Focussed Border Collie fixating on the back fence

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.

Fixating. Frozen

Oscar, in the garden, will stare at the back fence, fixated. He agitates until they open the door for him and then he charges down the garden.

Once there he won’t move unless called in (which the biddable dog does willingly).

They told me that another dog lives the other side of the fence. They believed he was focussing on the dog.

I don’t think so. He was just as fixated the previous week when the dog was away.

Something visual

In my experience it’s much more likely to be something visual. I once went to a Border Collie who spent all day staring at a wall. She was looking at the spot where a refection from an opening glass door sometimes hit the wall.

I suggested there was a gap or hole in the fence as Oscar stares at one spot. He doesn’t move.  A dog the other side would be moving about. As the dog or a person moves the other side of the fence, they will pass this small gap.

We deal with this in two ways.

Fulfilment

The first is to fulfil Oscar’s life even more with ‘Border Collie’ things. Things that involve concentrating. These will also involve actually being able to catch the item. Imagine how frustrating it must be never to get it.

Enrichment will also include feeding him in such a way that he has to work for his food in smaller ‘doses’. At present it’s left down and the young lady is very anxious by his indifference to food.

A running buffet means food has little value!

Calm

They will also do all they can to keep him as calm as possible. I have found the more aroused a dog is, the more they perform their OCD behaviours.

In addition to enrichment and calm, they can deal with the problem head-on.

Dealing with the problem head-on

The first thing to do is to block any gaps in the fence.

They will no longer let him out whenever he asks, but will go with him. Maybe use a long line. They will prevent him from rehearsing the behaviour.

Whenever he approaches the fence they will divert him onto something else to chase. Something he can catch – maybe a soft toy or food. We also have a plan using a clicker.

Instead of letting him out the back to toilet, they have a side strip he can use, away from that fence.

A couple of weeks later – they have been working hard:  “We have seen a huge improvement in Oscar’s behaviour around the fence panel. We have bought clickers and are using them, Oscar is responding well.
We have noticed improvements in his eating habits.
(We found the meeting VERY friendly, informative and engaging. With so much helpful information and knowledge! You took time to understand us and Oscar and our problems and concerns, but also assured us that the things that we had started to do and done all help to create a well balanced happy and confident).

And three weeks later: Hi Theo. Just to let you know that we have had a wonderful success this morning, Oscar has been out in the garden alone this morning for toilet and then a little while later, he sniffed about and just explored the space AND ate all of his breakfast off his licki mat. We are all so grateful for your support and guidance. Thank you.

A year on: We didn’t realise this was a year ago. A year on and there’s almost no interest in the back fence at all! We’re so great full for your help and support!

NB. For the sake of the story and for confidentiality also, this isn’t a complete report. If you listen to ‘other people’ or find instructions on the internet or TV that are not tailored to your own dog, you can do more harm than good. Click here for help