# My almost 6 month old puppy keeps chasing shadows, how do I stop him?



## JennieJones (Jun 2, 2015)

Within the last week my Cockapoo has started chasing shadows. It's worse in the evenings when we have the lights on but we can't get him to stop.
I'm home all day with him playing and training so hopefully it's not out of boredom. He also has at least 2 hour long walks, off the leash, where he chases a ball and plays with other dogs.
But all of a sudden he's got this thing about shadows, any moving shadow he goes for, and he can do it for hours. Only stopping when I get his attention, and even then he still prefers the shadows over me.

How do I get him to stop?


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## Riff Raff (Feb 12, 2013)

How old is your dog and how long have you had him? Any sudden behaviour change warrants a trip to the vet to eliminate any possible physical causes before treating as behavioural.


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

You could try putting him to bed in a covered crate.

And 2-hour walks fro a 6 month old really is overdoing it.


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## ClaireandDaisy (Jul 4, 2010)

Try training control? If you teach (with rewards so it`s fun) behaviours that encourage self-control it will calm him. Things like sit/ wait/ hold / down / go there/ watch. All these are periods of stillness that are rewarded.


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## Meezey (Jan 29, 2013)

If it's a sudden behavior I'd get him checked medically first...


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## Fluffster (Aug 26, 2013)

Definitely get him checked to rule out anything neurological. It's important to nip this type of behaviour in the bud early as it can quickly become obsessive - if he's doing it for hours it sounds like it perhaps already is. A good behaviourist may be of value if there's no medical reason behind this behaviour.


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## Brannybear (Apr 16, 2015)

To me he just sounds like a typical 6 month old puppy who is discovering new things! If he enjoys chasing shadows and is not causing himself or you any harm I'd leave him be to grow out of it


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## JennieJones (Jun 2, 2015)

Riff Raff said:


> How old is your dog and how long have you had him? Any sudden behaviour change warrants a trip to the vet to eliminate any possible physical causes before treating as behavioural.


He's almost 6 months and we've had him since he was 8 weeks


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## JennieJones (Jun 2, 2015)

Burrowzig said:


> You could try putting him to bed in a covered crate.
> 
> And 2-hour walks fro a 6 month old really is overdoing it.


He does sleep in a crate and I meant that he has an hour long walk twice a day


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## JennieJones (Jun 2, 2015)

ClaireandDaisy said:


> Try training control? If you teach (with rewards so it`s fun) behaviours that encourage self-control it will calm him. Things like sit/ wait/ hold / down / go there/ watch. All these are periods of stillness that are rewarded.


 He already knows those commands and does them well most of the time, as well as some fun tricks


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## Meezey (Jan 29, 2013)

Brannybear said:


> To me he just sounds like a typical 6 month old puppy who is discovering new things! If he enjoys chasing shadows and is not causing himself or you any harm I'd leave him be to grow out of it


Shadow chasing can become obsessive, not normal puppy behaviour.


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## JennieJones (Jun 2, 2015)

Meezey said:


> If it's a sudden behavior I'd get him checked medically first...


Ok, thanks. Do you think it could be something bad


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## JennieJones (Jun 2, 2015)

Fluffster said:


> Definitely get him checked to rule out anything neurological. It's important to nip this type of behaviour in the bud early as it can quickly become obsessive - if he's doing it for hours it sounds like it perhaps already is. A good behaviourist may be of value if there's no medical reason behind this behaviour.


We try snapping him out of it by playing with him but are worried of accidentally praising the behavior. But I think we might have to take him to the vets


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## JennieJones (Jun 2, 2015)

Brannybear said:


> To me he just sounds like a typical 6 month old puppy who is discovering new things! If he enjoys chasing shadows and is not causing himself or you any harm I'd leave him be to grow out of it


Thanks


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

JennieJones said:


> He does sleep in a crate and I meant that he has an hour long walk twice a day


That's still overdoing it, 2 walks that length. And the point of using a covered crate is that the lack of visual stimulation enables the dog to calm down and sleep better. Pups very easily overtire themselves, and that can be when obsessional behaviours begin. It should also be in a quiet room without human activity waking them up. The need for sleep is often underestimated.


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## Brannybear (Apr 16, 2015)

Meezey said:


> Shadow chasing can become obsessive, not normal puppy behaviour.


Well yes but if its only 6 months old and has only been doing it for a week it has plenty of time for it to just be a phase.. i'd call it obsessive if it had been happening for years so do understand where you're coming from.
Just would not personally be worried about a young puppy chasing some shadows


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## Meezey (Jan 29, 2013)

Brannybear said:


> Well yes but if its only 6 months old and has only been doing it for a week it has plenty of time for it to just be a phase.. i'd call it obsessive if it had been happening for years so do understand where you're coming from.
> Just would not personally be worried about a young puppy chasing some shadows


Well OP is, and they can't stop the behaviour and he does it for hours. Might not concern you but it certainly would me. It's in NOT normal puppy behaviour.


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## Sarah1983 (Nov 2, 2011)

Meezey said:


> Well OP is, and they can't stop the behaviour and he does it for hours. Might not concern you but it certainly would me. It's in NOT normal puppy behaviour.


And given how quickly and easily obsession over shadows and lights seems to set in and how difficult it is to stop once it takes a hold it's a behaviour I'd certainly be concerned about at any age to be honest.


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## Jenny Olley (Nov 2, 2007)

I would be concerned and want to curb the behaviour, the longer it continues the more set the behaviour comes. As has already been suggested you need to take control, so look for early signs of the behaviour starting and get in and train your pup to do the behaviours you want, if you miss the start get in as soon as you can. 
When a dog practices a behaviour it gets better at it, these behaviour grow very strong, very quickly, and I would agree with other poster if pup is doing it for hours it is obsessive.
If there is nothing found wrong at the vet, and you find yourself unable to stop it by controlling the behaviour and offering alternatives, get a person experienced in dog behaviour to help you.


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## JennieJones (Jun 2, 2015)

Burrowzig said:


> That's still overdoing it, 2 walks that length. And the point of using a covered crate is that the lack of visual stimulation enables the dog to calm down and sleep better. Pups very easily overtire themselves, and that can be when obsessional behaviours begin. It should also be in a quiet room without human activity waking them up. The need for sleep is often underestimated.


We walk him the distance the vet told us too, plus I'm in a wheelchair so an hour long walk isn't actually as far as you might think. And he does sleep in a covered crate but it's in the evening when he's outside his crate that he chases them


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## JennieJones (Jun 2, 2015)

Meezey said:


> Well OP is, and they can't stop the behaviour and he does it for hours. Might not concern you but it certainly would me. It's in NOT normal puppy behaviour.


We can snap him out of it by playing with him but as soon as we stop he starts again


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## JennieJones (Jun 2, 2015)

Jenny Olley said:


> I would be concerned and want to curb the behaviour, the longer it continues the more set the behaviour comes. As has already been suggested you need to take control, so look for early signs of the behaviour starting and get in and train your pup to do the behaviours you want, if you miss the start get in as soon as you can.
> When a dog practices a behaviour it gets better at it, these behaviour grow very strong, very quickly, and I would agree with other poster if pup is doing it for hours it is obsessive.
> If there is nothing found wrong at the vet, and you find yourself unable to stop it by controlling the behaviour and offering alternatives, get a person experienced in dog behaviour to help you.


Thank you


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

JennieJones said:


> We walk him the distance the vet told us too, plus I'm in a wheelchair so an hour long walk isn't actually as far as you might think. And he does sleep in a covered crate but it's in the evening when he's outside his crate that he chases them


Right, so when he starts doing it, put him into the covered crate in a quiet place for perhaps half an hour. That should do 2 things. 1) give him the chance to sleep if he's tired and 2) teach him that the consequence of this unwanted behaviour is that he loses freedom, fun and interaction. Stick with it for a couple of weeks and you should see a change for the better. Pups are like kids, easily over-tired towards the end of the day. He should have at least 16 hours sleep per 24 hours.


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