HELP Please! Snickers is still obsessing and it's getting worse!!

what do you want him to do instead of sniffing the fun mice?  have you read the book "control unleashed"?

i can relate to "obsessing"...

you could work on attention excersises like "watch me" or related things. start training only at home and only when they are pretty solid start using them in your yard (as far away from the fence as possible at first, then slowly working to get closer...). beware, it can take a WHILE to make a difference, and until then i'd use the leash. the more you let them indulge in the obsession the worse it gets in my experience, so never giving a chance to act on the obsession is important, i think...

i'm currently having similar issues. moca saw a cat twice within a few days when we were at the potty spot. this spot is important cause there are never any dogs and i need that kinda place to get them to go, esp when i'm in a hurry... but after she saw those 2 cats she keeps staring up to were they were.... getting her attention is close to impossible..

anyways, good luck... lol

Thanks, I like that idea.  And I seem to think along the same lines as you do.

Although, I do kind of work with him in the yard using his squeeky ball.  I make him do sit, down, etc and he stays focused until we quit then it's right back to the fence.  I can relate with the cats too.  Our neighbor, "crazy cat lady", used to have about 7 of them that she allowed to wonder all over the neighborhood.  They used to jump our fence and hang out on our deck or in the flower beds.  When Snickers would see one of them...forget it, he wasn't coming in the house until I cornered him!  We no longer have that issue...the neighbor got a severe eye infection from the cats and gave all but two of them away.

Does anyone think I'm over-reacting?  My boyfriend seems to think I shouldn't worry about it and that Snickers will just one day forget about it and things will be back to normal...

 I like the idea of teaching attention, and next, teaching a proper recall.  Your dog is ignoring you (and many dogs do, regardless of what the interesting sight, sound, or smell happens to be).  Get the DVD "Really Reliable Recall".  They have it at www.cleanrun.com, and I think they have the "Control Unleashed" book, too.  Although, you can get started with some clicker training at www.clickerlessons.com for free first, if you want.

Try the "Attention" exercise first, and remember that you must start in an area with no distractions and work your way up - you don't START your training in the yard where all the activity is going on.  In other words, you set your dog up for success and not failure.  If the dog is obsessively chasing things and it gets to the point where you think it might be "stereotypical behavior", then you should consult a behaviorist.  Otherwise, it's probably not that much of an issue.

Thank you Spiritdogs.  I'll get that DVD and give it a try.  I'm always eager to help my dog be the best he can be!  It's so odd though the way he obsesses at the fence.  We can go for a walk and he'll see a rabbit or bird and want to go for it but I just have to say "leave it" and he'll continue on with the walk.  We've been to beginner obedience classes and he was not distracted at all and was the best "student" I could have asked for.  This yard issue is new...and I hope with the DVD training he'll start consistantly coming to me again.  Wish me luck!!

You could also try keeping him on a leash and letting him go to the fence to smell the lovely mice. When he his involved in smelling ask him to "come" and if he ignores you give him a small tug on the leash and say "come" again. If he won't come then you have to pull him in and as soon as he starts to come your way praise and treat as soon as he gets to you.

Continue doing this until he gets the idea that you are much more important with those threats than the smelly old mice. You also have winter on your side. The mice will not be running the fence when the weather turns colder. Hopefully he will forget about them by spring.