Shadows And Light... Is My Dog Crazy?

Have you ever seen a dog stare fixedly at a shadow on the wall

? Or go nuts trying to chase the light moving from someone's watch crystal? Maybe your dog chases shadows on the floor or the walls. If she only does this occasionally then you probably find it amusing and have a good laugh about it. But if your dog does this all the time, in an obsessive fashion, you may have begun to wonder if there's something wrong with your dog. The truth is that your dog may have a real problem.

Some dogs seem to be predisposed to obsessive-compulsive behaviors. If you have a Border Collie or one of the retrieving breeds, such as a Labrador or a Golden Retriever, or even some Terriers, then they may exhibit obsessive-compulsive behavior. Sometimes obsessive-compulsive behavior takes the form of tail-chasing or snapping at imaginary flies, or it can be expressed as compulsive fetching and retrieving behavior. Your retriever may bring you a ball over and over again for as long as you will go on throwing it for him. He can continue to do this long after he has reached the point of exhaustion. Chasing shadows and light rays falls into this same category.

Some dog trainers and canine behaviorists theorize that playing with dogs and puppies with laser lights may encourage this kind of obsessive interest in lights moving around on the floor and the walls so you should not play with laser lights or flash lights with your puppy or dog. If your dog shows an excessive interest in shadows moving on the floor or walls you can try dimming the lights so the shadows won't be so obvious, or take your dog out of the room where the shadows are appearing.

It's also a good idea to make sure that your dog has lots of other things to distract him from the shadows and lights that interest him. Always make sure he has lots of toys and spend time playing with him, especially when he shows interest in chasing shadows or lights. You can also distract your dog with treats and other things that usually interest him.

Training is another way to approach your dog's over-interest in shadows and lights. Some people recommend that you give your dog's attention to shadows or lights a name of its own, such as "Shadows." That way you can give the command, "No shadows!" The rest of the training would involve treating the "No shadows" command as though it were the "Leave it!" command, teaching the dog to come away from the shadows and "Come" to you when you call him. Make sure that you reward and praise him for leaving the shadows and coming to you. Remember that you never punish a dog when he comes to you and you should not punish a dog for playing with shadows or light. Instead, substitute other positive commands so that you can reward your dog for doing something positive.

Some veterinarians believe that the fascination with shadows and light may be caused by seizure activity in the dog's brain. Obsessive-compulsive behavior can also escalate to the point where your dog is not able to control his actions. In these cases you should seek veterinary help for your dog's excessive interest in shadows and lights. Your vet may need to prescribe OCD medication for your dog to help him be able to re-learn more positive behavior and be less interested in the shadows and lights.

Anxious dogs are more likely to display these compulsive behaviors so if your dog begins to show too much interest in shadows or lights try to assess what's going on in his world. Is he stressed for some reason? Have there been changes in the home or in his routine? Your dog may be reacting to something that you can change for him and take away whatever stress is causing him to be anxious.

Many dogs may chase shadows and lights and it's not a sign of a serious problem. But if your dog displays this behavior frequently try some of the solutions discussed here. If your dog develops a serious problem with this behavior, be sure to check with your veterinarian.

by: Tristan Andrews

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