How to Train Your Dog to Stop Chasing Shadows

Hello Peyvand, First, if you have or are using a laser pointer for anything with pup, put the laser away because that can make this obsession far worse. This behavior can happen without the use of a laser too, but just in case you are, you need to know that. Second, work on redirecting to more appropriate outlets and to providing mental stimulation; activities like training with you, puzzle toys, training games, canine sports, and other fun, healthier mentally stimulating things. Because of the severity of a light chasing habit and how obsessive compulsive in nature it is, I would recommend looking for a trainer in your area who specializes in behavior issues has has experience with using a combination of low level e-collar stimulation based training to interrupt the behavior and make it less self-rewarding, and with replacing the compulsion with reward based activities like training with you, puzzle toys, games, and other fun things as soon as pup pauses the chasing. So that the light fixating becomes a No, and the other mental activities a Yes for pup. It could also be beneficial to speak with your vet or an animal behaviorist with medical training about whether a potential chemical imbalance could be related to the behavior and be addressed medically? This behavior can be due to a temperamental tendency toward OCD type traits, and the chasing of lights tends to be a self-rewarding behavior with chemicals like dopamine being released when pup does it, encouraging the cycle to continue, which needs to be addressed from a behavioral stand point most of the time, but it could also be related to a chemical imbalance or something neurological. I am not a vet, so speak with your vet concerning anything medical. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello B, First, unfortunately this behavior is related to the laser pointer. Before I became a trainer I made the same mistake myself once and had to spend time also undoing that behavior in my then obsessive compulsive dog. This behavior can happen without the use of a laser too, it's common with laser pointers so I wouldn't ever bring the laser out again. Second, work on redirecting to more appropriate outlets and to providing mental stimulation; activities like training with you, puzzle toys, treat hiding training games, fetching, and other fun, healthier mentally stimulating things. Because of the severity of a shadow chasing habit and how obsessive compulsive in nature it is, I would recommend looking for a trainer in your area who specializes in behavior issues, who has experience with using a combination of low level e-collar stimulation based training to interrupt the behavior, and reward based activities for replacing the compulsion, like training with you, puzzle toys, games, and other fun things as soon as pup pauses the chasing. So that the light fixating becomes a No, and the other mental activities a Yes for pup. You want to make the shadow chasing less self-rewarding without pup associating that interruption with you, but with the behavior itself through the use of a remote training collar. Because of pup's deafness, I would actually also teach pup to look at you when you vibrate the remote training collar. Most high quality collars like e-collar technologies, Dogtra, Sportdog, and Garman will have at least 40 different different stimulation levels, so you and your trainer can find the lowest level pup will respond to to use for interrupting the shadow chasing. They should also have a vibration setting, that you can teach pup to look at you when they feel. To do this, have pup wear the training collar around for a few days with it turned off, then in a calm room without a lot of distractions or shadows (or outside if pup is less distracted by the shadows while there, vibrate the collar once and toss pup a treat. Repeat this a few times, tossing a treat each time. Practice this for short periods of time several sessions a day. Keep sessions short because the newness of the collar will be pretty stimulating for pup at first. As pup improves and starts to look like they anticipate the treat when they feel the collar, hold the treat out to pup. Practice that until pup looks your direction. Next, hold the treat up to your eye after you vibrate the collar, so that pup makes eye contact, then give the treat. Practice until pup will make eye contact with you even with a treat hidden behind your back when they feel the collar, then give the treat that was behind your back. When pup is reliable with that, practice throughout your day at random times, working up to more distracting environments as pup improves in calmer places gradually. Fitting and introducing a remote training collar and finding the low level stimulation "working level" that's best for pup. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cl3V8vYobM Setting up a remote training collar as a piece of technology - Mini educator from E-collar technologies as the example in this case: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLxB6gYsliI I would work with an experienced trainer for the training itself, but this will explain a bit what you will be doing. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Leah, I recommend hiring a professional trainer who has experience with e-collar training and obsessive compulsive behavior. It sounds like pup may be obsessive about the Chipmunk at this point, which is what I am guessing you suspect since you commented on a Shadow chasing article. It is similar to the obsessive compulsive behavior found there. Often the behavior needs to become unpleasant for the dog, interrupting the fixation without over stressing the dog, and ideally without pup associating the correction with you but with their own behavior instead. A low level remote collar correction is one of the easiest ways to accomplish this, but you need to know how to do it properly so you don't make things worse. Once the behavior is interrupted with the low level corrections, then the behavior needs to be replaced with more appropriate outlets through reward based training and teaching things that help stimulate pup mentally and exercise their brains in appropriate ways, to help pup redirect that obsessive energy to better outlets. I would spend intentional time doing things like teaching tricks and commands with reward based training, feeding meals via Kongs and puzzle toys, starting a canine sport with pup, giving pup small jobs, incorporating training into things like fetch or walks, or earning what pup wants throughout the day by obeying commands first, to provide the mental stimulation pup needs right now. You don't need to do all of those things, but I would pick a couple to add into pup's routine. Check out Jeff Gellman's e-collar how to videos, or James Penrith from taketheleaddogtraining on youtube, to learn more about e-collars and their proper use. Only high quality e-collars, with at least 40 levels, such as E-collar technologies, Sportdog, Garman, or Dogtra should be used, to ensure safety and effectiveness. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Candy, I would use a vibration collar and teach pup that the vibration means look at me, using food rewards. If pup will disengage from the lights and shadows using your hand signals, you can then give pup a hand signal to leave it. If pup won't disengage, I would use the vibration to mean look at me, then hand signals for things like leave it, rewarding obedience, then a low level stimulation from the same remote training collar to correct if pup won't obey your hand signal. Doing all of this essentially lets you tell pup to pause, what to do, and what not to do. Only use a high quality remote training collar, such as e-collar technologies, garmin, Dogtra, or sportdog. E-collar technologies has a model that has various vibration options that can be programmed, in case pup needs a lighter vibration setting to get their attention, or a stronger vibration to get their attention, plus is has a separate stimulation button in case you need to correct. Unlike some shock collar, a quality remote training collar should have at least sixty levels, so that you can get the exact level pup will respond to without having to use a higher level, this is called pup's working level. To teach pup to look at you when you vibrate the collar, I would set your collar to the least intense vibration setting, briefly vibrate the collar standing in front of pup, then immediately give pup a treat as soon as you stop - this vibration should be super short. Repeat this several times, giving a treat with each vibration. Keep training sessions frequent but short at first since the vibration sensation is going to feel weird to pup at first. Practice with pup right in front of you often, until you notice pup looks happy whenever you vibrate, in anticipation of a treat. At that point, start adding a little distance between you and pup and tossing or moving to pup to give the treat. When pup starts looking at you from across the room when they feel the collar, hoping for a treat, then start doing the vibrations randomly with a treat ready when pup isn't expecting it, so pup learns to look for you whenever they feel that sensation. Once pup knows what the vibration means, you may find you need to turn the vibration setting up one or two levels for times of high distraction like while shadow chasing, to get a response out of pup. Start with the lowest level and work up only if needed. Once pup knows what the vibration means, if pup needs corrections after learning the vibration and hand signals, then you can check out the video below for how to teach that too. Fitting and finding working level on remote training collar for stimulation corrections also https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cl3V8vYobM Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Churie, I recommend hiring a professional trainer who has experience with e-collar training and obsessive compulsive behavior. Shadow chasing is an obsessive compulsive behavior. Often the behavior needs to become unpleasant for the dog, interrupting the fixation without over stressing the dog, and ideally without pup associating the correction with you but with their own behavior instead, then the behavior needs to be replaced with more appropriate outlets through reward based training and teaching things that help stimulate pup mentally and exercise their brains in appropriate ways, to help pup redirect that obsessive energy to better outlets. If anyone has ever used a laser pointer with pup, also stop using that. The use of laser pointers tends to contribute to shadow and light chasing for dogs who are prone to developing such obsessions. Giving pup mental stimulation through small jobs, regular training practice, incorporating training into things like fetch or walks or earning what pup wants throughout the day by obeying commands first, puzzle toys/dog food stuffed kongs/working for food, or canine sports once the behavior is interrupted will be especially important for your dog. Shadow chasing can be related to a medical issue like a chemical imbalance or neurological issue. Often it's just behavioral, but I would also speak with your vet about it and keep them aware of the issue. I am not a vet. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden