Chasing shadows..!!!!

[JennaE]

Hello,

I have a 10mnth yer old puppy ( i say puppy - he is huge ). His name is Bailey - and he is OBSESSED with chasing shadows.!! Is this normal..it is funny, but am just wondering does anyone else's pooches do this.?

Bailey is a very good pooch - he has never growled when i have gone near his food, never biten me ( only in play ), is very loving, loyal, BUT i think he is going through "teenage stage".....I have just joined a puppy class to help because even though he is not dangerous, it can be intimadating when a big pooch comes pounding towards you to say Hey.!! The problem is, he hears me but chooses NOT to listen, he is far too busy sniffing around, i then have to raise my voice to get him to come to me which i hate - i dont want to be shouting him all the time, at the puppy classes im using the clicker method - and i think its taking effect, i was also told that at this age ill find that i have to go backwards to go forwards and that he wil grow out of this.

Spose im just after some more advise as it is very frustrating.!! Would it help to have him castrated to perhaps calm him down again..?

I have also been told i mother him way too much ( i cant help it ) he sleeps in my bed with me,goes EVERYWHERE with me, i step over him when he's in the way..!!! He jumps up to say hello to me which i dnt mind, but others might do,Is it too late too change this..?

He is very clever and willing to learn, i think he will be ok, i hope so, he is just very loved, i know i have to change because he thinks of me more as a friend than an owner...anyadvice anyone..please x x

[John64]

Altering always calms down the Boy, without doubt!..I firmly believe that one, just from friends dogs, and watchig the difference.

Keep on the training classes, and of course, make sure he knows that your alpha!

Don't keep yelling, make him come the first time...And NEVER....allow any kind of bite, even though it is playing!...Thats a Big NO NO!..you may not like the affect it brings later on!

jumping up on folks is def not good. My neighbors Shepherd did that to me quite a few times, and got my Knee gently into his stomach, and he quit doing that fast. When he is jumping up, send your knee into him,,,,NOT HARD....just enough, and he will stop that very soon!

Chasing his shadow?...I dunno...My wife does that too!///

[John64]

I might add:


Invite him onto the bed, if you want him in it with you. Don't allow him to get on it, until you ask him too!

[Sharon Marples]

Do not think that chasing shadows is funny, it is not. It is compulsive behavior that only leads to making the dog frustrated, etc. and can lead to other non-invited behaviors.

Do a search on here for "chasing shawods." "chasing leaves," etc. and you will find a lot of information that will tell you to stop this behavior before it escalates into something you can't control.

[GypsysMom]

Gypsy does it as well, when she does I grab her tennis ball or stuffy and start playing fetch so she doesnt continue it, it isnt funny with me, it was when she first did it now its annoying and not acceptable

[debbiej]

I'd like to learn more about compulsive behavior in dogs. My dog Boris used to have some disturbing compulsive behavior. As he is becoming more and more trained and under our control, he is not doing most of it.

I was at a herding demo the other day. One of the people with a dog there was in a conversation. He was gesturing a lot with his hands, and his dog was just going nutty, chasing the shadow of his hands. The warning was given that the dog was not friendly and should not be approached....

[JennaE]

Originally Posted by Sharon Marples

Do not think that chasing shadows is funny, it is not. It is compulsive behavior that only leads to making the dog frustrated, etc. and can lead to other non-invited behaviors.

Do a search on here for "chasing shawods." "chasing leaves," etc. and you will find a lot of information that will tell you to stop this behavior before it escalates into something you can't control.

REALLY..!!!! whats soooo bad about it..!!! He seems to be just having fun.!!!

[debbiej]

read about it, and not just here. It is not really fun for the dog. If you do an internet search, you will find good reasons not to encourage it.

[JennaE]

Originally Posted by John64

Altering always calms down the Boy, without doubt!..I firmly believe that one, just from friends dogs, and watchig the difference.

Keep on the training classes, and of course, make sure he knows that your alpha!

Don't keep yelling, make him come the first time...And NEVER....allow any kind of bite, even though it is playing!...Thats a Big NO NO!..you may not like the affect it brings later on!

jumping up on folks is def not good. My neighbors Shepherd did that to me quite a few times, and got my Knee gently into his stomach, and he quit doing that fast. When he is jumping up, send your knee into him,,,,NOT HARD....just enough, and he will stop that very soon!

Chasing his shadow?...I dunno...My wife does that too!///

Can i say thanks to you firstly for NOT being so rude, im new to this site and so far iv seen alot of snobbyness.!!! People seem to have big attitude problems on here...and it is something i wont stand for - i came to the site for advice, not to be yelled at.!!! So thank you, and i have taken your advice in to cosideration.

So when Bailey does not come to me, should i just keep calling untill he does..? I was told that i need to make him think that i am more interesting than anything else that is going on, so thats why i am using the clicker method - everytime he does something good i have to click him and feed him a very small peice of meat or something mega tasty, so he will see that i will have something more interesting then slowly take it off it when he has learnt his recall. You getting me..? This sound like agood tatic..?

Jen xx

[JennaE]

Originally Posted by debbiej

read about it, and not just here. It is not really fun for the dog. If you do an internet search, you will find good reasons not to encourage it.

Then how come his litttle stump waggs and waggs when doing it..? Im not understanding how it would not be fun for the dog, when all his actions tell me different - i will do a search, spose i just dont understand why it is bad - what bad could possibly come out of this, thank you anyway for the advice.See what i can find ahy..!!!

TAR.

[GypsysMom]

Take your dog to obedience, it really does work!! Gypsy is 7 months and has 10 weeks of class, she comes when called, sits, stays down stay fetch (not learned in class) heel, watch which is so important... if your dog is running and not coming snap a long line on him

[JennaE]

[quote=Sharon Marples;707854]Do not think that chasing shadows is funny, it is not. It is compulsive behavior that only leads to making the dog frustrated, etc. and can lead to other non-invited behaviors.

Do a search on here for "chasing shawods." "chasing leaves," etc. and you will find a lot of information that will tell you to stop this behavior before it escalates into something you can't control.[/QUOT

New to this site - how would i search this on this site please..?

Thanks x

[JennaE]

Originally Posted by GypsysMom

Take your dog to obedience, it really does work!! Gypsy is 7 months and has 10 weeks of class, she comes when called, sits, stays down stay fetch (not learned in class) heel, watch which is so important... if your dog is running and not coming snap a long line on him

He does go to class - he had his 1st week last Thur's...so you recommend not to let him off his lead untill he has learnt his recall..?!! ( a long lead that is )

Jen x

[debbiej]

It is good you guys are going to class! When training a dog to come when called, it is best if he never has the opportunity to ignore the command, so that means a long line or lead, yes.

to search, there is a "search" button at the top of the rott.net page. just click it and type in the key word. But also there is a lot on the internet about the bad effects on chasing laser pointers, shadows, lights, etc.

[JennaE]

Yes i think it is really important to go to classes, im a very open 22yr old and will stick up for myself and my baby Bailey and of course the breed, i dont need to prove anything to anyone - but with all this bad press the breed is having at the moment, i am being responsable and im not one for proving my point, but in this situation i feel the need to, if we dont there will be no more rotty's as there is talk off "stopping breeding them"..!!!!
I want to do my part for the breed - and show people how silly things are getting, and if i have to prove myself - ill do it..!!!!!

x x x