The Dog Spot

Obsessive Dog Behavior Article

Thumbnail example

This is a selection made from among articles on Obsessive Dog Behavior. For a permanent link to this article, or to bookmark it for future reading, click here.

Why Does A Dog Chases Its Tail

from: Kyle Besser

Many dogs chase their tails when they experience excitement they don't know how to handle. For some dogs, it is a big event going outside after being cooped up all day. Getting out of the tub after a bath is always exciting as well. The sight of a leash for many dogs is excitement.

For some dogs, chasing their tails is something to do when they really don't know what to do. It's like people who bite their nails, tap on a desk, or do some other physical action subconsciously.

Some dogs roll over and over on their backs. Some dogs jump up on their hind legs. Some dogs run around in circles and bark. These are all normal outlets for energy and excitement, but some dogs do them all of the time. Tail chasing is less common. Researchers are not sure why dogs chase their tails, but they suspect the dog behavior tail chasing may have something to do with their hunting pasts.

Dogs originally got their meals by hunting small prey such as rabbits. Dog brains and eyes are wired in such a way that they are intensely aware of quick movements. It is possible that some dogs catch a glimpse of their tails, get excited, and without thinking about it, try to catch it. They rarely succeed, of course, but some keep trying. We don't have any reason to believe that dogs really think their tails are prey to be captured, but that basic instinct may be what gets them started.

Some dogs chase their tails just to show off or to get attention. Even if dogs initially see their tails as bushy little animals, it shouldn't take them long to realize their mistake. Yet some dogs keep up the dog behavior tail chasing all the time. They may simply think it's fun, especially when the people they live with think it's fun too.

Tail chasing is pretty cute when dogs first do it, and a lot of people make a big fuss over it. Since dogs happen to enjoy an appreciative audience and they discover that the dog behavior tail chasing gets them a lot of attention, they'll keep chasing their tails.

The dog behavior tail chasing has a downside. Like actors who are always "on," some dogs get such a thrill from performing that they keep doing it even when no one is watching. Tail chasing is hard work, and the dog can run itself ragged until it collapses in a panting heap on the floor. The dog will rest and then get up and chase its tail again.

The dog behavior tail chasing can actually become unhealthy for the dog. It may be entertainment to watch dogs chase their tails, but you don't want to encourage the dog behavior tail chasing. There is no way to predict which dogs will chase their tails for fun and which dogs will become truly obsessed.