Cici is going to be six on August 1… From the time she was a six month old puppy when I first met her, she was a cuddler, always snuggling up REALLY close to me, on top of me, to the point of being annoying all the time. Too close. Constant cuddling. A super snuggler. I got used to it and sometimes I liked it and other times, I needed my own space.
Now, suddenly, the past couple of months, Cici does not cuddle with me at all. It is fine that we do not sleep together anymore, that was getting to be a real pain. I get up a few times a night to go to the bathroom. It is hard enough for me to get up alone with the pain in my knees (osteoarthritis). But Cici would always sleep on top of me and I’d have to somehow get through, over or move her to get off the bed. Not fun.
So when she wanted to sleep in the living room on the chair, it was fine, ok by me. But after breakfast, when she’d have a nap, she used to jump up on the bed and snuggle. No more. And no other time during the day or evening, either.
Was it something I said or did?
During the time her leg was hurt, it was ok, because I did not want her to be jumping on and off the bed (which she did anyway). But now that her leg is better, what is going on?
Is she getting older now and just needs her space? Is she mad at me? Just not that into me anymore?
Everything else is normal. We play together, I feed her, walk her several times a day, love that silly polka dot girl of mine.
I would love to get a couch so then we could both lie there and watch TV together and cuddle there and then. She seems amenable, if I sit with her on the chair, which is much too small for us both, she will cuddle with me or rather let me pet her.
It’s just if I tell her to come into my room and close the door, she moans and acts like it’s the last place on earth she wants to be. Unless, of course, I have food.
What do you think? Has your dog stopped cuddling with you as they grew older? Is this a phase? Does my dog not love me anymore? Or am I being neurotic?
I found it soothing to cuddle with her, calmed me down. Comforting.
I don’t want to cramp her style, force her to do anything she does not want to do… trust me, I cannot anyway.
So what do you think? Has my baby grown up and needs her own place?
It’s a miracle, well, I bribed her so she is now cuddling next to me… it was clear to me while cuddling, I was fidgeting a lot and uncomfortable so she must pick up on that vibe…
thanks for ALL your good wishes and suggestions…