Attila versus laser pointer

[DemiSheep]

Wanted to post this video real quick. I'll have to record another video this is too funny. Attila using his hunting instincts will not give up finding the red dot. He even starts looking for it when we get him out of his crate in the morning.

Sorry don't have time to do proper HTML magic w/video link.

[Dempsy's Mom]

Awww - his little brain is working so hard. "It has got to be here ....somewhere .... maybe if I sit down and wait for it." Attila is really growing. A happy boy.

[Newman]

Haha so awesomei need to get me one too.. great dog

[josie&holly]

Having read other posts on this Forum about the Laser Pointer I would not get one as apparently it can become an obsession with the dog! It may be cute now but not if they are constantly chasing lights.

see http://www.cairnterrier.org/forum/topic/9239-are-laser-pointers-safe-for-our-pets/page__p__88038__hl__%2Blaser+%2Bpointer+%2B__fromsearch__1#entry88038

[Hawkeye]

I have to agree with Holly & Me. I have heard that it can cause a lot of behavioral problems if done too often.

Attila is a cutie.

[DemiSheep]

Thanks for the information, I probably made some people cringe with my post. We'll definitely look into this. That will be a bummer if he can't play the the Ghost Light . It's just that Attila loved this thing and when we had him running around looking for the Ghost Light, you can tell his mind is working to it's max trying to figure out what to do next. And it's too darn funny with it, my wife and I trying not to laugh out loud at him trying to find the thing. We will not take chances on this affecting him though.

[MegsMom]

I'd suggest 'use with caution' in case he does have latent OCD possibilities towards lights, reflections, bright shiny things. He's young enough though, that he's exploring everything hoping it is a new toy, so determining an OCD possibility would be hard at that age. Just don't let it hit his eyes, since even the weakest of lasers can cause damage.

My male will go after a laser for about 1.5 mins, then turn around, sit, and look at me with a look of "Ok, you got me for a minute, now give me something I can get my teeth on!" While my female pays it no mind at all. But the cat, well it keeps him occupied until he's gasping on the floor, worn out

[Idaho Cairns]

Like so much with Cairns, the degree of obsession is an individual thing. I have one that is obsessed with rocks and water and the combination of the two makes her hard to manage and is almost scary at times. I would play it by ear, have some fun, allow the dog to have some fun, but just keep a head's up about it all. Cairns can get awfully focused and breaking that focus can be tough with these little hard heads.

[KShep]

This is the only way I can get Ripley to come into the house these days. If I want to tire her out, I shine it along the fence in circles.

[DemiSheep]

Ok my wife and I talked tonight, and we both let each other know we had a bad feeling about using the laser pointer with Attila from the beginning. So we're giving the laser pointer to my sister for her 3 cats.

Attila tonight was searching for the laser light and he was seeing shadows move and jerking his head to look at them and he keeps looking all around for the thing when the last time I used it was more than 24 hours ago.

We won't be using a laser pointer with Attila again. We only used it a few times thankfully.

I wanted to post this update before I send people to the pet store buying laser pointers.

Hopefully Attila will forget about the red light soon. He definitely seems to be one of the dogs that could develop an issue.

[sanford]

Good thing you nipped it in the bud. That's what's so great about this site. We can get and give important, useful info!

[Lynn in TN]

Like so much with Cairns, the degree of obsession is an individual thing. I have one that is obsessed with rocks and water and the combination of the two makes her hard to manage and is almost scary at times. I would play it by ear, have some fun, allow the dog to have some fun, but just keep a head's up about it all. Cairns can get awfully focused and breaking that focus can be tough with these little hard heads.

Wow your Sammi and my Kelly are kindred spirits or something. Kelly likes water so well she tries to jump in the shower with us, plays in her water bowl constantly, You already know how she is with rocks.

[jodi0553]

Just to add another perspective, my cairn is absolutely fine with a laser pointer. He doesn't search for it when the pointer isn't out and understands that The Red Spot comes from The Big Pen-Like-Thingy That Clicks. Now all that being said, if we even accidentally bump the laser pointer, he goes bonkers begging for it. He sits in front of the person holding it alternately looking at the pointer, looking at the ground where it is aimed and then letting out a big YIP till we acquiesce. He can hear the click of the pointer button from rooms away. Of course, he can also tell the sound of a Pirate's Booty bag over chips or pretzels and goes 10x more bonkers if I touch his Going In The Car Leash (yes, these are all proper nouns in his world). He certainly has his obsessions and neuroses, which might be totally different than the next cairn's set of crazies, but my point is that the laser pointer *can* be a safe fun toy when the weather is just too nasty to exercise outside with some dogs.

As a scientist, I'd also add a suggestion to stick with a cheap red one that is low power and not super well focused to avoid any risk of eye damage!

[KShep]

Just to add another perspective, my cairn is absolutely fine with a laser pointer. He doesn't search for it when the pointer isn't out and understands that The Red Spot comes from The Big Pen-Like-Thingy That Clicks. Now all that being said, if we even accidentally bump the laser pointer, he goes bonkers begging for it. He sits in front of the person holding it alternately looking at the pointer, looking at the ground where it is aimed and then letting out a big YIP till we acquiesce. He can hear the click of the pointer button from rooms away. Of course, he can also tell the sound of a Pirate's Booty bag over chips or pretzels and goes 10x more bonkers if I touch his Going In The Car Leash (yes, these are all proper nouns in his world). He certainly has his obsessions and neuroses, which might be totally different than the next cairn's set of crazies, but my point is that the laser pointer *can* be a safe fun toy when the weather is just too nasty to exercise outside with some dogs.

As a scientist, I'd also add a suggestion to stick with a cheap red one that is low power and not super well focused to avoid any risk of eye damage!

I got mine at Family Dollar. It's cheap and not high powered so I don't worry about her eyes. I would never shine it in her eyes purposely though. I probably wouldn't have gotten one if I had read about the tendency towards "obsession" beforehand. Ripley is the same. She will play forever and is disappointed when I put it away, but doesn't obsess over it. But Cairns do have their quirks and I completely believe that some "do" get neurotic and upset by it. I agree, that is something that would worry me too.

[Lynn in TN]

My oldest son bought one for Kelly. He bought it a radio shack for 5 dollars. Kelly loves it. we don't use it often either and Kelly knows where the light is coming from. If she can't find the light she will look at the device and see if it is on and where it is pointing to. When we turn it off she does keep looking for it.

[DemiSheep]

Interesting tid-bit, about them knowing where it comes from. We were trying to keep Attila from knowing where it came from so he wouldn't "figure it out" and get bored never wanting to play with it again. My wife and I are starting to get worried about Attila. Here is a video I recording before bed last night. First part he has zoomies, then you can see when he stops he jerks his head around searching for the laser, you can even hear him hold his berthing to listen for it also.

[Newman]

ROFL DEMISHEEP LOOK AT THAT CAIRN GO!!!

AWESOME LOL

[DemiSheep]

Ok so, after reading the messages on the forum and such, my wife suggested that we show Attila the laser pointer and how the light is created so there is no mystery anymore and that he knows it's nothing. She even suggested that we break the thing in front of him. Any thoughts on doing this? Today Attila seemed worse than yesterday, but tonight with his puppy training class and lots of attention from us he was doing a whole lot better.

[bradl]

I'm not sure dogs share our particular concept of mystery or 'broken' so skeptical that would be of use. While they seem to forget little, they are quite good at moving on. I usually give them about two weeks to adapt to any change in routine - and they are often settled into the 'new normal' in half that time. I'm a big believer in substitution - exercise and new activities being excellent substitutions.

[Rattlesnake Gal]

This Forum is a wealth of information - thanks everyone!

Bailey really enjoys the occasional hunt for the red dot, but it surely will be further between from now on. Mac could care less. Splashing of waves or a hose is entirely another story. ;-)

[Newman]

The thing is.. we have a big flash light and fonzy chases the light on the floor forever.. I sometimes just throw the flashlight on the ground, then fonzy picks it up with his HUGE mouth and then he thinks it's a toy and just brings it back to me, LOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!

I think he knows secretly down in his heart, that it's just a toy but he just wants to play/etc to show off and be a cairn!! i love him!

[sanford]

I couldn't help but notice - Next to the fireplace is what looks like a large, roomy X-pen. Do you use that for Attila instead of a crate, or in addition to a crate? Just curious!

[Idaho Cairns]

I wouldn't worry, Attila's behavior looks pretty normal for an active Cairn pup. Like Brad, I don't over think a dog's behavior or motivation too much because they are really quite elementary in nature. Once a stimulation is gone for awhile the behavior associated with the stimulation will disappear.

[DemiSheep]

I couldn't help but notice - Next to the fireplace is what looks like a large, roomy X-pen. Do you use that for Attila instead of a crate, or in addition to a crate? Just curious!

Yes, that is an x-pen and his crate is covered by the green flannel sheets.

The first week we had Attila we had his X-pen and crate connected together and I disconnected his crate at night and hauled it up stairs to our bed room. After the first week we kept his crate down in the family room connected to his pen closing him in his crate at night. Starting this morning we are not closing him inside his crate anymore. After a couple of weeks of this we will enclose him in the living room during the day while we are gone having his crate available to him. There isnt anything he can destroy besides the carpet in the living room. After that we'll give him access to more of the house till he gets past his puppy stage and can have free roam of the house.

Also since I recorded that video I have attached with cable ties his crate divider to close the gap above his crate....he already tries jumping over on his crate out of the pen and we can't have that while he's alone.

[sanford]

I suspected that it might be an X-pen. I'd read about them on this site, but I've never seen one until now.

As the owner of a jumper/climber, I wondered how long it would take Attila to scale the "prison walls." Good thing you're able to put a roof on it!