Last Updated on March 2, 2022 by Pets Feed
Your dog is chasing his tail and you don’t know why? Does he do it often or sporadically? Attitudes which at first sight seem funny and funny can become a real problem if they are practiced frequently, because they are not always synonymous with play. To provide our dog with everything he needs, it is always advisable to trying to understand his behavior, why he licks or why he barks, are the most common but not the only ones. Continue reading this Pets Feed article and find out why your dog is chasing its tail.
Separation
This type of behavior is not only typical of adult dogs, but also of puppies. The main cause for why a puppy runs after its tail is the recent separation from its brothers. During the lactation period, puppies are used to living in packs with their mothers and siblings, and to playing with them constantly. Once the separation has taken place and the puppy is adopted by a family, he suddenly finds that he has lost his playmates and must find new formulas that provide this stimulus. Thus, it transforms its tail into its new playmate.
Game
The fact that a dog runs after its tail usually occurs in puppies who live in a house where they are completely alone, without another dog who keeps him company, or with an adult dog who does not lend himself to play with him. Typically, they usually do the tail hunting for a while, until they get used to the new house, have new toys, or their adult partner starts playing with them. It is important to pay attention to this behavior to avoid becoming an obsession.
OCD disease
In this sense, an adult dog that chases its tail frequently and obsessively, is likely to develop obsessive compulsive disorder in the puppy stage or in adulthood. In these cases, you must go to the veterinarian to confirm or not this possibility and, if so, start treatment.
Lack of socialization
Another cause that can cause an adult dog to chase its tail may be the lack of social relationships with other dogs. At this point, the time we spend walking our dog plays a fundamental role. Dogs need to socialize with other dogs and animals, and their environment, as well as consume their energy during a certain period of exercise. The way to solve it is to correct these aspects and take a little more care of his social needs.
Boredom
Compared to the previous point, some dogs just chase their tails out of boredom. Normally, this condition also results from the lack of exercise or play. It is essential to emphasize the importance of devoting to our dog the time necessary to run and release the accumulated tension, otherwise this could lead to a state of stress or d anxiety and tail chasing behavior would worsen.
Irritation
Another reason why a dog runs after its tail is the appearance of irritation in the tail area, such as inflammation of the anal glands. In these cases, this behavior is usually accompanied by other symptoms, such as dragging the ass on the ground, biting the tail or strongly licking the anus area. If this is the case, do not hesitate to take your dog to the veterinarian and find out the cause of the irritation.
Itch
Finally, if your dog rarely pursues his tail, it is possible that he simply feels a kind of itch on the tail and tries to stop it. So if he manages to reach it, he will probably bite it gently. It is important to note that not all dogs chase their tails, as not all of them feel any fault in terms of activity, play or social relationships.
