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My choc. Lab has many strange and funny rituals before doing otherwise normal dogs acts. Almost like Human OCD.
Examples:
always drops first mouthful of food on floor before eating out of bowl.
Will not eat a chew treat unless he fetches it a minimum of three times.
Has to circle a particular tree before urinating...but has no problem peeing anywhere in the yard once he does this.
Insists on walking under my desk before laying down when in the office... will stare and cry if my legs are blocking him.
opens all the interior doors in the house (lever type handles). Hates a closed door.
Has to lay facing a certain direction when on "his" sofa.
a few other habits too.
Nothing seems destructive or anxiety driven.
Has anyone else seen this type behavior in their dogs?
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Member 945843
on Feb 1st 2010
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in Behavior & Training
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Answers
I work at a doggie daycare, and have seen lots of labs (and other breeds) with similar issues. I don't know specifically if dogs can have actual OCD, but they can obsess over certain things. Your pup seems to seek comfort in a lot of his rituals. If he seems stressed out when he can't continue his rituals, you might want to ask a behaviorist or your vet.
Stella
answered on 2/1/10.
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Dogs can have OCD that will build over time, usually stress of insecurity driven. The fetching the treat sounds like a playful dog to me. My Beagle does this too. He will run away from the treat and wait for me to throw it before he grabs it and throws it to fetch for himself. The food is what one of our rottweiler pups does too. But these do sound like an insecure dog who needs a structured schedule and specific routine. Often common in rescue dogs or dogs that are lacking something in their needs. Try consulting with a behaviorist to see if you can find out why he needs so much structure.
Shiver Me Timbers "Charlie"
answered on 2/2/10.
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