Chasing Shadows/lights PLZ HELP!!

[fillcee85]

Hi guys I have a 11 month male rottie. Hes an awesome dog although about a month ago while i was at the dog park there was someone there with a laser pointer. My rottie loved it and ran and chased it. I thought it was amusing at first although i noticed and did some research and found out that they can get so fixated and are constantly looking for the laser. Ever since that I have not gone back to the dog park and avoid all flash lights or lasers.

Recently he has been jumping on walls trying to attack the shadows or lights. He goes nuts for shadows. I try to calm him down by making him sit and focus on me although he often is so fixated on the shadow that he will not listen. I was driving this week with him and a cd was on the floor which reflected onto the ceiling of my car and he lunged at it and he nearly made me crash. I have read other posts on this forum about lasers and shadows although i have yet to find a post that explains how to reduce this behavior. It seems as if it is getting worse. He gets so fixated on shadows for hours, It is becoming very irritating and irritating for him im sure. Is there any suggestions on how change this behavior? I keep him away from all flash lights or any type of lights. I exercise him alot although he still seems to be so fixated on the shadows

any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[stonesmom]

My Stone who is almost 16 month's did, and STILL does the same thing. I have 3 kids and they think it's amusing when they play with him like that. I have been told that it can become an obsessive compulsive disorder with rottweiler's and it is ill advised! Stone too has jumped on the walls, etc.. to get to the shadows. I don't know if it is just a dog thing,but I try to not encourage it in my house for his sake from what I have read on it. Any other posts would be a help to me too on this issue!!!!!!!!

[Ayoka]

I would get yourself to a veterinary behaviorist familiar with canine compulsive disorder. Some dogs do fixate and not being able to distract them from it can be a sign of something more serious that I understand CAN be worked on and managed but never truly cured.

[damp]

It looks like your dog is so stressed and suffers from OCD!

I bet there is some kind of medicine to find, to pay big money for... to only "cure" the symptoms!!!
But also there is a better and more peaceful place, where demons are not allowed!

[Anne]

Originally Posted by damp

It looks like your dog is so stressed and suffers from OCD! I bet there is some kind of medicine to find, to pay big money for... to only "cure" the symptoms!!!
But also there is a better and more peaceful place, where demons are not allowed!

Are you suggesting euthanasia without having observed this dog and therefore having no idea of the degree fixation this dog has with light and shadows? Dogs have been successfully treated for this obsession by qualified animal behaviourists. I would think it reasonable to at least attempt to modify the behaviour before suggesting 'a more peaceful place'where demons are not allowed'.

Euthanasia is the last resort when all else fails, not the first port of call for a behavioural problem. I am shocked at how quickly some people suggest euthanasia as a solution to a problem without at least exploring other avenues.

I do however think this dog has had more exposure to laser pointers than one random experience at the park. I doubt such an obsession would be triggered by one brief experience.

fincee85: Find a competent animal behaviourist who has dealt with this problem in dogs. It's not an uncommon problem. I would do this without further delay.

[damp]

Originally Posted by Anne

Dogs have been successfully treated for this obsession by qualified animal behaviourists.

Anne,
Do you have any links (and testimony) ?

I would be glad to know!!

[Anne]

Originally Posted by stonesmom

My Stone who is almost 16 month's did, and STILL does the same thing. I have 3 kids and they think it's amusing when they play with him like that. I have been told that it can become an obsessive compulsive disorder with rottweiler's and it is ill advised! Stone too has jumped on the walls, etc.. to get to the shadows. I don't know if it is just a dog thing,but I try to not encourage it in my house for his sake from what I have read on it. Any other posts would be a help to me too on this issue!!!!!!!!

You have stated you are aware of the potential danger to your dog yet your children are still tormenting the dog I would go much further than 'trying not to encourage' this behaviour from your children as this clearly isn't working. I would confiscate all laser pointers your children have in their posession until they prove themselves to be more responsible.

I would also impress upon them that they may be signing the death warrant of their dog if they continue to torment him for their own amusement. There is a point of no return where an obsession is beyond any modification by an animal behaviourist. The children may be having fun. The dog is not, he is stressed. An obsession is not fun.

It's not only Rottweilers but any dog can become obsessed with laser pointers. I wish the darn things were not so easy to obtain.

Please, for the sake of your dog, take these laser pointers away from your children. Have a serious, stern discussion and explain to them that tormenting a dog is not an appropriate way to entertain and amuse themselves.

[Zumie05]

I have seen a few episodes on the dog whisperer with ceasar millan where he has helped dogs with ocd. I know many people on this site have their opinions about this man and some of his methods, but he did help the dogs with ocd.

There are a few episodes where he helps dogs who cannot stop chasing their tail, and there was also one about a dog who would never stop searching for the laser toy and who would watch shadows for hours. His fix was to up the exersize amount for the dogs dramatically and to give them a job to do. The dogs wore back packs on their walks. Every time the dogs tried to engage in the ocd behaviors, he would correct it and give alternative things to do. This is not something that was an easy fix. Even Ceasar on the show didn't get immediate results in these cases. In the end it is all up to the owners, and yes these dogs were saved.

Basically his idea was to tire the dog out mentally and physically be upping the exersize and giving it a job to do.

[Anne]

Originally Posted by damp

Anne,
Do you have any links (and testimony) ?
I would be glad to know!!

No I don't Damp. Though I imagine a google search may bring up some info.

As reluctant as I am to admit it, I saw a TV program with Jan Fennell where she successfully disuaded a dog from the compulsion to chase a laser beam and shadows.
Though we know anything is possible in a 1/2 hour TV show

I'll ask Mick Trainer when I speak to him about his opinion on the level of success or otherwise in helping a dog with this obsession. I'll ask him to come into this thread.

[OnyxGold1]

I saw the one episode on The Dog Whisperer too where Cesar was trying to fix the dog that was fixated on chasing lights too and same deal.....any refraction of light was fair game, anything....I believe Cesar ended up taking him to his place for 2-3 weeks for the dog to learn to be a dog again with the pack of dogs and then absolutely his advice was to exercise diligently and to correct as soon as the owner saw the dog reverting back to the unproductive behavior.

Heather

[Shelby427]

Originally Posted by stonesmom

My Stone who is almost 16 month's did, and STILL does the same thing. I have 3 kids and they think it's amusing when they play with him like that. I have been told that it can become an obsessive compulsive disorder with rottweiler's and it is ill advised! Stone too has jumped on the walls, etc.. to get to the shadows. I don't know if it is just a dog thing,but I try to not encourage it in my house for his sake from what I have read on it. Any other posts would be a help to me too on this issue!!!!!!!!

This is why we discourage this so much. You need to step in and stop your kids from doing this to the dog. Trying not to encourage it is different than taking the laser pointers away from the kids and telling the kids to stop it and that they are not allowed to do this again. Get in control. The poor dog is suffering.

[Jaidann]

WOW ... now this is something I have never heard of. Very good read and very good information.

Thanks everyone.

[alice's mommy]

On another note: please crate your dog in your car! If he were crated, he wouldn't have been able to lunge at anything and cause you to almost crash your car.

[juniata302]

This does sound like it could potentially be Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Last September I rescued a Rott that would sit under my skylights (I have one in every room in the house) and bark and circle, bark and circle. Nothing we tried would get him unfixated and we tried EVERYTHING. If you reached for him he would snap at you. He was diagnosed with OCD. I had to give him back to the rescue as we were just not able to put in the hours necessary each day to work with him on this. I felt soooo bad, like I failed him. They tried Prozac, but that did not help much, if at all. They were able to re-home him to an environment without any skylights to a couple that was able to spend several hours each day excersing him, but he still has bad days sometimes and shows the behavior again with other objects. The only thing that remotely worked was exercising him, but not just "normal" daily exercise, but hours of exercise and even then we had issues most days.

I feel for you. I know first hand how frustrating this can be.

[peachesandchubby]

Peaches my rottin had a problem with chasing dust particles in the sunlight also had problems with bubbles she would make by dipping her paw in her water bowl and bite at them. This she would do for hours if you let her.
I mistakinly bought "doggy bubbles" you can blow and this also became a problem.
I started walking with her 2 times a day, about 1 1/2 to 2 miles per walk and got her back into training classes which Ive always done with both my dogs, just retook the same classes. When she started to fixate on something I corrected her by telling her no and then redirected her to chasing a ball or playing with a toy she liked.
I still have to be careful with her to this day like a few days ago I just got outta the bath tub and noticed she was starting to fixate on the bubbles so I told her no and gave her a bully stick to chew on in the other room.
It has gotten better with time, its very seldom few and far between but you have to stay on top of it.
I start her in agility for real this weds and I think its just up her alley!! She is so full of energy and I think this makes her prone to this problem - not enuff to do kinda thing.
Good luck and if you do a search on the subject you should come up with a lot of info. I posted about it here and learned alot.