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Comment by Lola and Paige on July 20, 2012 at 8:57pm

I have read a lot of the comments and understand how it must be so frustrating.  It can be difficult to not feel some love when you have put your whole heart out for them.  Unfortunately Lola was different and loved everybody and everything the day that we picked her up.  I did, however, get a little frustrated and concerned with her as it seemed to take forever to get her to go to the bathroom as we would sometimes spend an hour and a half outside and she still hadn't gone.

Our other dog is a chihuahua and he wasn't very affectionate when we first got him.  We ended up checking on his health to see if anything was wrong, but in his case there wasn't.  However, for an affection standpoint I can see where everyone else is coming from when they say that he may just be in a downer mood from feeling so sick.  I was sick and have spent over half of every year for the past five years in the doctor's office and there are times when I just don't feel like dealing with things.

I also know that it does get tiring hearing the same thing over and over again.  With our cat I had to pay two hundred dollars out of my pocket for one visit when I was still in college which can also add to the frustration.  But back to the affection or lack there of situation, with our chihuahua we were careful not to push him too hard.  We gave him his space that he needed to get comfortable and tended to his more basic needs such as food, water, and going to the bathroom.  (Of course there were also lots of toys in case if he decided to get frisky.)  Then we just focused on our lives such as walking around the house and enjoying everyday conversation so that he could get used to our habits as well as our presence.  To keep him involved we would sit next to him while he ate (and take turns feeding him since there is five of us in the house) and praise him for just playing with toys, going to the bathroom, and the times when he willingly walked up to us.

If he was comfortable we would wait until he was ready to move so that he didn't feel too much pressure and now he loves us all and enjoys sharing a bed with my sister.  Also it took him over five months to warm up to my step dad and he can get a little finicky at times still.  For now though maybe just give your puppy some space and the rest that he most likely needs because we all know how miserable we feel when we are sick.  Right now it is going to be really tough, but just think of the rewards for when he gets better.  After all of the time, love, and money that you have given him he will be so grateful and you won't regret it.

Comment by Jane T. (& Griffin) on July 19, 2012 at 7:16pm

Griffin was like this when I first got him--I was thinking "oh, no, why did I get a puppy?"  Constant biting chewing, etc.  I realized he was like a baby--I put him in the crate for a nap when he was cranky.  I smeared peanut butter on my hand and let him lick it off while saying "kisses."  I took him outside every hour or so (set a timer) and at four or five months he started barking to let me know he had to go outside.  Finally, he quit the biting and chewing; he loves to be petted and follows me around.  But he never did sit on my lap so I could pet him--he doesn't like to be held.  Griffin is happy, smart dog--I love him and he loves me.  Just hang in there!

 

Comment by Jane Christensen on July 19, 2012 at 5:35pm

Please don't give up on your baby! I can only imagine how hard this has been on both of you BUT  I have some dogs that when they don't feel well just want to stay away from us and may even hide. He may even think in his "doggie brain" that when he is near you that he has been sicker(if you had to give him medicine etc). Give him time to feel better and hopefully then you will be able to play and have fun and learn new things together. Like Ludi said...check out the chat there's usually someone around:) That's what's so great about MyCorgi:)

Comment by Brooke Busteed on July 19, 2012 at 5:04pm

Thanks Ludi.  Last night I got to talk to Natalie and it helped me TREMENDOUSLY!!!  I needed to vent I suppose, it will all work out, I'm not gonna give up on this lil man, he is my baby I will get him through all this health nonsense and then we will go to puppy school, we will just be a little older then I would have liked but such is life right?

Comment by Ludi on July 19, 2012 at 4:06pm

Brooke: If you ever need someone to talk to, log into the chat on this site at primetime. There's almost always someone around. I was all alone out here when I was raising Ace. My husband came home from work and would IMMEDIATELY get on my nerves. If I had been able to talk to someone in real time about how difficult things felt, I could have retained my sanity for a little longer in the puppy phase! :D

Comment by Nora on July 19, 2012 at 3:13pm

I did read a book The Puppy Primer (by Patricia McConnell) says: If the puppy bites you or disrespect you, ignore it for three days --- like don't even make eye contact with him when you feed him...and indicate some top trainers will do this.  I tried, it is actually really hard...I could only to 30 mins... since the puppy is so cute!!! But some distance initiated by you does make him wonder what you are doing. LOL... Give a try!!! Crate him when you leave so he won't pee inside the apt.

For the walking again, if he is overwhelmed by the surrounding, you need to condition him with it. Can he eat canned food (frozen canned food in Kong, makes my pup calm...) or does he has some favorite chewies? If yes, take the food with you and sit somewhere and let him eat. So he knows outside is good.

Or you could take him to somewhere less busy ((you could do it inside first, and then parking lots...). Bring some cat foods if he loves so much. Show him the cat food so he knows you have his favorite goodies. Then walk forward a bit, if he follows, give him a treat. Move around, different directions and just few steps, as long as him follows, give him a treat. Make it SHORT, fun and rewarding. Maybe do it when he is hungry so he would follow. You could even add a cue like "Follow" for this.

Walking in the long distance in a heel position, it is too much concentration for a puppy, you just need to break it down and start from small --- Make him want to follow you first!

Great move of change the food!!! For puppy,it is always trial and error for everything --- you are doing great and you will find what it is best for him.

Comment by Brooke Busteed on July 19, 2012 at 2:38pm

I was actually thinking that.  I was gonna leave him home tomorrow and go home and check on him at lunch...because we are together 24/7 so it may help.

Comment by leslie on July 19, 2012 at 2:25pm

Corgis have there own mind.i messed up by spoiln my dog so he really didnt respect me.i use to come home for lunch just to be with him for a lil.spent alot on gas and i never really had time to eat.then i wokr up and said nomore.iam all good to u and u always be mean to me.lol so now i dont come for lunch and he is stuck on me all night.i hink i was spendog to much time to where he thought he was his own boss.not no more.lol it took 2 years for him to love me back.lol its gona be ok.

Comment by Brooke Busteed on July 19, 2012 at 2:04pm

He doesn't eat like a normal puppy scarfer, I've even had to hand feed him, he is VERY finicky.  He REALLY wants the cat food, if he can get to that bowl before i pick it up ( I now feed my cat on the table, yuck) he eats like a ravonous wolf, so I know it isn't his appetite.  We are slowly changing his food so I hope he will this food better. 

 

I will for sure do the sit and release thing for feeding though, thank you for the tip. 

 

It's busy enough, he is really good with sounds except for the shredder at work and of course the vacuum.  He loves EVERYBODY he sees, specially children.  I am surrounded by some annoying barking dogs and when they bark he doesn't join in.  He did the first day or so and I used that forbidden word "NO" bark and he now just ignores their barking.

Comment by Nora on July 19, 2012 at 1:48pm

I almost dumped my boyfriend when my girl was 3-4 months old....he doesn't know... LOL...

That's great he knows "Sit" (he is learning while he is sick, you should be proud!) --- Sit starts everything! Next time, before you put his food bowl down, make him sit. And then say "Wait" (if you want to teach him "Wait") or you could say nothing, slowly put the bowl down, if he breaks the sit, take the bowl up (DONNOT say "sit" again), wait till he sits again, put the bowl down again...... When the food bowl is on the floor (he should still be in the Sit position), don't let him eat before you give the release cue. If he breaks, you know what to do --- take the bowl up again.  Then you could give him the release cue in a happy tone so he could have the food he works hard  for! (The released cue could be "OK/Free/All done", etc. or whatever you want. It is a cue that the dog will have the permission from you to do whatever he wants to do)

The finish product will be: He could sit while you put the food bowl down without breaking and wait for the release cue to have the food. (Usually, I will wait till the pup make eye contact with me for the permission, then I will give the permission) See how many things you could do just give him the food: sit without breaking, impulse control, (wait, if you like), release cue, pay attention to you and --- Mommy provide me the food.

Do you live in a busy neighborhood? Have you condition him with all the sounds, people or moving objects...? He probably is overwhelmed by them...

My 8 months girl still gets distracted by the people she sees EVERYDAY... So, we all have things to work on, right?

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