Shadow Chasing...

I'm wondering if anyone else has a freak for a dog like my roommate... (Oh, I love the dog but she is a freak! The dog, not the roommate)

This is what happens - Hurley (the dog, pitbull about 3 yrs old) will stare at the wall for HOURS chasing the shadows and just watching them. She also licks the walls while she is doing this. Or she will just watch the shadows on the couch and lick the couch. Or the shadows on the ground and lick the ground...

Anyone else have a freaky , yet so loveable, dog?

Thanks.

Whoaaaa! Freaky! My psycho dog Kobie does this too! Her "job" is to watch for glints of light and shadows, and to pounce on them when she sees them moving on the ground. She does this with birds, butterflies, and dragonflies that fly over the backyard (she never looks up to see the actual critter--only its shadow!), as well as with glints off of wristwatches, glass, mirrors, or anything shiny. She can occupy herself for hours doing this, if we'd let her. We don't, though, because we already think she's got a screw loose...why let her drive herself completely insane?

BTW, she's an ACD/Husky mix (we think) with a huge prey drive and a serious compulsion to guard the house. But she's a sweetie. You need to post a picture of your roommate's dog ASAP!

And finally, welcome to PetTalk! I grew up in beautiful San Diego (Poway, actually) and miss it sooooo much! Jackie with the Schnauzers (she'll probably be along soon) lives there too. :D

Apparently, dogs chasing lights and shadows is not uncommon. I know the owner of a border collie who does that. Here's a good link that explains the behaviour & what to do about it.

http://www.dvmnewsmagazine.com/small/sab597.asp
Marie

Thanks for that link! It sounded just like Hurley... especially the part about the laser beam. Totally when she was a puppy! While she doesn't eat the places she chaces she does lick. And you should see her when I take out a CD to play. She's on it SO fast!

Anyway, glad to know she's not alone... I'll post a picture or her (and my 7 month old puppy - 7 months today, actually) as soon as I get some scanned.
Toodles!

Yes, Angel3, thanks for the link--although now I know that if Kobie's quirk gets worse she'll need some help from a doggie shrink. :( Thank goodness it's not a full blown obsession yet!

Welcome to Pet Talk! My Basset Hound Daisy chases lights. My sisters and cousins think it's just hysterical to shine flashlights or laser pointers around, and she'd chase them forever! It's cute but so very pathetic! LOL

Odd when I click the link it says that the page no longer exists.

My pup Gully has just started chasing lights after a year with us. Weird that she never did it before?

I don't mind except that she barks too. Any ideas? The casino a few miles away has a big search light (which has been shining for years) and now she barks at it.

Its cute but not at 10pm before we go to bed ;D

My dog also does the shadow chasing he is a 2 year old rottie. But he chases them so bad that i cant even open the door with out him running out after my shadow thats on the ground or his shadow or the reflection from the door. But he does it SO much that its starting to drive me crazy. PLEASE help! (when he was about 7 months he had a seizure and almost died and the only way we saved him was by pouring maple syrup down his throat. Bc the closes vet was an hour away. And he didnt have that long! Also one eye is a lil wider then the other sometimes and if u touch his back to pet him he starts scratching uncontroubley. I hate it bc i dont even want to touch him so he doesnt start scratching. So someone please help!
Thanks !!
Heather !

You need to do some serious work with him -- he basically need to be desensitized regarding shadows. Has he done obedience work? You need to get him on a leash, and when he starts after a shadow, refocus him on you. That way he knows you are in control, and he can ignore the shadow. You have to do this consistently - and every day - just leash time with you in charge, and if he starts after a shadow, make him sit, look at you, and you need to remember not to tense up or get excited, just "focus on me, that shadow isn;t important, *I* am."

Also, has he been to the vet lately? Unrelated to the shadow-chasing, but the touching his back making him scratch uncontrollably raised alarm bells.

Your rottie needs to be checked out for neurological disorders. Seizures are illnesses of the brain and they can affect the way a dog behaves.

Then, we can talk about using training to change his behaviors. :)

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Originally Posted by manda99

Thanks for that link! It sounded just like Hurley... especially the part about the laser beam. Totally when she was a puppy! While she doesn't eat the places she chaces she does lick. And you should see her when I take out a CD to play. She's on it SO fast!

Anyway, glad to know she's not alone... I'll post a picture or her (and my 7 month old puppy - 7 months today, actually) as soon as I get some scanned.
Toodles!

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Hi there, I have a border collie and we just got her back from a babysitter whom watched here while we were in Europe for a week. Well they played with a lazor pointer with him and now he is obssessed with shadows throughout the house. It is non stop...he doesn't eat....he doesn't greet us in the morning..he runs right for the shadows. We are at our witts end what to do???? So for those of you who think it would be cool to have a border collie chasing shadows it is not. We want our dog back. He wants nothing to do with us, and we won't listen to us. All he wants in the shadows:0( it is very sad.