Vacillating Between Independence and Neediness

Bailey is too smart for his own good. And mine at times! Last night, I took him out to the yard to walk around 9:00. He went into the yard, pottied, and was ready to go back inside. His mommy had other plans. I put his leash back on him and tugged him to the left to start our walk. The first lap he walked right beside me. He started the second lap very reluctantly and, after only 20 feet or so, stopped and refused to go any farther, regardless of my tugging. I took his leash off and started walking without him. He only let me get a few steps ahead of him before he ran to catch up with me and walked the next few laps right next to me, just as he would if he were still on the leash. Silly boy.

He has been doing that lately, refusing to walk on the leash after a couple of laps, preferring to walk on his own, but right beside me. Usually, as we finish a lap and turn the corner of the L-shaped fence and head toward the gate, he goes to the gate to see if I will let him go inside. When I keep walking, he runs to catch up with me and walk the next lap. Last night, though, rather than walking to the gate, he stopped at the corner (about 30 feet from the gate), watched me walk about half a lap, and then as soon as I got to the storage building, ran at full speed across the yard and fell into step beside me as we headed up the hill in the far corner. He did this for 6 or 7 laps, and it was so cute! Of course he had to listen to taunts of, "Cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater!" but at least he caught up in time to go up the hill with me because it is quite steep and really works the muscles in his legs... and mine! And besides, he is a cheater, and he does love to eat some pumpkin!

He walked for about 35 minutes last night, so if you subtract the time he was watching from the fence corner as mommy walked, he probably got in 20 - 25 minutes.

The funny thing is, as much as he wants to be independent outside, he still continues to be needy and demanding while inside. His indignant bark whenever dinnertime is not coming quickly enough after meds, or when he wants attention, or when he wants cold water, or when he wants treats continues. He is the worst when I get home from work. I immediately give him his DM meds, wait 15-30 minutes and give him his bromelain and curcumin, and then wait 30 minutes before feeding him because the meds should be given on an empty stomach. Bailey does not agree. Or he at least thinks that the meds should be quickly chased by some treats. He is obsessed with his treats right now. He eats half his dinner and then yells for treats. Last night, after my telling him 15 times that he had to finish his dinner before he got any treats, he finally listened. And yes, he got 2 treats as soon as he finished eating.

I think the boy is trying to make me old before my time.

Here's a nice little link I found when trying to decide between lie vs. lay and farther vs. further!