My pup was the same way -- If I touched him, or accidentally hurt him the tiniest little bit - you'd think I was killing him.
Anyway - I just told him to "knock it off" (in a playful way) and went on doing whatever I had to do. I just didn't let him be the "big baby" baby he wanted to be. He got no sympathy from me. In fact, I often just told him to "stop being such a big baby" and would start playing with him -- making a game of it all..... and he'd instantly turn away from his whinning and start being a playful little clown. It's amazing how he could go from "dying" one second to "turning somersaults and having fun fun fun" the next.
He's 9 months old now and hasn't acted that way for a long long time. Guess he decided it didn't work. Anyway, he's a rough tumbling, playful, outgoing, little guy now.
**** So - I think the best way to treat this type of behavior (when you know he's not really hurt) is just ignore it, distract him, and get him doing something else....playing is good! Don't give in to him -not with one comment, gesture, or whatever....he'll pick up on anything you do or say - so quickly - make it something that brings about a totally different behavior from him.....
******* Have to tell you that the first time he visited the vet (8 weeks old), he threw one of his "you're killing me fits" when the vet picked him up, and the vet say - "Oh boy - let's hope he never really gets hurt or sick - or you'll really have something on your hands." He laughed about my pup - and we agreed that he was a "big baby." I had only had him for two days at that time.
Carol Jean |