 4, and it's easier to support the joints early than to catch up later. For a puppy under 1 year, ask your vet first.
My dog has a sensitive stomach. Is that OK?
Yes. Give the chews with a meal, never on an empty stomach. If you want to go slowly, start with 1 chew a day for the first week, then move to 2.
Can Pupsy replace my vet's treatment?
No. Pupsy is a daily supplement, not a medicine. Never stop or change your dog's medication without your vet. If your dog is limping or in pain, see your vet first. Many owners show their vet the label and add Pupsy to the daily routine. Ask your vet before use if your dog is pregnant, nursing or on medication.
How long does shipping take?
Orders ship within 1 to 2 business days. Delivery across the US usually takes 7 to 12 days.
Can I cancel my subscription?
Yes, anytime. You can skip, change the date or cancel from your account in 2 clicks. No calls. No emails.
What if I don't see results?
Then it's on us. Give it a fair run, and if you're not happy, email us within 90 days for a full refund.