[Baxter]

I saw this at Petco and wanted to know if anyone has used it to play with their boxer.  If so your thoughts.  I don't have a fenced in backyard so i can't just open the back door and let him (Baxter) out to run off some energy.  Just curious.     :think:

Cheers  :cheers:

 

[mybaddogs]

both of my boxers chase flashlight and laser pointers  it is great fun

 

[lillyzmomma]

And it's hilarious!!!

Liz and Lilly

 

[Flutterby]

I've seen them but have no idea if they're great exercise?

 

[boxerlove]

Out of the four boxers we have had only one (Ziggi) goes crazy over it.   The Australian shepard we had also LOVED it. Ziggi will play for a very long time with it (we usually wear out before he does) and our cat also loves it.   We actually had a lazer pointer but it hurts your finger to hold it down for so long so we use an empty NERF gun (that shoots the soft bullets), it has a lazer light on it.  It is so easy to hold down the trigger and have the lazer show for the dog or cat.  It is a very strong light too and has lasted forever.  It was around 10.00 I think, it is my sons but the dog and cat both know when they hear us squeeze the trigger to come running.  He can't even play with the gun anymore without them in his way so now it is mostly used as just a dog/cat toy!  

 

[bubba]

We have used a laser pointer with the boys and they will try anything in their will to get that laser that flies throughout the house. And it is crazy they will pounce and run until they cant any longer and when its gone they are so confused of where the light had gone.  :lol:

 

[ChloeAndBrodisMa]

Since Chloe doesn't have a brother yet, We call the laser pointer her lil bro. She seriously will sit and cry for it once we put it away. She will focus on nothing but that when we have it out.  It's a life saver on rainy days for her.

 

[Newcastle]

One thing you need to be careful of (aside from the laser-in-the-eye thing) is that in some dogs, chasing lights/lasers can lead to obsessive behavior.  Many behaviorists and trainers recommend avoiding them entirely.  Also, some people feel it is unfair to the dog to have it chase-chase-chase and never be able to catch/"kill"  the prey - so if you do play the game, you might consider having a special "kill toy" that the dog gets at  the end, and only use it for light/laser games.

Here's a good article on Obsessive Behavior in dogs:
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Conten ... ourceID=47

 

[samsonsmom]

Excellent point Newcastle...Not to get a riot going, but there was an episode of the Dog Whisperer that dealt with this and that poor dog had totally become OCD over that laser...To the point that even when he was walked, he was constantly looking around for that laser... :?

 

[ChloeAndBrodisMa]

Thank you for that link... I'm having hubby read it when he gets home. Chloe was getting to the point that we couldn't even put our hands in our pockets without her thinking the light was coming out. The batteries in it died a few weeks ago and I don't plan on buying another one since reading that article. I honestly never thought about the light possibly leading to obsessive behavior. Thanks again for the eye opener!

 

[boxerlove]

That is a very good point but dogs can become obsessive over many things.  Teaki is over her squeaky toy, it doesn't leave her site most of the time and she will cry and whine if it is taken away (when she has growled at the other dog for getting near it, etc.).  When she was little she used to have 3-4 different squeak toys that she had to have with her at night before she would go to sleep.

So I think it is all control and knowing your dogs behavior.  We don't use it all the time (Ziggi wouldn't mind if we did) only when it is raining outside or he has alot of energy and can't go running (like recently with his bad leg).  They know as soon as we get it out because they can hear the trigger click but so far Ziggi has never had a problem with being able to stop.  We don't use it every day, not even every week just when he is really wanting to go out and play and can't.  Not sure if it is different because we use the nerf gun and he can see where the light comes from and knows to follow it back to the gun so he isn't just hunting for the light and never finding it.

 

[bubba]

We only use the laser pointer like once in a blue moon so they dont get that way. We dont make it a daily or weekly basis.

 

[Baxter]

I bought it yesterday and tried it out last night since it was a few bucks.  He def got a lot of exercise out of the way chasing that light.  He also has no clue where the light comes from since he is looking at the floor the entire time.  I def wore out before he did though.

 

[OdinsDad]

Not to get a riot going, but there was an episode of the Dog Whisperer...

Oh no you didn't...  :lol: