What do you like? Have you got a secret obsession? A persistent idea, thought, or desire?
I have a friend who’s obsessed with Cliff Richard (don’t judge). She goes to every concert and event and buys everything he does or produces. Her favourite thing is the signed photo he sent her. I don’t really understand it, although certainly I have things I love. But I’m not sure they’re obsessions – apart from Daniel Craig…ahem, enough – and dogs of course.
Dogs can have obsessions too – things they get over-excited by or can’t leave alone. Have you got an obsessed or reactive dog? Gus is reactive to noise and movement generally and is definitely obsessed with some things. One of his (several) particular foibles is to go bananas when he hears the bins rumble over our gravel – especially when they are empty, I suppose because the noise then reverberates more.
One of our clients contacted me yesterday because her puppy is obsessed by brushes – any sort: hair brushes, his grooming brushes, yard brushes, brooms – you name it, if it’s wood with bristles he loves it. The yard brush has made an appearance into the house more than once…
Some obsessions are manageable, such as keeping Gus in another area when the bins are moved, keeping brushes out of the puppy’s reach. But some can cause real problems and dogs who are obsessed with running up to and meeting other dogs is one big one which is getting worse for many people at the moment.
Lockdown has meant dogs are walked more locally and kept on lead. We can’t meet up with others (yet) and so our dogs don’t get to meet others either – and reactivity problems are rising because of it.
Keep training and keep safe,
Carol