Um.. Terrible 15's? (or is it 16 weeks?)

I have been very sick, I do not get sick often, but apparently when I do, I do it big. As a result I mainly stumble home after a workday and roll up into a ball to die. Naturally, Cheez-it found this the perfect opportunity to switch personalities (er. dogalities?). The day before I fell ill with the common cold it rained, pretty bad actually. We went out to potty as usual and he enthusiastically jumped from the sidewalk to his normal stomping(pooping) grounds. On realization that it was wet he flew back onto the hard dry pavement. Have you ever seen a cat get sprayed by a watergun? That freaked out uncoordinated jump/flip thing they do? That is exactly what he did, I am not positive that his paws even hit the silt. He decided to use the sidewalk that day, and it was too late to stop him, it was already business time. I embarassingly cleaned up his mess and we retired for the night. This small little set-back has apparently seriously hindered his leash-walking abilities. My normal "follow me anywhere" pup on a rope has stopped walking. Yes we go outside he might do some business on in the immediate area, but if I take him for a walk, he just stops. Refuses to move, and I refuse to pull him. I do give him a gentle nudge, but he resists so badly (well, he's actually pretty good at it), that I am afraid to hurt him. So without the ability to perform our nightly walks he is filled to the stub with energy. This is normally pretty cute, but when I am curled on the couch struggling to breathe watching a stubborn puppy is a chore. I'm not sure if it's the lack of walks for 2 days (it's his fault, I try) or his age, but he is exceptionally snappy and chewey. I really have to watch him inside. If I am not well tomarrow I am mustering the breathe to go get him a little baby-playpen thing so I can sit in headache-agony with a little peace of mind. I usually spend 4 hours or so, usually on hands/knees playing with him each day, we also take a major walk which he used to love. He still follows commands flawlessly with or without treats and is a complete angel when I can get down and pet him. The big problem is outside, I mean WHAT THE HECK?? He runs away from me pulling the leash (it's a training lead) he barks at everything (he never used to), he refuses to walk when I actually want him to walk, and he refuses to step in the grass. Now he bites the lead/collar when I try to put them on him, he used to sit nicely and allow me. Oh man, I thought I was lucky with a nice calm pup. I was slightly wrong. Hopefully when I am better mabye he can excercise it out. He cannot really do much now as he is waiting on his last shot. It's apparently dependant on his teeth?? (kennel cough I think).

Anyway, is he at "that" age? Or am I just mistreating him via lack of excercise? I cant even pet him without him getting jumpy and bitey.

There is some good news. Those little frosty-paw ice cream cups, well put one down and it's easy nail trimming time! He even helps by holding his paws up some for me. But let the ice-cream run out before I am finished and you would swear by the noise that I'm beating him.

Oh well, any calming dog activities I can do with little effort for the time being?

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Comment by Sam Tsang on June 19, 2008 at 10:46am
Get well soon James! Pups will continue to push the limit and test their boundaries :) Mocha do not like wet grass either, and he is 6. Try and get back on the walking routine when you feel better.
Comment by Sam on June 19, 2008 at 8:27am
James,
You sound right on target. They do go through many changes. I am sure the wet grass was a shock for him and one that he decided is not a part of his life. Some of my corgis really fight the idea of walking on wet grass. Most will go out and romp in the rain if allowed to do so. This shows the great importance of exposing them to as many environments as possible.
The stopping on walks is also not uncommon. Corgi pups will "test the waters" frequently as they grow. I find most will get up and walk just fine if you start the walk away from the home. Their home and yard become familiar and a secure place and some just dont want to leave. Get a few houses away and most continue walking like they always have.
As for his sudden use of his mouth you can bet he is teething right now. Some folks will wet and freeze a wash cloth, there are toys made specifically to freeze which may give their mouth some relief as well. Chewing seems to make them more comfortable while teething. Some love the rope toys (watch they dont shred and eat them) Large rawhide bones that they can no eat give them a nice outlet too.
And yes....the fact that he has lost his daily energy outlets is contributing to the changes you are seeing.
Comment by Stephanie & Lola on June 19, 2008 at 4:07am
Yay! I'm glad there's hope =) Lola went through a bad stage, but she was around 6 months old. I always let her stay in my bedroom while I was at work because she never went to the bathroom in there. When I came home about 7 inches on the wooden door frame was gone, my phone charger was in a million pieces, she peed on my bed, and ripped one of her stuffed toys to shreds. She also never barked until this phase, but she grew out of it pretty quickly. Good luck with Cheez-it James!!
Comment by James on June 19, 2008 at 3:42am
After the above mentioning of his horrid attitude the last few days he suprised me just now by getting in his kennel and laying down when he saw me do the "pick up his toys" routine! That is the first time he has went in there not followed by running out. So there is hope!

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