Laser pointer toy

[reezaml]

My son recently discovered that our 7 month old kelpie pup loves to chase a laser pointer dot on the floor. She will do this for a Very Long Time. We know she has a high predatory drive- she adores balls and we have started to use them in training both as a reward and as a frequent stress break. It occurs to.me though that using the laser pointer like this would be a lot 'neater' than tennis ballsballs (balls tend to off every which way and I sometimes.find myself yanked.across the training field on a short leash after a runaway ball). The problem is that, as a human using the laser pointer toy, you feel a bit mean. Obviously she can never catch actually catch the little red dot. So my question is - is the main value, to the dog, of predatory toy play in the chasing or the catching? Do you think 'laser pointer chase' is a 'mean' game?

[Nettle]

It is highly dangerous. These toys should carry a biiig warning that they are not to be used on dogs because of course you had no idea it was so bad. While cats seem to be able to tolerate it, dogs undergo brain changes and can develop epilepsy and/or obsessive/compulsive disorders. Please bin the toy and find better ways to exercise and play with your dog. We have loads of suggestions in our 'exercise the mind' thread.


Do stay with us - and some photos of your dog would be good - we love photos!