Skateboard Obsession Any Thoughts?

[Quickasyoucan]

Hi there, this is my first time posting, but I just thought I would give it a try. I am the proud owner of 5 year old Jake the Staffy/Kelpie Cross. Of course like all dog owners I think Jake is the best dog in the world .

However, Jake does have one "achilles heel" he goes nuts when he sees or hears a skateboard. By nuts I mean lunging around on the lead yelping, desperately trying to get to the skateboard in question. I have tried to densensitise him by getting an old skateboard but he just turns it over and over trying to bite the wheels in a totally obsessive kind of way and gets completely worked up. It is just skateboards (and the odd wheelie suitcase!!), in line skates are generally fine as are scooters.

Has anyone had similar experiences? Any tips for dealing with this. He really has a nose for when the skateboard hits the ground!!

[Tonymc]

Jake is this dog living in Surburbia?I suspect so.I would feel pretty safe in saying this is prey drive displacement.Prey drive in a Kelpie takes the form of herding.

Take a working dog,put them in surburbia,give them no outlet to express and release drive and abnormal or unusual behaviours will surface.

The Skateboard obsession is his way of expressing and releasing drive.

I may have to change my thinking a little as I thought this dog was a straight Kelpie.But still I have seen many X bred Kelpies have the problem of a drive outlet as well. Either way the Dog here is expressing drive. Tony

Edited March 26, 2008 by Tonymc

[Quickasyoucan]

Yes, though it is not certain he is staffy/kelpie, as he is a rescue, looks more staffy than anything else, but I did suspect it might be something like that as he is very ball oriented. To my untrained eye he definitely has some working dog traits.

[PAX]

You could use your dogs obsession to train a great new trick.

[persephone]

Oh..tonight I watched Cesar with mum, and there was a dog on there with the same sort of thing!! His owners couldn't walk him because of the increasing aggression.

here..dog's name was Harry..

you may get some info somewhere..I am on dial-up, and haven't opened any of these links ..

best of luck.

http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&...heels&meta=

[The Spotted Devil]

With the old skateboard, perhaps you could start out by having it at quite a distance from your dog and ask for some on-lead obedience exercises. Use something positive to reward the appropriate behaviour such as clicker training or a tug toy. Slowly work more closely to the skateboard but make sure you take it really slowly and back off if the obsessive behaviour arises again.

When Zig came to us as a tiny puppy he went nuts for the broom, nipping and growling at it - I know some people think it's funny but I personally can't stand that sort of behaviour. Every single day I took puppy and broom outside (often several times a day) - every time puppy paid attention to the broom I stopped sweeping and ignored puppy completely. It did take a while but he now ignores the broom......although he will do laps of the backyard with the dust pan brush if you give him half a chance :rolleyes:

[Erny]

With the old skateboard, perhaps you could start out by having it at quite a distance from your dog and ask for some on-lead obedience exercises.

Yes! And reward your dog's obedience skill compliance with some drive work with an item that you control (eg. tug toy/ball). And remember that Rome was not built in a day. One session at a time and be happy with your dog's non-responses to the skate board and responses to obedience commands. Avoid trying to work up too far too fast.

[Law]

Ooooh Trixie does the same thing. Haven't been able to successfully desensitise her to them either

[Law]

Oh..tonight I watched Cesar with mum, and there was a dog on there with the same sort of thing!! His owners couldn't walk him because of the increasing aggression.

here..dog's name was Harry..

you may get some info somewhere..I am on dial-up, and haven't opened any of these links ..

best of luck.

http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&...heels&meta=

Yes I watched that episode too, although that dogs problem seemed quite different to Trixies's and possibly Jakes too.

I have to admit though I have sort of given up on Trix with the skate board as its not too much of an issue with me. But I might try some of these suggestions myself.

[Quickasyoucan]

Thank you for those suggestions. I will give the on-lead exercise option a go. Jake is very keen to learn and, although not that food motivated, is definitely ball motivated! So I can use that as a reward for good work hopefully. I didn't see the Caesar Milan Episode as I don't have Foxtel though I think someone has mentioned it to me in the past. Jake doesn't really seem "aggressive" towards the noise, more "anxious and obssessed". Will start work this weekend!

Wish I could teach him to ride the skateboard instead but I think that might be a stretch!! :rolleyes:

[dee lee]

Jake is this dog living in Surburbia?I suspect so.I would feel pretty safe in saying this is prey drive displacement.Prey drive in a Kelpie takes the form of herding.

Take a working dog,put them in surburbia,give them no outlet to express and release drive and abnormal or unusual behaviours will surface.

The Skateboard obsession is his way of expressing and releasing drive.

I may have to change my thinking a little as I thought this dog was a straight Kelpie.But still I have seen many X bred Kelpies have the problem of a drive outlet as well. Either way the Dog here is expressing drive. Tony

Tony, how would someone deal with this?