Shadow chasing

[ChickensHaveNoEyebrows]

It. Is. Driving. Me. Mental.

Jas has always barked at and been transfixed by shadows. Now, he is also obsessed with dust motes in shards of light. I'm closing my curtains at 6pm in the living room just to stop him pacing, air snapping and generally driving me up the wall. I've tried distraction, training to go to his bed and treating for staying calm. As soon as I sit back down, he's back patrolling, pawing at the air and unable to settle. Any tips (other than a blindfold for the dog)?

my solution is to turn off all lights, shut curtains and install blackout blinds...works a treat but unfortunately may result in broken limbs from falling over now relaxed recumbent dog in the gloom. .

Alternative: put him in the winter drying dog bag...all the way in??

Actually the only thing that works with foolishdog (working springer) is to shove her out into the garden...where she snaps at flies, drifting seeds, ligt patterns etc. then is usually calm for an hour or so when I let her in.

Will be checking the thread for other solutions too

How about some diazepam ? My mums last dog was on it for years ,can't remember why he started taking it ( probably because he lived with my mother in her madhouse) but he was certainly very chilled out .

Jaz is really throwing all the "fun" behaviours at your Chickens. I would be very concerned at compulisive disorders like shadow and dust chasing. There is usually a very stressed dog involved.

I would want to get him checked by a vet to ensure there are no eye problems (I doubt there are but just to be safe)

Often shadow or dust chasing is a symptom and working on the cause can help a lot. Jas has sounded like a stressed little lad and an over thinker and this in continuing at home. Try a DAP collar, give him an area to relax and reward him constantly when he is relaxed. I would also try some TTOuch on him. I bet Jas does not truly know the feeling of relaxation.

I would also stop the ball chasing, that can keep adrenalin levels high in dogs for days. Just calm exercise. I would up the mental stimulation games eg clicker training.

Then divert any attempt to dust chase. Ask for a calm alternative behaviour. He loves his ball will he sniff it out if you hide it rather than just chase it. Noise work is good as it is calming and very very tiring.

Some dogs do require medication for obsessive behaviours but I would work very hard on changing his environment rather than medicate.

Did he do this before the arrival of the puppy?

Yes, he's always done it. In the winter, it's shadows from lamps. If you walk in front of them and your shadow is moving, he barks at it. He will stare and pant for ages. Now, the sun is coming through the living room window in the early evening, and he wants to catch it. Damn, I wish he was a calmer dog.

Will he not settle if he's on the sofa with you ?

He will if I stop the shadows moving/cut the light out. He does spend most of the evening snoring upside down on the sofa casually farting in DH's direction He has a high prey drive for things that aren't actually prey. So, never catches small furries, but ball obsessed, goes nuts chasing bubbles etc. Spaniels, eh?

I have used dap collar and diffuser and been surprised at the results took the edge off my nervous dog.
Is it a working breed ? They do tend to get obsessive if under excercised or under stimulated etc

He's a cocker/springer cross, and I do my best to exhaust him. It doesn't seem like a behaviour born out of boredom, tbh, more a behaviour born out of anxiety. He just doesn't trust these moving things that he can't get a hold of. I'll look in to the dap collar.

idir can I ask your advice? (sorry chickens...don't want to hijack) Foolishdog ...4 year rescue working springer has mostly come through her fear aggression to dogs, is super 98% of the time recall, does many clicker based tricks well....mostly due to the excellent advice you have given to others via this forum...but if I do clicker training whilst out with her she gets totally over hyper and ends up either having no recall or over-reacting to a passing dog. For the same reason I seldom take her ball out on a walk unless i am pretty sure we will be on our own.

I really like to combine clicker training with the walk and with a house full of DC it is good time to concentrate on her....do I drop it or am I doing the wrong thing??

at all other times she is a very calm lovely gil.

PS also huge furry prey drive! But this does not cause a problem

I wonder if something like a TTouch Wrap or Thundershirt might help lower his general anxiety levels.

I've heard of them really helping with some dogs, although they don't work for all.

We are about to try a Thundershirt for Lurcherboy, as his anxiety levels shot through the roof when we lost Oldgirl and while they have improved a lot with a great deal of work (including counter-conditioning, SA training, general clicker training and greatly increased exercise) he is still not completely relaxed and we seem to keep hitting a wall when gradually increasing the time he can be left (can do 25 minutes max before relapsing).

I have an open mind as to whether or not it will work, but if it doesn't apparently there is a 45 day money-back guarantee - regardless of the condition of the shirt (in other words it doesn't have to be returned in as-new condition).

Jay dog does this chicken he drives himself bonkers I shook his bed out 1 day and it was the hairs in the sunlight he now will do it for ages we have to try and distract him I feel guilty because i think I am not doing enough with him