# Chasing lights and shadows! HELP



## ER Nurse (Nov 30, 2016)

Our 2 year old male started chasing light reflections and shadows in the house and car. We have tried, distractions, treats, corrections, crate etc. Even after we have worn him out with training as soon as he enters the house he starts. He is wearing us out and its stressful for him as well. Any suggestions?
Thank You!


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Has anyone ever played with a laser pointer with him?


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## J and J M (Sep 20, 2013)

I had a relative with a dog who had this problem. They had played with a laser pointer and after that the dog would always chase lights. Laser pointers are not good toys for dogs.


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## Honeybee1999 (Mar 2, 2006)

Train a very strong "leave it" command and use it every time he starts fixating. Other helpful commands are "place" (or we call it "park it", which means go lay on your pillow and don't get up), and just a simple "down". Give him something to do besides chase the light. Mine started doing it, too, after my kids found a laser pointer that we had for the cats and used it on him. The laser pointer has since been thrown away.


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## Bigwillt (Mar 2, 2015)

We've had the same issue since using a laser pointer one time. Like the above post, we found one we had gotten somewhere and shined it on the carpet. Leo got super excited and started chasing it around the living room. We quit real quick and haven't done it since. That was almost two years ago and he still jumps at a flash off of a watch face or shadows on the floor. It's better some days than others.

Never again with a laser pointer!


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## Heartandsoul (Jan 5, 2012)

I would block or stop what ever is causing reflection/shadows whenever possible. Shut shades, don't wear things that can reflect light, move any crystal or items that catches light. Stuff like that. In the car, maybe you can get shades for the side back widows to minimize shadows during car rides.

I learned about the problems laser pointers cause from this site and my kids thought I was being nuts when I took the laser away. I lucked out. My boy obsessed over the last spot he saw the red dot for about 3 days. My kids had the pointer for only 2 days.


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## WIBackpacker (Jan 9, 2014)

Start doing what Heartandsoul posted above. 

Buy a few rolls of green painter's tape (you can peel it off of any surface without damaging it). Put paper over stainless steel appliances. Put small pieces of painter's tape over the lights that blink on your electronic gadgets (cable box, modem, coffee pot, etc). Cover up as much as possible. Don't wear a watch. 

I fostered a dog with this problem, and we started by removing as many reflections and lights as possible. It's shocking just how many blinking lights there are in the average home... We had to suddenly SNAP her attention away from fixating on lights and shadows by dropping a heavy object, blowing a whistle (loudly), or slamming a door. When we couldn't watch her, she was crated in a room without mirrors or anything reflective. 

She improved as she learned that other things were acceptable to fixate on (balls, frisbees) - tangible, physical things that could be caught, which satisfied and ended the chase game. She was most likely screwed up by a laser pointer in her prior home.

No laser pointers, ever....


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## Findlay (Jan 8, 2015)

ER Nurse said:


> Our 2 year old male started chasing light reflections and shadows in the house and car. We have tried, distractions, treats, corrections, crate etc. Even after we have worn him out with training as soon as he enters the house he starts. He is wearing us out and its stressful for him as well. Any suggestions?
> Thank You!


Hi. There's a mention of Shadow Chasing in this article:
Obsessive Compulsive Behavior in Dogs | Whole Dog Journal

Good luck.


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## gsdluvr (Jun 26, 2012)

Anybody know what causes some dogs to become OCD with lasers and shadows? I know of one who would stare at a blank wall waiting for the laser. I tried to warn her,....but???


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## WIBackpacker (Jan 9, 2014)

gsdluvr said:


> Anybody know what causes some dogs to become OCD with lasers and shadows? I know of one who would stare at a blank wall waiting for the laser. I tried to warn her,....but???


Someone explained it to me as "unfulfilling speed" for dogs (like a drug). Basically, it triggers prey drive, but it is IMPOSSIBLE to catch and it disappears. Totally unfulfilling and illogical. Dog gets frantic to find it / chase it / catch it, which of course is impossible. Repeat, repeat.

That's why lots of dogs (and cats) who've played with red laser pointers will stare obsessively at the red dot on cable boxes, etc.


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## scarfish (Apr 9, 2013)

i destroyed a dog for life once by playing with a laser when i didn't know better. no OCD over lights but the laser had a key chain attached. no keys on it but whenever i picked up my keys to leave she heard the similar sound and would go bonkers looking for the light.


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## gsdluvr (Jun 26, 2012)

scarfish said:


> i destroyed a dog for life once by playing with a laser when i didn't know better. no OCD over lights but the laser had a key chain attached. no keys on it but whenever i picked up my keys to leave she heard the similar sound and would go bonkers looking for the light.


Sad.:crying:


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## ER Nurse (Nov 30, 2016)

No laser, reflection off of cell phones on the walls in the house. We can't keep it dark all the time. Corrections, treats etc. are not working.


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## ER Nurse (Nov 30, 2016)

scarfish said:


> i destroyed a dog for life once by playing with a laser when i didn't know better. no OCD over lights but the laser had a key chain attached. no keys on it but whenever i picked up my keys to leave she heard the similar sound and would go bonkers looking for the light.


Oh no!!! :frown2:


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## ER Nurse (Nov 30, 2016)

Makes a lot of sense, sounds like there is no hope for this.


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## ER Nurse (Nov 30, 2016)

That is good advice but he jumps at the ceiling as well.


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## ER Nurse (Nov 30, 2016)

No, just light sreflections from our cell phones and he was done!


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