Are we enablers for Max's "geddie up" issues?
 As you "old timers" know, Max has dealt with mobility issues since his injury- FIVE years ago. Hard to believe! Val- you've seen this first hand, so can relate to my saga.... We have always joked about him becoming "paraplegic" when we are close by, waiting for us to pick him up when his back legs give out... or he stumbles. I know he does play us at times, and that has been fine with us... 'cause he is our baby. He falls, we pick him up, and go on our way. HOWEVER, we just got back from a two week vacation in Florida, where Max was the hit of the community, and both John and I noticed a behavior that seemed "learned". When we would be taking a walk, a kind person would come up, and begin to make over him. He would take a couple of steps, and immediately drop to the ground, in what we call his "tri-pod" position. Hind legs stiff , coming in between his front legs, as he sits on his rump. With that, we begin to baby him, helping him up, everyone around him, showering him with attention... "You poor baby"... "What happened to you"?... "Awe- you are a doll"... and there he sits, lapping it up. Now, he has genuine issues, but, could he also be doing it for attention at times???? Even my Dad, who is oblivious to all things beyond FOX News, Bulls Sales, and Sports commented on it. If there was no one around when we were walking, he would stay upright the whole time. BUT when we would get back to Dad's, my step mom would ooh and ahh as she saw us coming up the walk "How did the baby do"? "Does he need an extra treat"? And, you guessed it, KER-PLUNK. Down he would go. Getting him on the elevator in the hotel was a nightmare, he fell so many times...but everyone was there, making over him... This morning, I let him out to potty, and there was a scuff of snow on the ground. Now, he has done fine since we've been home. Really well in fact. So, I thought, "I'm going to observe this". Typically, with snow on the ground, I stay right there with him. Today, I let him out the side door, and didn't follow him. He looked back, and I swear , dropped like a brick, looking back at me with those eyes that melt your heart. I didn't say a word, but came back in the house, and watched through the kitchen window. He was actually UP by the time it took me to get to the window, which was about 10 seconds. He was walking fine, eating snow. This is a long winded story to ask a simple quesiton. In our efforts to make him as comfortable as possible, have we conditioned him to "beg for attention" by falling???? Thoughts? In-put? Help?? LOL |
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 just picturing the plonking for attention, if it the case.If it doesn't make his condition worse by letting him get up by himself, I would continue the experiment to see if he will do it by himself, it may make his muscles stronger so it gets easier get up but I wouldn't want his hips to get worse. If he gets no sympathy attention he may decide to plonk less which will be better on his body. |
Oh Max!!! Yep, sounds like he is playing you...and doing a fine job  Chewie's sister Martha has her act down pat too. She walks with her head down, all pathetic and sad looking. Gets people EVERY time! "Aww, you poor puppy, what's wrong?", etc, etc. But if she's not acting, she's wild and crazy and bossing her ACD sister Poppy and trying to bulldoze Chewie...yeah  |
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| Yep--sounds like Max knows how to play the game to his favor! |
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