Pong's been acting weird...any idea why?

[ccyang]

Hi everybody,
I hope you guys can help me ....or at least have a better idea of what's happening with Pong. Pong is now 7 months old boy, and since last sunday, he's been acting really weird. On sunday, we went to my parents place and he was outside for 2 hours playing / eating grass / chewing on wood....it was also very hot for the last few days (around 25 degrees celsius, plus humidity). Everytime I would check on him to see if he wanted to come inside, he always chose to stay outside. So, when we came back home that night, we turned on the A/C for the first time since we got him. He was passed out when we got home, but he woke up in the middle of the night and ever since, he now refuses to sleep in the room (where the A/C is running). He seems traumatized by the A/C, but the thing is.....we have been using the same machine since we got him when he was 6 weeks old. The only difference is that the machine was used as a fan before, and now we're actually using the A/C function...which makes it run louder. When the A/C runs, he sleeps in the laundry room....which is located at the far end of our apartment. But even if the machine is off, he now refuses to enter our bedroom. He rather sleep anywhere in the apartment than coming in the bedroom, which is much cooler. It's so weird, coz he always slept in our bedroom since he was 6 weeks old....he loves it there, one of his favorite things to do is to watch outside the window.
So ever since sunday, he doesnt sleep with us anymore. He sleeps a lot more now during the day....he used to play with his toys a few times a day, but since sunday, he just sleeps. He isn't happy anymore, he doesnt shake his tail....he doesnt even follow me everywhere in the apartment anymore. The good thing is that he eats / drinks / poops / pees like usual....so, my question to all you chow parents, is he just passing a weird phase? What can I do to help him? Is he sick? Btw, I checked his whole body if there's any ticks maybe, I found nothing.
Please, any comments would be helpful....just want to make sure he's ok, but just traumatized. Btw, earlier this morning, my jacket fell on the floor...and he jumped out of fear. He now seems unhappy, unsecured, scared

Thank you so much for any advise,
Ching

[Victory]

Welcome to the wonderful world of chows and their silly behavior. He probably isn't overheated enough to be enjoying the A/C, and he can hear the stuff in it that makes it cold moving through it and he doesn't like the sound. I'll be turning on the fans in a few weeks and I have to do it when Firesong is out of the house or she barks at them for 20 minutes....and they've been on and off for years, (yep she doesn't like it when I turn them off in the fall either!) She normally ignores the A/C but then she's usually so upset about it being put in the window that she's just tired from being over excited.

He could also be responding to the smell in your room, the A/C propably changes some of the smells in your room it also dries out the air, any one or all of these things can make him act like his world is coming to an end. If he's eating, drinking, going to the bathroom normally and in all other ways behaving as usual, then he's most likely not sick just pouting...and they are REALLY good at doing that.

[ccyang]

hi again!!!

Victory:
"He could also be responding to the smell in your room, the A/C propably changes some of the smells in your room it also dries out the air, any one or all of these things can make him act like his world is coming to an end."

It's weird...he does act like his world is coming to an end. He's never excited/happy anymore....doesnt play with his toys....doesnt even shake his tail when I talk to him or play with him....and just sleeps. I really hope it's no biggie and just a temporary phase....i really hate seeing him like that

[Victory]

I forgot to ask is he neutered? An intact males personality will change at about 7-8 months as he becomes mature. Also I converted 25 degrees celsius to fahrenhiet, and found that it's 77, if the humidity is also around 65% or higher he's uncomfortable. If the laundry room has a tile, cement or wood floor it's cooler to him. Chows cool off a lot from their tummies, that's why you'll see the pictures of them laying with hind legs straight behind them, that puts their entire belly on the floor which helps them cool down, (the fur on their tummies isn't quite as thick) If you haven't done it yet, brush, brush and brush to get the puppy undercoat out. That will help him cool off, if he doesn't perk up in a day or two, time for a visit to the vet.

[ccyang]

Yes, Pong is neuteured. We got him fixed a bit over 3 weeks ago. Yesterday and today was cooler....and less humid also. Our whole apartment has wood floors....we were thinking that he sleeps in the laundry room (which is hot) coz it's the farthest from the bedroom). I do brush him every day, coz I really want to help him with his undercoat. It's crazy how much undercoat there is to remove.....it never ends Anyways, thanx again for your comments. I was happy today, he played a bit with his toys....a bit of improvement
we're going to bed now...hopefully he will join us tonite instead of sleeping by himself again.

[ccyang]

so it's pretty cold these past few days.....and I'm so happy coz Pong is back to his normal self. All happy and playful yeah!!!!! Love to see him like that...