In puppies it is usually due to an inner ear infection. This can be caused by many different things.
Other Playful Behaviors in Dogs to Look Out For Chasing a tail isnt the only canine behavior to keep an eye out for lest it becomes something that youd prefer to avoid in the future.
Is a dog chasing its tail normal. Trauma to the tail or spine. Although its not always obvious at first a dog who chews their tail may have internal damage in their tail or spine. In other instances a dog biting their tail may.
It is normal especially for young dogs to chase after their tail once a while. On the other hand some medical conditions do compel your pup to chase after his tail to try and find some relief. So it is always a great idea to counter check and ensure everything is OK.
We now give you some of the top reasons why your dog chases its tail. Your pouch may not be chasing their tail but have a vestibular disease. The vestibular disease causes your dog to walk in circles and they may appear that they are chasing their tail.
This can be caused by many different things. In puppies it is usually due to an inner ear infection. People believe that tail chasing is an autistic behavior therefore they make the connection that vaccinations cause tail chasing which is not true If your dog is obsessively chasing his tail.
Oftentimes dogs will chase their tails because they are a bit bored. Its a way for them to have fun and expend some energy. This is especially true for puppies who may not even realize that their tail is actually a part of their body but see it as a toy.
Certain neurological conditions can lead to dogs acting out in a wide range of unusual ways many of which will appear highly compulsive and habitual. Certain conditions such as epilepsy brain injury and anything else that affects the brain and neurological synapses and nerves can lead to odd behaviour which may include chasing their own tail. This can be done using any normal dog training method basically you just punish the dog somehow when it chases its tail.
That can be a scolding or a firm NO Another way is to use the sit command as a way to interrupt the behavior. If youve trained your dog to sit order it to sit every time it starts to chase its tail. It can be fun to see a dog chasing its tail and is usually harmless especially in puppies.
But sometimes thats not a laughing matter. While a brief episode of tail chasing is normal for most dogs there could be a bigger problem if the behavior occurs. Tail-chasing is a perfectly normal behavior for a playful dog.
Shes merely expending excess energy and expressing her desire for exercise and play. Dogs who chase their tails for fun are enjoying the sensation of free-wheeling happy playfulness in a prey-centric fashion. If your dog chases their tail on occasion thats totally normal Some experts believe that tail chasing may even signal mental illness in dogs.
As The Guardian reports obsessive tail chasing is considered a symptom of canine compulsive disorder. Sometimes a dog chasing their tail can just be a normal behavioral act. Dogs who chase their tails often do so from anxiety overexcitement boredom or an underlying medical problem.
Some dogs such as German shepherds and bull terriers are more prone to tail-chasing behavior. If tail chasing is a regular part of your dogs day you can take steps to help your dog. Bobbing a dogs tail to stop them chasing it is like cutting off a childs hand to prevent them from biting their fingernails.
Other Playful Behaviors in Dogs to Look Out For Chasing a tail isnt the only canine behavior to keep an eye out for lest it becomes something that youd prefer to avoid in the future. Weinberg DVM if your dog appears to be obsessively chasing their tail it could be due to an underlying health condition such as seizures pain an infection or even cancer. If your dog is chasing their tail a lot its best to rule out any medical issues first so always get in touch with your vet who will be able to examine them and find the root of the problem.
Explanation possible for tail chasing. It turns out that there is a lot of speculation about why a dog will chase its tail. Some say it is a sign of boredom excitement or compulsive disorder.
A group of Turkish researchers suggests that the answer forcould be organic.