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Tail Chasing

1K views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  3GSD4IPO 
#1 ·
My dog is usually just chasing its own tail.
I had heard that dog chasing its own tail is the sign of the canine compulsive disorder. Is it true?
 
#3 ·
Some dogs are prone to obsessive compulsive behaviors like tail chasing, chasing lights and shadows, or sucking on things. A few questions to ask are 1) are they just bored because there is literally nothing else to do? 2) do they do it even when offered the option of doing another behavior, like playing with you or another dog? 3) do they seem to go into a trance-like state while doing it? and 4) do they do it to the point of exhaustion, and still try to keep doing it?

If the answer to number 1 is yes, then provide other options. Training, toys, food toys, or food puzzles can all help combat boredom.

If the answer to number 1 is no, and the answers to numbers 2 and/or 3 and/or 4 are yes, then the odds of it being an OCD behavior is very likely, and consulting your vet about medication and treatment would be a good idea.
 
#4 ·
What kind of dog is it, and how old? Also, what is your dog's normal energy level, and does it spend noisy of the time inside or out, with people or alone? Having that info as a baseline will help a lot!

For example, if it's a young puppy, and it's doing this a couple times a day while acting insane, it's just the "puppy crazies." If it's, say, a visla that's mostly outside without much interaction, then it's needing a way to focus its inbred hunting instincts and a way to burn off all of its energy. So... a bit more info about your dog would really help!

Best of luck!
 
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