Why do dogs chase their tails?

Published: 17-08-2023

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As a dog owner, you have probably experienced at least once a situation where your or someone else’s pet started chasing its tail. The reasons for this behaviour may be diverse, but it is not always necessary to see a specialist.

 

Why do dogs do that?

Stress often lies at the root of this behaviour. As with humans, it can be very damaging to the mental health of dogs. For this reason, you should carefully monitor your pet’s behaviour. Try to determine what is the cause of the problem and how to eliminate it effectively.

Tail chasing and biting is a common compulsive behaviour in dogs. It is a form of response to external stimuli that bring your pet into stress. They are most often associated with bad emotions that your dog wants to turn into fun, which is supposed to improve its mood. However, its behaviour should get your attention. It is a signal that something adversely affects the well-being of your dog. Therefore, it is worth turning to a specialist who will help your pet.

 

Why is your dog anxious?

The first and most important thing you should check is whether your dog is comfortable in its environment. If something is stressful for the pet, it is unable to stay calm. Animals perceive the world around them and the events that make up everyday life in a slightly different way. They feel much better when their day is based on repetitive activities. That is why your pet may feel threatened when there are frequent changes in its circadian rhythm.

Another factor that triggers anxiety is boredom. If you don’t spend enough time with your pet, it will simply get bored. Therefore, it uses every opportunity to attract your attention. One way is to chase its tail.

 

Where to get help?

If your dog’s behaviour is caused by a nervous system disorder, you may need to see a specialist. Pharmacological treatment can be very effective if appropriate medicinal products are used. They are intended to improve the mood of your pet. When they start to work, the behaviourist’s time arrives, whose task is to adapt the pet to the reality around it. Behavioural therapy is often a sufficient solution that does not have to be combined with additional pharmacological treatment, but the most difficult cases require the use of combined therapy.

 

Conclusion

A dog chasing its tail can be very stressed out. For this reason, it is worth looking at the behaviour of your pet and trying to determine whether it is accompanied by the most common causes of disorders, such as stress or boredom. The help of a specialist is usually needed. It’s best to start with a visit to a behaviourist who will try to train your dog and advise you on how to find a common language with your pet. In extreme cases, it may be necessary to implement pharmacological treatment to calm the dog down, which is the basis for further therapy.

 

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