Welcome to the Corgi Corner! This series is posted on the first Saturday of every month! These posts help spread education and awareness on topics like general dog care, corgi specific things, medical care, health facts, etc. This month’s Corgi Corner post will be all about laser pointer syndrome!Many people play with their cats using laser pointers. They move them across the floor, up walls, around the room, causing the cats to chase after the little red light. Some people do the same thing with their dogs. But, this is incredibly dangerous for dogs and should never be done. Playing with laser pointers with dogs can cause laser pointer syndrome. Laser pointer syndrome (LSP) is an OCD-like behavior in dogs that develops from repeatedly chasing reflections, lights, lasers, or shadows.The movement of the laser triggers a dog’s prey drive, which means they want to chase it. It’s an unending game with no closure for the dog since the dog can’t ever catch the beam of light. Many dogs will continue to look for the light beam after the laser has been put away. This is confusing for your dog because the prey has simply vanished. This can create obsessive compulsive behaviors like frantically looking around for the light, staring at the last location they saw the light, and becoming reactive to flashes of light. Dogs that exhibit this behavioral issue are often frustrated, anxious, and confused.High energy dogs are more likely to develop this condition. Severe cases results in chasing lights for hours, being constantly on alert for lights or shadows to appear, injury due to pursuing, and even ignoring basic needs in favor of pursuing lights. Working dogs can suffer similar side effects if they don’t succeed at their jobs. They need periodic wins to feel satisfied and happy with themselves.There are many other games to play with your dog that are safe and engaging. Not only does playing games with your dog provide enrichment, but it also strengthens the bond between you. Some alternatives to laser pointers include flirt poles, playing fetch with balls or toys, hide and seek, and creating a scavenger hunt with treats.