Why was DJ becoming obsessed with balls and chasing sticks? It is sometimes hard to determine whether changes in a re-homed dog’s behaviour after a couple of weeks or so is due to settling in and old traits resurfacing, or to something the new people themselves are doing. Probably a Read more
Why does Dixie’s scrabbling and digging escalate as the day goes on? Two-year-old Working Cocker Dixie is constantly on the go. As the day wears on, she gets worse. It manifests itself in what I call ‘scrabbling’ and they call ‘dobbing’. She paddles and scratches with her front paws on Read more
Dan is showing obsessive behaviour signs, especially with water and now with his ball. If he gets into any water – the sea, a river, a large puddle – he is obsessed. Not sure if it’s shadows/light/ movement but he will stay in there to the point of hyperthermia
Why does the Border Collie become fixated on one spot in the garden? Border Collie Oscar lives with a young couple who love him dearly. They do everything they can think of to give him the best life. One thing they have been unable to overcome. Fixates. Frozen Oscar, in Read more
The Working Cocker is now one year old. Her obsession with chasing shadows and lights plagues her life. It also affects her family.
Very soon after they got her at 4 months of age, she was exhibiting OCD by fixating for hours on the sunlight dancing through the leaves onto the ground.
He yelps when going through the dog flap, but no, the yelping isn’t due to pain. Not only has the vet thoroughly checked little Smudge, but they have another identical dog flap in another door and he jumps through that happily.
Why can constant ball throwing create an obsessive, over-excited dog?
The young couple has a beautiful Border Collie pup called Sabre, soon to be sixth months old.
He greeted me outside the house, pulling hard to get to me. Most of the time I was with them he was flying all over the place or barking at the young man in particular. He barked for him to throw a toy.
The man always complies because the barking goes right through his head.
I tried to unravel the puzzle of why, over such a short period about three months ago, Woody had changed so completely from being carefree and confident to so nervous, fearful and barky.
What happens when a dog’s growling warning is ignored?
Jonny is a gorgeous, friendly dog – looking and behaving a lot younger than his supposed ten years. The elderly couple who had him previously could no longer keep him.
He has a lovely home now with activity and enrichment.
His two problems are around guarding, growling warning and chasing shadows – or just charging about chasing nothing. (more…)