Didgie's Motion Fixation Progress

[Linds]

Ok, so this video is probably super boring to everyone not me. But I'm just so incredibly tickled that I needed to share it.

Most of you guys have probably seen me talk about or reference Didgie's motion fixation. She latches onto dogs fetching and running, with Traveler at the heart of this. It's my biggest frustration with her and my biggest regret for not knowing about herding breeds being prone to this.

We've made strides in combatting this. I can now play with any toy with her and Traveler in the house and she wants the toy/me not Traveler. I stopped all dog park fetching when they are together there but even without that she's very much only into him there. We've gotten to the point where she will check in and call off him rather easily but still wants to shadow. She's also willing to play tug with me there IF he is tied up and unable to move.

But today was the first time in months that I've taken the fetch/tug outside where her arousal level is much higher and Traveler is very much of a distraction. She did great. SO much better than I thought she would.

Not only did she tug through him fetching (And I really threw the ball, not little sissy throws like before) but she was able to fetch (not her favorite thing in the world) WHILE he was also fetching.

You can see in the start of the video how she starts out, that's what we're fighting against. At one point she is looking at me without the tug in her mouth, I throw the ball for Traveler, she looks at him and then refocuses on me without prompting. That was just huge.

I hope with progress I'll be able to devote equal amount of attention to both her and Traveler while playing with them rather than having to give her so much of it. I plan on getting them each a different Wubba and making it their toy, and their toy only to work towards being able to have both of them fetching at the dog park.

But for now, we have this!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G83UcaxTxZI

[Taqroy]

Very nice!! I'm impressed with how far you guys have come, it's a hard (and frustrating) thing to work on. I have the same problem with Mu and Tipper - only if Mu is allowed to fixate we end up having a dog fight. It makes it super hard to work on.

[Linds]

Originally Posted by Taqroy

Very nice!! I'm impressed with how far you guys have come, it's a hard (and frustrating) thing to work on. I have the same problem with Mu and Tipper - only if Mu is allowed to fixate we end up having a dog fight. It makes it super hard to work on.

I didn't know that was where their issues stemmed from but I can seriously see how that could happen. I think if Traveler had any edge to him at all (or been female) it would have resulted in some fights. As it is when they do that around other dogs, Didgie biting and barking and Traveler getting annoyed, it can set the other dogs off.

You've done so well with Tipper and Mu! I at least don't have the aggression to deal with.

If you have any tips for me feel free to share, most of what I've been doing has just been trial and error!

[JacksonsMom]

Woohoo she's doing great!


Trav has a deeper bark than I imagined, LOL.

[Linds]

Originally Posted by JacksonsMom

Woohoo she's doing great!


Trav has a deeper bark than I imagined, LOL.

Seriously?!? He has the most pathetic chicken bark EVER! I think Didgie's bark is deeper than his.

[JacksonsMom]

Originally Posted by Linds

Seriously?!? He has the most pathetic chicken bark EVER! I think Didgie's bark is deeper than his.

Lol, really?! I dunno, maybe I'm just used to little dog barks. Jackson has the most annoying high pitched bark EVER. So Trav sounds all deep to me, haha

[Babyblue5290]

Congrats! That is really awesome! I'm dealing with this and Talon right now at puppy class >_< It's a pain in the butt.

[Linds]

Originally Posted by Babyblue5290

Congrats! That is really awesome! I'm dealing with this and Talon right now at puppy class >_< It's a pain in the butt.

It really isn't fun, good thing you recognized it earlier than I did!

Today I was able to go outside and alternate fetching between Didgie and Traveler. She would hold her stay (while almost completely focusing on me) while Traveler fetched and then as he was coming back I would throw it for her and she would go after it!

Towards the end I even did a few with them going in the same direction with Traveler's throws farther and hers a little shorter.

YAY!

[Pintage]

Go Didgie!!

Linds, I was wondering, at what age did you notice that Didgie had a motion fixation? And how prevalent is it in herding breeds? (I tried to Google the answer but I don't think I'm using the right keywords.) Did Traveler ever have this problem, or is it more likely to manifest if a herding pup is raised with a fast-moving adult dog? And hypothetically, if you knew from the very beginning that Didgie had this fixation (like, the moment she got off the plane), what would you have done differently?

[Linds]

Originally Posted by Pintage

Go Didgie!!

Linds, I was wondering, at what age did you notice that Didgie had a motion fixation? And how prevalent is it in herding breeds? (I tried to Google the answer but I don't think I'm using the right keywords.) Did Traveler ever have this problem, or is it more likely to manifest if a herding pup is raised with a fast-moving adult dog? And hypothetically, if you knew from the very beginning that Didgie had this fixation (like, the moment she got off the plane), what would you have done differently?

Honestly, I didn't notice it for what it was until she was older. I mean, I can't remember the exact age but I think it was when I tried to take her to the dog park and she couldn't even look at me because Traveler was there. Though I will say the first thing she did after getting out of the crate and going into the parking lot was chase a bag that flew by

I think it's probably pretty common in a lot of dogs but a lot of people just kinda except it or know about it and work towards fixing it right away. I see in a lot of people's pictures of their Koolies (or BC's or Kelpies etc.) that the older dog they had solo for awhile will be staring at the person holding the camera and their will be dogs behind that dog staring at the other dog. I didn't really pay attention until I had been dealing with it.

Sara was smart enough to ward against it right away, so was Shai with Cookie.

I think Traveler could have had that issue though overall he isn't as fixed on motion as she is. he would latch on to fast moving dogs and be hard to call off. But, I wasn't living with a dog that could entice him like that so I think it made it SO much easier. Overall though Didgie is much more 'on' than he was, especially at that age.

I would have done a lot different had I been smart enough from the get go. I wouldn't have taken Didgie and Traveler out to the dog park together and would have done a lot more separate off leash runs with her away from him. I would have tried very hard to not let her be in the position to fixate on him while getting her used to being these places and working with me. One of the issues I'm fighting right now is she is used to fixating on him in certain environments such as the dog park. It's habit.

Then I would have built her drive for her toy and for me separately away from him and really encouraged that. At the dog park I notice while she's drawn to dogs fetching and moving I can get her attention away from them.

If anyone else dealing or who has dealt with that wants to chime in that would be awesome!

I hope I helped a little Page.