But in certain cases this attitude can be a warning sign. In this way, it is important to understand why this happens and in which situations we should pay more attention when dogs present this type of behavior.

To help you understand this subject better, in today’s post we will explain in which situations this type of behavior can be considered normal and when it is not normal for the dog to chase its tail. We’ll also show you what you can do to prevent this type of problem. Check out!

When is it not normal for a dog to chase its tail?

One of the main hypotheses is that dogs do this as a form of play. It’s tail discovery can be something that makes them have fun. After all, the swinging movement attracts attention and, thus, it is normal for them to be curious and try to look for the moving object. This makes for a very interesting game.

The desire to get attention is also a very common hypothesis and may be the main reason why your dog chases its tail. If he notices that this catches his owner’s attention, because he thinks it’s cute, he’ll repeat the move more times, as it sounds like a reward. This behavior can gain more strength if you are in the habit of giving a treat or petting in situations like this.

But beyond a simple animal play or a way to get attention, this behavior can mean abnormal situations that involve everything from itching and bruises to neurological diseases. That’s why it’s very important to observe your puppy to help him and avoid worsening his health.

See below some situations that can occur and deserve special attention.

Itching and bruises

If your dog is chasing his tail and has a habit of “chewing” some part, it may be because he is feeling some discomfort, due to probable irritation or injuries. Thus, the bite is a way to relieve symptoms. If you notice this kind of behavior, make sure the tail is okay.

Anxiety

Running after its own tail and having the habit of constantly biting its tail, without being able to stop, can be a sign of anxious behavior and deserves attention from the owner. This can be an indicator, for example, of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and can cause health problems, including deep sores on the tail.

Neurological diseases

When the behavior of chasing its own tail is accompanied by other symptoms, such as seizures, signs of pain or abnormal behaviors, it is an alert because, together, it can represent symptoms of  neurological diseases  , which require urgent treatment to avoid complications.

These diseases are usually hereditary. So, one way to help with the diagnosis is to try to investigate the history of your dog’s parents to identify any related problems.

Boredom

If your dog is not feeling stimulated on a daily basis, this can make him need to look for ways to play on his own. And one of them is, precisely, playing chasing his own tail. It is important to pay attention to this, as boredom can be the gateway to other behaviors, such as anxiety,  depression ,  stress , body bites, among others.

To prevent your dog from chasing its tail and prevent it from getting hurt, some precautions should be taken, such as:

• see if he is being properly stimulated on a daily basis;
• analyze for wounds or irritations on the skin of the tail;
• check for other behaviors besides chasing their own tail;
• seek help from a   trusted veterinarian .

genetics

Remember we talked about behavioral issues in this article? Well, often, some breeds have tendencies to compulsive behaviors and this is reflected in the habit of chasing their own tail.

In this case, we have the combination of two aspects: the genetic tendency and a behavior that is compensating for something that bothers. This usually happens in dogs that tend to hunt, such as the beagle and the golden retriever.

When they are not stimulated to develop the hunting instinct, they direct it to what is closest to them in motion: the tail. So if it’s being excessive, it can be interesting to enrich the environment to bring more possibilities for activities that stimulate the habit of hunting.

parasites

Another cause for the dog to chase its own tail is the presence of parasites in the region, such as fleas and ticks . Often they are precisely in the tail region and can cause local discomfort.

So, if you see that your dog does this a lot and tends to bite some specific points in the region, take a look to see if there are parasites in the place.

It is also important to use antiparasitics periodically, in case your dog is exposed to a greater chance of having contact with them. For example, if you live in a rural area, it is always important to apply antiparasitic to prevent ticks.

How to prevent the problems caused by chasing your own tail?

As you have seen, many of the issues that lead the dog to chase its own tail are related to pathologies or behavioral problems that can be prevented to avoid complications.

In this way, to avoid depression in your pet, you can enrich the house and play with it more, go out for a walk with your animal, cuddle more, spend more time with it, among other measures.

In the case of parasites, keeping the periodic antiparasitic up to date is a way to minimize the chances that fleas and ticks cause discomfort in the region and make the animal uncomfortable, chasing its own tail to alleviate the problem.

Other forms of prevention are:

• see a behaviorist veterinarian if he has evidence of problems with anxiety and constant barking ;
• be aware of issues that can cause injuries or discomfort in the tail;
• investigate if your friend has any kind of genetic problem that could lead to symptoms of neurological diseases.

If you have any doubts, always talk to a vet. He will be able to tell if that behavior is in the normal expected patterns or if it is necessary to carry out some kind of treatment for a particular condition that deserves attention.

As we’ve shown in this post, the dog chasing its tail can be a really fun scene to watch, especially with puppies and young dogs. But they can also be a warning sign of more serious problems, requiring greater attention on a daily basis. In this way, it is important to observe if your furry friend has any symptoms related to the situations we have listed, to know how to act.