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We sometimes observe tail chasing and biting of the tail in shelter dogs or dogs that develop depression due to neglect. Then pharmacological support is needed to improve the pet’s mood. In such cases, behavioral therapy is introduced only second, after pharmacotherapy has been successful. Nevertheless, consultation with a behaviorist (once we have ruled out any health-related causes for disturbing behavior) should be the first step in resolving your dog’s problems.
Self-care or self-harm?
Each dog cares for its coat – licks, bristles and nicks it to maintain hygiene. Tail biting can also be a symptom of dog self-grooming, but this behavior should be monitored carefully. It can get out of hand and turn into self-harm .
When a dog bites its tail causing wounds to form, we can guess that the cause is elsewhere and related to behavioral problems.
It is a good idea to focus on your dog’s needs and see if all of them are being met. Lack of the right amount of play, limited social contact with people and dogs, or no activities based on sniffing or exploring new places – all of this can translate into compulsive behaviors such as licking and biting the tail.
This behavior compensates for unmet needs, boredom, and the owner’s lack of understanding and interest. If you suspect a problem is with your dog, get help from a behaviorist!
Stress-reactions and dog-character
Chasing your own tail may be based on the same mechanism and have the same causes as the biting of the hair around it. Here, too, the issue of possible stress experienced by the animal and whether its basic needs are being met is very important.
Dogs chasing their tails often have a shelter history behind them (confinement in a box, infrequent walks and a large amount of stressful stimuli favor the development of such a problem) or live in the suburbs, where they do not leave their pen or yard. Then each stimulus (e.g. a dog walking past a fence) causes a compulsive reaction in the pet, e.g. barking and running around its own tail in a circle.
So, what is the difference between chasing a tail and biting the hair around it? The first behavior will more often apply to extroverted dogs of an excitable nature, the second – to introverted dogs, less prone to actively relieve stress.
SUMMARY
1. If you observe that your dog is biting the fur around the tail, first check that he is not suffering from allergies, parasites, or any other health related skin reaction. Your doubts will be dispelled by a visit to the veterinarian.
2. If a healthy dog exhibits compulsive behaviors (such as hair-biting and tail chasing), it may have behavioral problems.
3. Behavioral problems manifested by compulsive behaviors most often result from the stress experienced by the dog. Its sources are usually: lack of security and constant daily schedule, as well as boredom and unsatisfied needs of the pet.
4. Some dogs groom their coat by licking, grooming, and nibbling, but when self-grooming turns into self-harming behavioral reasons for this behavior should be looked for.
5. How your dog reacts to stress depends on its nature. Excitable quadrupeds are more likely to choose to chase the tail, and canine introverts are more likely to choose to chase the tail.
