# Bird in the house - vizsla now thinks everything in house is bird



## Finleyvizsla (Apr 18, 2020)

Last week, the sliding door was left open just long enough for a small bird to fly in the house. My 2 1/2 year vizsla, Finley, is obviously obsessed with birds and spends hours each day looking for them Outside and even climbing into all the shrubs searching for them. He unfortunately saw the bird fly by in the house. We blocked him in the basement as we spent an hour getting the bird to fly out a window. Ever since then, he has gone crazy. He thinks everything in the house is a bird. The pictures that were on the fridge for years, are now potential birds - he jumps and tries to rip them off. Had to take everything off the fridge. Wires from an old alarm system sticking out of the wall — he spent hours today trying to jump up and scratch at them. Any spot on the ceiling, nail in the wall could be a bird and he will bark and jump at them incessantly. Tonight, he noticed the fire alarm above his bed and threw an absolute fit. Barking, shrieking, panicking, jumping trying to get to it !!! Anyone had this happen before ?!! What do we do?? He is driving us crazy and we also feel terrible about how anxious he is 24/7!!


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

You normally have to work them mentally, to stop the OCD pattern.
Any time the indoor bird hunting starts, you have to do something else with them. You might have to do a short on leash walk outside. Then go straight to a mental game, when you come in.
Your dog probably didn't see the bird fly out the window. So it's thinking, it could still be in the house.


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## tegee26 (Apr 25, 2018)

This is great advice TR. Our 2-yr old male V has an obsession with dust particles when they're visual through the sun shining through the windows.....like you mentioned OCD. I will now try to mentally redirect him to see if I can limit the time he obsessive about it. It is really annoying and I do feel bad for him too.

Thx for this tip!


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## Finleyvizsla (Apr 18, 2020)

Thank you for your input ! Trying the distraction technique but he is still convinced he’s going to find that bird somewhere !!!


texasred said:


> You normally have to work them mentally, to stop the OCD pattern.
> Any time the indoor bird hunting starts, you have to do something else with them. You might have to do a short on leash walk outside. Then go straight to a mental game, when you come in.
> Your dog probably didn't see the bird fly out the window. So it's thinking, it could still be in the house.


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## cynrunner (Feb 17, 2016)

texasred said:


> You normally have to work them mentally, to stop the OCD pattern.
> Any time the indoor bird hunting starts, you have to do something else with them. You might have to do a short on leash walk outside. Then go straight to a mental game, when you come in.
> Your dog probably didn't see the bird fly out the window. So it's thinking, it could still be in the house.


LOL, you have to wear him out during the day! Our V was high energy at that age still. We had him go on hikes with a trusted guy who took a pac of pups to run off-lead for 4 hours @ day. He went [email protected] week. He was very well behaved after returning. He is 4 1/2 now, & he has dialed it down. We just walk him & let him run in dog park every day now.


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