# Ever use the laser as a toy?



## GSDkid (Apr 19, 2011)

Abby and her laser - YouTube

Sorry, I don't know how to use the code for videos.

I always thought it only worked on cats but apparently it works on kids as well.  If I was to lay an open back of her most favorite treats and have the laser on the other side, she would pick the laser.


----------



## gsdraven (Jul 8, 2009)

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/general-information/151188-laser-pen-ocd-studies.html


----------



## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Please do NOT NOT use a laser at all with your dog. Dogs can become so fixated on the light that it creates OCD, where the dog is constantly looking for the light....it's really bad.


----------



## iBaman (Oct 25, 2011)

My pit is ocd for them...if he sees the glare off of a watch or phone, he goes INSANE. =[ Every once in a while, sheldon will see one and pounce on it, but he's not crazy about light.


----------



## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

I recently watched an episode of Dog Whisperer, where two GSD were obsessed with the laser light. The obsession spilled into any shadow figure or reflection that remotely resembles a laser light.

After watching the episode, I would suggest against it.


----------



## GSDkid (Apr 19, 2011)

Wow! Never knew. That's a scary thought. Thanks for the link Raven.

*EDIT*

After reading all those, I'm disappointed in myself. *throws laser away* I should've known better. Thanks again.


----------



## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Try making a flirt pole. It's the same type of prey drive activity, but they can actually catch something.


----------



## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Lucy Dog said:


> Try making a flirt pole. It's the same type of prey drive activity, but they can actually catch something.


A flirt pole is an excellent idea and it gives the dog the chance to win. 

Abby is a pretty girl


----------



## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

GSDkid said:


> Wow! Never knew. That's a scary thought. Thanks for the link Raven.
> 
> *EDIT*
> 
> After reading all those, I'm disappointed in myself. *throws laser away* I should've known better. Thanks again.


Don't beat yourself up about it. A couple of brief sessions with the laser (as long as they aren't frequent) won't hurt her anymore than chasing a moth or bee outside would. They don't always catch what they chase.


----------



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

PaddyD said:


> Don't beat yourself up about it. A couple of brief sessions with the laser (as long as they aren't frequent) won't hurt her anymore than chasing a moth or bee outside would. They don't always catch what they chase.


There have been people that have posted that even one session with the laser had their dog showing OCD behaviours to lights and shadows - chewing on the wood floor where they last saw the laser light until their mouth bled, for example. Their is just something about how the brain percieves the moving light that is different from moving objects, and can cause the onset of OCD behaviour. 

And then there are people that have used it regularly for years and their dogs are completely fine with it - so go figure! I know for me, I wouldn't want to chance it, not even once. There are plenty of other completely safe ways to exercise and play with our dogs.


----------



## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

It can absolutely fry the dog's brain!!! I knew a guy who thought it was funny - I saw his dog just staring at the ground, and every few seconds pouncing - it went on as long as the dog was out of his crate...the dog later had to be put down from some sort of related problem...

Lee


----------



## DunRingill (Dec 28, 2007)

Ianna could easily have become obsessed with laser lights...it's only been recently that we could safely use a flashlight around her! I guess at age 13 years 8 months she either doesn't see the light anymore, or thinks it's too much work to chase it


----------



## GSDkid (Apr 19, 2011)

She's okay so far. It's only been 3 days since the last time we used it. Currently, I don't see any side effects other than when we're playing fetch, I'll say in an excited voice "Go get it Abby. Get it." She'll look around for the laser rather than getting the ball but that's only happened 2 or 3 times.


----------



## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

If you said Go Get it for the laser then don't say it again for a while. If you are playing fetch, then say Fetch. Make it different. Don't let people scare you into thinking you damaged your dog. Remain optimistic and move on. If you really did damage your dog you will know but it looks like you stopped in time.


----------



## CarrieJ (Feb 22, 2011)

I would not even use one for a cat. Although, they don't seem quite as prone to the compulsive behaviors as dogs. It's the lack of reward, the endless chasing and hunting without ever catching it; it just seems mean.

My bosses black shepherd someone used a laser pointer on, and that dog has a few pallets missing out of his warehouse. He's definitely gotten better with the frustrated barking and hunting shadows and lights, but still a nutjob.
And, that behavior set before he was a year old.


----------



## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

We rescued a Dachshund who was OCD with a laser toy.
We had no idea why he was @ the shelter though. His intake papers said "destroys furniture". He was housetrained, didn't destroy anything!

This dog had been devocalized. We didn't know why. 
It was cloudy when we picked him up, and a few days later the sun came out and suddenly the dog was going nuts. He was chasing every little reflection from the sun shining through the curtains. 
At night, in the car, forget it. The dog went nuts with headlights. 
Any little thing that flashed or shone, he went crazy. 
We got him on Paxil or whatever it was, for OCD. Prozac maybe it was. It's been about 7yrs ago now. 
I found him a home where the gals' mom in law was a vet. 
It was one of the saddest things I've ever seen.


----------



## Shaina (Apr 2, 2011)

Multiple dogs at the dog daycare I work at have light ocd. They cant wear collars w nametags because of the relections and a few of them will actually fight over shadows. Scary!


----------



## Syaoransbear (Sep 25, 2008)

I do, I used to even run my dog for about half an hour outside in the dark with one. Haven't had any OCD behaviors or associating other things like light/shadows as a laser, but I think he's the exception and there's too much of a risk to even test your dog to see if a laser would cause OCD or not.


----------



## Oskar der Drachen (Oct 28, 2011)

I know a dog that had the same kind of behaviour, only it was trigger by watch faces on the floor or ground from the sun.

Manu would chase the circle, and if it wasn't there keep hunting it for the longest time. He seemed to enjoy it but it was definitely an obsessive issue with him. Taught as a puppy to chase the light. He would sometimes go for the sunlight dapples under trees too.


----------



## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

Gsds are prone to obsessive compulsive behaviors so it would be wise to stay away from the laser.


----------



## Sapakus (Aug 10, 2010)

ahhh crap..... I posted a video couple of months back about my dog "looking" for something on the floor and there was nothing there... and I was trying to figure out what was he doing... now I remember using the Laser around that time around that spot couple of times before the cheap thing broke so i stopped, was going to get a new one but always forgot to.... 

I'm guessing that behavior was cause by that laser i used.... even though it was funny, glad it stopped!


----------

