What Does It Mean When A Dog Chases Its Own Tail. What you dont know is that youre reinforcing his behavior. If your dog is compulsively chasing his tail he can cause serious damage by biting and chewing on it when he finally does catch it. Chasing out of boredom isnt necessarily a bad thing. People believe that tail chasing is an autistic behavior therefore they make the connection that vaccinations cause tail chasing which is not true If your dog is obsessively chasing his tail.
The presence of fleas or irritated anal glands. In fact it is thought that for some dogs chasing their own tails becomes an obsessive compulsive behavior which is sometimes treated with anti-anxiety medication and therapy with an animal behaviorist. Limber Tail syndrome is an injury occurring in sporting or working dogs. The base of the tail is one of the most common areas for hotspots to develop which will often lead to your dog biting scratching or otherwise bothering this particular area which can of course make things worse. Dogs may appear to be chasing their tail when theyre actually trying to reach and scratch their butt. Trauma to the tail or spine.
The most common and innocent reason is simply out of boredom.
She will lope around in circles attempting to grab her own tail. Frequently she will make it. An obsessive dog suffering from separation anxiety may chase his tail to help calm himself while his owner is gone. A dog chasing its tail may be a sign of a direr issue. The presence of fleas or irritated anal glands. Your dog may lick or chew their tail if theyre feeling anxious.