Lazy Maltese Dog

My Maltese Sunny is so lazy he is almost 5 years old and he sleeps all day if i play fetch with him he'll fetch once or twice and then stop. If I take him for a walk he'll walk to the mailbox and then stop and refuse to walk more not only that he'll turn and walk back towards the house. What should I do?
Ayellet Kleidermacher

• This sounds a bit odd to me for a 5 year old of any breed. Has he been to the vet for a thorough health check...stool screen, blood work-up, etc.? Is he eating a premium quality dog food like Iams or Science Diet? It would seem that health, nutrition and allergies could all be possible causes. If not, and your dog has not always been this way, could he be depressed about something? Some dogs are extrememly sesitive about changes in their environment or disruptions in their routines. I once had a dog who would react to such things by going off his feed and becoming lethargic for a while.
  Marsha O