01/24/2026
Why Laser Pointers/laser items are not dog toys
Laser pointer and how they can create lasting behavioral damage:
Laser pointers may look harmless and it may seem like your dog is having a lot of fun with them. And it may look like a great item to use to help tire your dog out and get in some exercise. But they are actually very harmful to your dogs and even your cats. Playing with a laser pointer with your pet can lead to obsessive compulsive behaviors, injuries, anxiety, frustration, and stress over a prolonged period of time. And once these behaviors develop they are hard to reverse and sometimes some animals never get over them.
Many vets, behavioralists, and dog trainers alike will tell you to stay away from laser pointers of any kind when it comes to playing with your pets. Why? Because chasing a laser pointer is prey drive without the prey. There is no end to this game. Closure is incomplete and intense frustration often sets in. With laser pointers, the dog is left looking for the light everywhere. This can lead to other OCD type behaviors such as chasing sunbeams that are coming through your windows. Or moving shadows outside. A glare off of your TV or watch even. Setting your dog off into a frenzy trying to catch what cannot be caught. Some dogs become so bad in the obsessive behavior that they even stop eating or going outside to potty because they are so fixated on trying to catch that light or shadow that nothing else matters to them and your voice lands on deaf ears. Some dogs have even maimed themselves trying to go after a light source by breaking out of their kennels or windows to try and get it. Lasers can cause permanent eye damage along with a dog tearing muscles running after it and moving the wrong way on slippery floors or parkouring off of furniture. If a dog obsesses over something and cannot get it anxiety, stress, and frustration will set in and it will be a never ending cycle. A dog cannot even relax in their own homes. Have you ever tried preventing every shadow/dancing light from coming into your home or even on walks from shadows of leaves on the pavement? It’s impossible.
Some symptoms of Laser Pointer Syndrome in dogs include:
* Chasing sunbeams/lights on the wall/reflections caused by various light sources
* Searching constantly for wherever the dog last saw the dot of the pointer
* Being so obsessed with chasing lights/shadows that nothing else matters
* Spinning in circles with frustration
Once these behaviors start they are hard to reverse. If you are playing with a laser, STOP immediately. Divert your dog’s attention to other activities and games and outlets that do have an end to them. Like a flirt pole, sniffing walks, find it games, etc. making them use their brains on something that is engaging and also fully fulfills your dogs needs. But if you are finding that these things are not working to stop your dog’s compulsive behavior then professional help maybe needed. Ie talking to your vet about possible medical intervention and speaking with a dog behavioralist to try and see if there is a routine or something to help the dog not fixate so much on lights/shadows. And even after that the dog may not be able to overcome it at all and you just have to try and mitigate it the best you can for the rest of the dog’s life. To prevent this behavior avoid using so called laser toys entirely.
Here are some informative articles on the subject of why laser pointers are not as good as we all thought they were for play or even exercise for our dogs; https://www.askdrcaryn.com/post/laser-pointer-syndrome and https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/behavior/laser-pointer-syndrome-on-dogs/. Continue to do your own research and see whether or not the risk out weighs the “fun times” your dog may have with it.
Just because something is sold online or even in a pet store geared towards our animals doesn’t mean it makes it automatically safe to use with them. Do your research before using any tool, toy, treat, chew, or dog food with your pet. Yes it is time consuming, but in the end your dog will thank you for avoiding a possible long term problem later on.
