Laser pointers, yes or no?

[Camilla and Darwin]

We recently bought a laser pointer for a couple bucks at Walmart. We used it to play with Darwin for a couple minutes, and he LOVED it. I looked it up later and some people have said it causes OCD in dogs and is addictive. Also that it can cause behavior problems. Is this true? Has anyone used a laser toy?

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I heard that it can be bad so I will be following this discussion to hear what people who have done their own research say.

[Lorraine Bromley]

I have cats that have loved it. I did use it for Neely to follow and point and play. I have tried to have fun and also teach him to touch and retreive what the laser is pointed to instead of trying to teach him a name for anything I wanted retreived. With consistent training this is a great job for him. The only thing I have ever heard is that they are dangerous to point into the eyes human and animal.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I have read that some trainers believe that it contributes to obsessive-compulsive behaviors such as light & shadow chasing, and should not be used with dogs. I haven't seen any scientific data on it, though. Supposedly, it's a better game for cats than dogs, as cats don't develop those kinds of obsessive behaviors. I think it probably depends on the dog's temperament.
A couple of links:
http://poochmaster.blogspot.com/2006/04/never-play-with-laser-point...
http://www.petfinder.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=120898

[Deirdre]

Don't know how to say this except THROW THE LASER TOY AWAY! My sister brought one over when she left Gus' 1/2 sister with me when she went on vacation. Gus loved the laser up and down the hall full blast. Got to get it, got to get it! My daughter had a blast with it Gus would climb the wall run into the wall nose first! He had to have it. When I saw this I called my trainer and she said "take it away now!" We did, it's now retired to the cat room.
This was 1 year ago and Gus still follows shadows. When I come home from work and sit down to read the mail he's right there waiting for my watch to reflect on the wall. I now take my watch off when I enter the house! The sun is setting now where the mini blinds in the kitchen reflect shadows so we close them. He's not aggressive with his shadows he's focused on finding shadows. The power went out one night and I thought "Oh S*** I have to use a flashlight! how's Gus going to react?" It worked out fine I told him to "leave it" and he did. I really think if we had continued with the laser we could have had major problems. He's gentle with his shadow hunting yet at 90# I'd hate to see what he would be like if we hadn't retired the laser. I wish that he never had the opportunity to know the joy of a laser. Oh well I have a OCD doodle.

[Holly St Pierre]

I have not used a laser with Gunner, my sister did when she got her doodle who is now 3 & IS CONSUMED by it. I truly believe she has Obsessive/Compulsive disorder. She is a great dog, but she will sit up at night looking around for light, driving everyone & I would think herself crazy. She never stops looking for lights of any kind. She goes crazy if she sees light of any kind on the wall or ceiling & will follow it for HOURS....I would highly recommend against it, just because I have seen how obsessed Lex is with it.

[Noble Vestal Labradoodles]

NO a big fat double NO
They rewire the brain and the dog becomes OCD, shadow chaser, ceiling fan nut, very prey driven, and worst of all car chasers... same red light~

I have actually seen this in action with a doodle and with a few other dogs. Dont screw up your dog with one of these things... just get a ball or stuffed toy and play fetch instead.

[F, Calla & Luca]

This is fascinating. I would never have thought so many behavioral problems could come from this but I did worry about eye damage when I saw them advertised.

[Camilla and Darwin]

Wow, thank you. I will definitely get rid of the toy. It is not worth the risk of Darwin developing a problem. Thanks so much!

[Louise and Toby]

Our doodle is moderately obsessed with chasing bird shadows - yes, he is certain they disappear into the grass. We did use the laser pointer one or two times when he was a puppy before knowing better so it might be that that has caused this. I would not use the pointer if I were you - we're just lucky it's not too serious of an obsession Toby has. It may be better than constant digging. Don't know how we could stop it though - anyone have ideas?

[Debbie and Toby]

Wa have also heard very negative things about using a laser light...I would say "don't use it!"

[Tamara & Giada]

As usual I will go against the popular...............I have two dogs, one who is a shadow chaser and a bit obsessed and one who is not! I use flash lights and lasers for both. My older dog has always been obsessed with light WAY before we used anything, but after using it has not increased. BOTH live very normal lives. I say the belief that it causes OCD is a bunch of malarchy!!!

Keep the laser and have ocassional fun!!!

[HANNAH 8/2/07 & HONEY 7/2/08]

...I have not done this with my Doodles, but am very guilty with my Rottweilers..lmao. All I can say is we had a blast with them and the dogs did also. You could tell them to sit and face the wall...point at the wall and ask them a question and get the dogs head to go up and down for Yes, or side to side for No. They loved to follow the Laser light and never did they become Addictive to it, or have OCD. They NEVER chased a car, another animal, or ran into walls or people. I never had problems using a flash light, I would say they always were inquizative about shadows, about as much as a dog is with seeing leaves blow around, but that was always a normal thing. Maybe it just depends on the dog?