Tail-chasing is a very common behavior in an active puppy. Wolves and
foxes do it, too, as do many members of the cat family. Why? Because
the tail is always there. It wiggles in a most intriguing fashion. It
follows them everywhere. At an early age, young critters haven't yet
got a clear idea of where their own bodies end and the rest of the
world begins, so the tail seems like an independent entity to be
pursued. And, of course, once they start to chase the tail, IT MOVES.
Fascinating!
Most vets will tell you that tail-chasing is nothing to be alarmed
about in a very young dog, such as your four-month-old pup. It may
seem bizarre to us, but from the puppy's standpoint, the tail is just
another moving object to be investigated, hunted down, sometimes even
bitten. But when older dogs chase their tails, this may be a sign of
anxiety, boredom, frustration, canine compulsive disorder, or physical
problems such as fleas and irritated anal glands. The tendency toward
tail-chasing behavior is sometimes genetic in certain breeds
(including bull terriers, fox terriers, and Jack Russell terriers).
I've gathered some online discussions of the matter for you. For
reasons of copyright, I'm posting just brief excerpts here; you may
want to read some of these articles in their entirety.
"Even though it may look like puppy has gone bonkers when he/she
furiously chases its own tail, this is fairly normal behaviour. It is
usually seen after the puppy has been separated from its littermates.
Puppy is just playing by itself, since there are no more littermates
to play with. The puppy probably doesn't yet realize that this tail is
its own. The puppy should grow out of this behaviour as it grows up.
Provided there is no discomfort in the activity, there is little cause
for concern."
Pets.ca: Puppies chasing their tails - Should you be concerned?
http://www.pets.ca/pettips/tips-9.htm
"Tail chasing is a common playful behavior in normal puppies and
kittens. It seems that they do not recognize their own tail as part of
their body. A tail is an entertaining distraction when no other
playmate is nearby.
Though tail chasing is often a normal activity seen in moments of
excitement, it can indicate itchiness or inflammation near the tail
base, lower back, genitals or anus. Physical discomfort associated
with these areas may be traced to external parasites, internal
parasites and anal sac disease, to name a few causes.
As endearing or amusing as it may appear, tail chasing should not be
encouraged by praise or any form of attention. In dogs, and rarely in
cats, the behavior may persist into adulthood and can progress to
self-mutilation...
This behavior should be investigated early in young dogs so as to
eliminate the possibility of underlying physical problems. Young dogs
should be firmly reprimanded with a firm 'no' and immediately
distracted with an alternative acceptable activity, such as a chew toy
or an obedience drill."
Tomball Veterinary Clinic
http://www.thevet.com/chaseect.htm
"Tail chasing, at first glance, may appear to be a normal component of
play behaviour in dogs. Problems arise when such behaviour becomes
excessive and the dog injures itself during the activity and when the
dog cannot be distracted for other activities. Many would define tail
chasing, or whirling, as a stereotypic behavior. Stereotypic behavior
can be defined as a ritualistic, repetitive, constant sequence of
movements appearing to serve no obvious function. Such behavior is
often found in cases where animals are confined and where their
behavior is restricted, but can be present in ordinary environments,
as well. Tail chasing has also been known to be more common in certain
breeds, such as Bull Terriers, indicating this behavior may be
hereditary in some cases."
University of Saskatchewan: Tail Chasing in Dogs
http://www.usask.ca/wcvm/herdmed/applied-ethology/behaviourproblems/tailchase.html
"Circling and tail chasing
Meaning
Dogs may repeatedly turn in tight circles in a fixed manner to such a
degree that it interferes with their normal function or it is of
concern to their owners. There is great variation in speed and
duration between cases. There may he one or more of the following:
growling, a leap during the circuit, and attention to, biting or
holding of a body part (tail, hind leg, scrotum or penis)
Predisposing Factors
Many cases appear to result from several predisposing factors, which
result in a threshold being reached.
Breed
Bull Terriers and their crosses are most frequently reported, followed
by Australian Cattle Dogs, German Shepherd Dogs, and the crosses of
each. Various terrier breeds (Fox, Jack Russell, Staffordshire Bull
and Cairn) have been less frequently seen. However it has also been
reported in many other breeds."
Balgownie Veterinary Hospital: Circling and tail chasing
http://www.balgownievet.com.au/1_dog_circlingtail.htm
"Dogs chase their tails for several reasons. If your veterinarian
examined your dog and didn't find any fleas or problems with your
dog's anal glands, then you could be dealing with a behavior problem.
It may have started when he was bored and now tail-chasing has become
a habit. In some dogs, tail-chasing can be an obsessive-compulsive
disorder. In others, it's a source of attention. Your veterinarian may
be able to suggest a good animal behaviorist that can help diagnose
and treat the problem.
In the meantime, try not to react when he chases his tail. Laughing or
scolding him are forms of attention and this could be what he wants.
If there are any incidences that seem to trigger the behavior, try to
get him into a down-stay before he can chase his tail.
These suggestions may help, but some dogs, if they are causing harm to
themselves, may need drug therapy in addition to behavior modification
to solve the problem. "
Selkirk Veterinary Hospital: Frequently Asked Questions
http://www.selkirkvet.com/behaviour_dogs.htm#a9
"Dogs' quirky, unexplainable repetitive behaviors can be part of an
anxiety condition known as canine compulsive disorder. Andrew
Luescher, director of Purdue's Animal Behavior Clinic and one of about
30 board certified animal behaviorists in the country, estimates that
2 percent of the dog population has canine compulsive disorder. Dogs
with the disease often display compulsive behaviors such as tail
chasing, snapping the air, licking excessively, chewing with an empty
mouth and barking monotonously without any change in volume or
intonation."
Purdue University: Purdue veterinarian studies compulsive behavior in dogs
http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html4ever/021021.Luescher.compulsive.html
"Behavioural problems can be genetic afflicting one breed or even
breed line. A classic example is tail chasing in the English Bull
Terrier. These dogs literally chase their tails in a circle. Amusing
at first but this can develop into a situation where the dog will tail
chase incessantly only stopping when in extreme exhaustion, starting
again after a short sleep. No action on the part of the owner will
stop this genetic condition."
Isabelle Vets: Behaviour Problems
http://www.isabellevets.co.uk/health_advice/dog/info/behaviourdog.htm
"1. Avoid encouraging the behavior with praise, regardless of how
funny tail chasing looks.
2. Allow very young, happy puppies to chase their tails for one
minute. Then ignore the behavior.
3. Play with your puppy and take him for a walk to release excess
energy that often accompanies tail chasing.
4. Ignore the behavior completely in older dogs by doing and saying
nothing - even if that means leaving the room.
5. Always have chew toys available. Stress often triggers the behavior.
6. Have your veterinarian screen the animal to rule out causes and
provide proper treatment. Drug therapy may be needed in certain
cases."
eHow: How to Stop Your Dog From Chasing His or Her Tail
http://www.ehow.com/how_2541_stop-dog-chasing.html
Google search strategy:
Google Web Search: "tail chasing" + "dog"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=%22tail+chasing%22+dog
I hope this helps! If anything is unclear, or if a link doesn't work
for you, please request clarification; I'll be glad to offer further
assistance before you rate my answer.
Best wishes,
pinkfreud |
