Not logged inChampdogs Information Exchange
Forum Breeders Help Search Board Index Active Topics Login

Find your perfect puppy at Champdogs
The UK's leading pedigree dog breeder website for over 25 years

Topic Dog Boards / Behaviour / CKCS is completely obsessed with feathers!!!
- By sarahandhazel [gb] Date 06.09.07 14:58 UTC
Hi all,

THis is only the 2nd message I have left but thought I would ask your advice about my 3 year old CKCS that is obsessed with feathers!

If she finds one out on a walk I have alot of trouble getting it from her. She locks her jaws and I have to really pull the feather to get it out of her mouth. I look for them to try and spot them before she does. If I spot one at a distance and I know she has seen it too I tell her to leave it and she does. I reward her with a tasty treat for leaving it and we give it a wide berth!. If I don't spot it and she gets it thats when the trouble starts. No amount of treats, toys or commands will get her to drop it. If the feathers are small she eats them. If I keep the lead tight when she sees one and we are really close to it, she goes mad to try and get it, she whines and barks and then stares at it and tries to pounce on it. It can be quite embarrasing if people are about. I lead her away and she is spinning around and yelping to try to go back.

Any ideas to try to get her over it?! It is surprising how many feathers lay on the ground when you have to constantly look for them! She is a very active dog and we do agility and obedience together. She really is delightful except when a feather is around!

Thanks in advance x
- By Goldmali Date 06.09.07 15:47 UTC
This isn't the same feather obsessed dog that was on the Cavaliers list a coupe of days ago is it?? If not I'll post you what was posted there. :)
- By sarahandhazel [gb] Date 06.09.07 16:22 UTC
Hi MarianneB,

No not the same dog! This is the first time I have asked the question. I would really appreciate if you would add the post.

Many thanks, Sarah
- By Goldmali Date 06.09.07 17:16 UTC
I'll just do a copy and paste to save time as I have a pressing cavalier issue of my own to post about elsewhere.

> I recently adopted a retired cavalier show dog. He is 5 years old. I

> need help with two issues. The first: He is absolutely obsessed when
> it comes to feathers.


Hi

I was unsure about this issue so I asked my trainer, and she gave me
this reply on the feather issue:

> I'd be interested in the background to some extent since its
> possibly an obsessive behaviour that originally arose from
> stress...which may or may not still be present.
>
> I'd also be considering if the owner intervenes in such a way that it
> is reinforcing the behaviour (ie rewarding it) or might have in the
> past...for instance did she ever try to distract the dog with a food
> treat? Or simply her attention...that kind of thing.
> Finally, even if I don't know what triggered it or caused it initially
> I'd (probably) be looking at reinforcing an incompatible behavior eg
> get the dog hooked onto fetching a ball and carrying that around...but
> the knack is to introduce it *before* the dog starts going after a
> feather and reward strongly for retrieving it and carrying it about.
> Produce it as the dog moves towards the feather or as the dog drops it
> and it would be rewarding the 'feather chasing'. Or just have treats
> avaialble and reward the dog randomly for doing anything other than
> obsessing about feathers. eg sniffing the ground, running towards mum,
> trotting along beside her. That kind of thing.
>
> If the dog does get a feather, I'd just take it nicely, but fairly
> neutrally, a wee bit of verbal praise only and dispose of it where the
> dog can't reach it.
- By Brainless [gb] Date 06.09.07 19:46 UTC
I would think that just ignoring the behaviour and not trying to remove the feathers may reduce the the pleasure she gets from the attention/game that ensues.

What is the problem with her having the feathers?
- By LindyLou [gb] Date 06.09.07 20:20 UTC
I wondered about that too. All my dogs will play with feathers, and carry them around, eventually trying to eat them. I just leave them to it. They give up after a while when they find something more interesting to smell and/or do.
- By Lori Date 06.09.07 16:01 UTC
My first thought would be to soak some feathers in bitter apple. Give her one at home and when she learns they're not so nice after all plant a few when out on walks. If it worked I'd plant a 'nasty' feather every so often to keep the unpleasant association in her mind.
- By sarahandhazel [gb] Date 06.09.07 16:24 UTC
Hi Lori,

Thanks for your reply, I'm glad I asked now as I wouldn't have thought of that. I will try it and see what happens. Will keep you posted.

Many thanks, Sarah
- By LucyD [cy] Date 07.09.07 18:23 UTC
I would say the problem with eating the feathers is the disease, pigeons carry all sorts of nasty stuff, and of course lying on the ground they might pick up other diseases, I think it's a good idea to try to stop the habit.
- By Brainless [gb] Date 08.09.07 17:27 UTC
I think a healthy dog is able to contend with most germs it is likely to pick up from a feather or anything else on the ground.

They lick their own bottoms, consume faeces and bodily fluids,a nd most diseases are not zoonotic.

I think the obsession could well be worsened as the dog is feeding of the owners reactions.  If it was eating stones for example I could understand the urgency of preventing the behaviour.
- By kizzycav [gb] Date 08.09.07 16:24 UTC
Don't know about a cure, but Cavs do work to the gun ,theyare/were used to flush out birds on shoots. Maybe she wants to work
- By Moonmaiden Date 08.09.07 17:20 UTC
All you need is a shoot that has woodcock ;-)
Topic Dog Boards / Behaviour / CKCS is completely obsessed with feathers!!!

Powered by mwForum 2.29.6 © 1999-2015 Markus Wichitill

About Us - Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy