Comments on: Dogs with fixations (part 2) http://www.thatmutt.com/2008/08/03/dogs-with-fixations-part-2/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:11:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Lindsay Stordahl http://www.thatmutt.com/2008/08/03/dogs-with-fixations-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-107168 Lindsay Stordahl Thu, 24 Feb 2011 04:05:31 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=660#comment-107168 Yeah unfortunately that's where a lot of fixations come from. I'm convinced Ace is nutty over a ball because he wasn't given any exercise or training for his first year. That, and all labs are crazy about retrieving anyway, as they should be. Yeah unfortunately that’s where a lot of fixations come from. I’m convinced Ace is nutty over a ball because he wasn’t given any exercise or training for his first year. That, and all labs are crazy about retrieving anyway, as they should be.

]]> By: Ross http://www.thatmutt.com/2008/08/03/dogs-with-fixations-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-107160 Ross Thu, 24 Feb 2011 02:59:02 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=660#comment-107160 The step fixation was a phase he went through as a puppy, but he later grew out of it. He was a Border Collie/Labrador cross, so he was very intelligent. Out of this breed's natural environment of being a working dog herding sheep, he had to apply his intelligence to something. The step fixation was a phase he went through as a puppy, but he later grew out of it. He was a Border Collie/Labrador cross, so he was very intelligent. Out of this breed’s natural environment of being a working dog herding sheep, he had to apply his intelligence to something.

]]> By: Lindsay Stordahl http://www.thatmutt.com/2008/08/03/dogs-with-fixations-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-106697 Lindsay Stordahl Mon, 21 Feb 2011 23:23:37 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=660#comment-106697 Ha! What a funny dog! Although it may not have been very funny to you at the time! Ha! What a funny dog! Although it may not have been very funny to you at the time!

]]> By: Ross http://www.thatmutt.com/2008/08/03/dogs-with-fixations-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-106696 Ross Mon, 21 Feb 2011 23:22:03 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=660#comment-106696 He was also very clever at finding lost tennis balls out in the street. He'd then carry them home and play with them. He was also very clever at finding lost tennis balls out in the street. He’d then carry them home and play with them.

]]> By: Ross http://www.thatmutt.com/2008/08/03/dogs-with-fixations-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-106695 Ross Mon, 21 Feb 2011 23:20:51 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=660#comment-106695 My late dog, Monty had a fixation for steps. If he saw a staircase when we were out walking, he had to climb it. My late dog, Monty had a fixation for steps. If he saw a staircase when we were out walking, he had to climb it.

]]> By: Lindsay Stordahl http://www.thatmutt.com/2008/08/03/dogs-with-fixations-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-93687 Lindsay Stordahl Fri, 07 Jan 2011 16:44:37 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=660#comment-93687 Yes, there are other dogs with this kind of fixation. You should try to find the episode of the Dog Whisperer where the dog is fixated on rocks. It's very similar to my dog's tennis ball obsession. It's unhealthy for a dog to act this way, so I recommend correcting this behavior and providing him with other outlets for his energy like long walks while wearing a backpack, obedience work and structured retrieving games. I realize this is much easier said than done! Yes, there are other dogs with this kind of fixation. You should try to find the episode of the Dog Whisperer where the dog is fixated on rocks. It’s very similar to my dog’s tennis ball obsession. It’s unhealthy for a dog to act this way, so I recommend correcting this behavior and providing him with other outlets for his energy like long walks while wearing a backpack, obedience work and structured retrieving games. I realize this is much easier said than done!

]]> By: Allan S. Thomas http://www.thatmutt.com/2008/08/03/dogs-with-fixations-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-93661 Allan S. Thomas Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:23:34 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=660#comment-93661 One day I was in our back yard with OSCAR (my 4-month old mixed breed), when I noticed him moving a medium sized rock with his legs and paws. He would move the rock three to four feet in one direction and then switch to another direction while barking, howling and bitting the rock. When I tried to take the rock away he would growl and snap at me. At first I thought this was fun entertainment but then it continued on for 1/2 hour or so. On another day, I hid his rock and he found another one and proceeded to push and pull it around the yard. I had never seen a dog behave this way before and thought "This is got to be some kind of fixation". Oscar had never done this with his chew toys or balls or anything else and so I thought to check the internet to see if other pet owners had experienced this problem with their pets. Allan T. One day I was in our back yard with OSCAR (my 4-month old mixed breed), when I noticed him moving a medium sized rock with his legs and paws. He would move the rock three to four feet in one direction and then switch to another direction while barking, howling and bitting the rock. When I tried to take the rock away he would growl and snap at me. At first I thought this was fun entertainment but then it continued on for 1/2 hour or so. On another day, I hid his rock and he found another one and proceeded to push and pull it around the yard. I had never seen a dog behave this way before and thought “This is got to be some kind of fixation”. Oscar had never done this with his chew toys or balls or anything else and so I thought to check the internet to see if other pet owners had experienced this problem with their pets.
Allan T.

]]> By: Lindsay Stordahl http://www.thatmutt.com/2008/08/03/dogs-with-fixations-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-26550 Lindsay Stordahl Wed, 28 Apr 2010 19:38:54 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=660#comment-26550 Yeah, I think that's good advice to keep in mind. Thanks! Yeah, I think that’s good advice to keep in mind. Thanks!

]]> By: Dog Behavior Training http://www.thatmutt.com/2008/08/03/dogs-with-fixations-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-26529 Dog Behavior Training Wed, 28 Apr 2010 13:23:48 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=660#comment-26529 To fix this kind of problem. We have been real successful using tactics of introducing a dog to the object of fixation while they are calm. The moment they leave that state of mind we correct. To fix this kind of problem. We have been real successful using tactics of introducing a dog to the object of fixation while they are calm. The moment they leave that state of mind we correct.

]]> By: Lindsay Stordahl http://www.thatmutt.com/2008/08/03/dogs-with-fixations-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-4603 Lindsay Stordahl Thu, 16 Oct 2008 18:21:52 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=660#comment-4603 If you live with others, I recommend they take on some responsibilities with the dog, such as walking her, feeding her, obedience training, so she starts to see she can get attention from others too. She probably competes with them for you, so it's up to you to set rules for her and really elevate the status of all the others you live with. I would also work on calming exercises with her and practicing "stay." If there's a toy or food she loves, have everyone you know give her a small treat when she looks at them or get them to throw the toy for her. If you live with others, I recommend they take on some responsibilities with the dog, such as walking her, feeding her, obedience training, so she starts to see she can get attention from others too. She probably competes with them for you, so it’s up to you to set rules for her and really elevate the status of all the others you live with.

I would also work on calming exercises with her and practicing “stay.”

If there’s a toy or food she loves, have everyone you know give her a small treat when she looks at them or get them to throw the toy for her.

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