Chasing (and catching) their tail

[chadanddenise]

Ok, so twice now my dog has caught his tail and bit it hard. I figured it would only happen once - but this time he bit it so bad it bled for a long time. He didn't seem bothered by it at all (we kept wagging his tail and blood was splattering all over - ahhh!).

Is he going crazy or something? Or do any of your dogs do this?

 

[misticaleclipse]

ouch! wish i have a suggestion. Charlies tail curles over his back so he has never gone after it, but I know many cats who have, but never with that much damage. Hope someon else can help.

 

[LabBreeder]

My youngest, Gunner, has just realized the dizzy joy of chasing his tail. But he has never really tried to catch it, much less actually suceed!

Did your dog even act like it hurt? Did he yelp when it happened?

 

[JennSLK]

Jazz can catch her stump. LOL

 

[Aussie Red]

Yes I had a dog do that and it got so bad that the tail had to be removed because of the bites going to sores and then getting infections. Before removal of the tail we tried several things like bitter apple and E-collar but he was insistant that he chase and bite his tail. This according to my vet is a nervous disorder and that the can give him a med that is like tranquilizers that won't make the dog lithargic but settle the nervous behavior. Even after we had the tail removed the dog still presisted in the tail chase and chew behavior and would still manage to nip it and cause injury to it so we went for the meds. He lived a long healthy life and at 15 1/2 he passed on having never chased his tail again. I don't remember what it was he took because that was so long ago. Good luck with the problem but I do suggest that you consult your vet before you may have to remove the tail because of injury, it is expensive and very hard on full grown dogs.

 

[LabBreeder]

Jenn - Now THAT'S a talented dog!

 

[JennSLK]

Jenn - Now THAT'S a talented dog!

I'll have to get a pic of it. It's not just the tip either, she puts the whole stump up to her but in her mouth.

 

[SummerRiot]

Chasing tails is a very bad thing for dogs.

Crosbie, when he plays grabs the other dogs tail and pulls. He is then not allowed to play anymore.

I have heard horror stories of dogs catching their own tails and others and yanking so hard that they dislocate the spinal cord and become paralyzed.

Be careful when you see your dog doing this. Riot tried it when he was younger and was taught never to do it in play or to himself.

 

[chadanddenise]

Thanks Aussie Red

Thanks everybody - Aussie Red was what I was wondering about...it seemed like I'd heard it could be a nervous issue...this is our scaredy-dog. So it makes sense. The other thing we're wondering is if he's just hitting it so hard on something it keeps opening it back up again. It happened again tonight...but I didn't see him chasing it.

And I think we did laugh the first time he caught it - so we need now getting him to realize it's a bad thing.

Anyway - Lab Breeder - he didn't yelp at all..it was the weirdest thing. He was so intent on getting it and then it's like he didn't even feel the pain.

 

[poodlesmom]

The other thing we're wondering is if he's just hitting it so hard on something it keeps opening it back up again. It happened again tonight...but I didn't see him chasing it.

This is a definite possibility. My last Great Dane had gotten a cut on his tail about 2" down from the tip which required stitches. Due to the velocity of his wagging and always hitting it on walls, furniture, people, etc. it kept reopening. He had stitches on it a 2nd time. Same result. He ended up having it docked as it just wouldn't heal.

 

[mojozen]

MOjo chases his tail. He catches the last bit of fur tuft on the end and stops. He's never pulled on it, or cut himself... his personal talent? He's 4 years old and has been doing it the entire time I've had him (2 years). I keep an eye on him, but he doesn't seem intent on hurting himself... only on making himself dizzy. I have more problems with him running into walls than him catching his tail....

 

[JennSLK]

I have more problems with him running into walls than him catching his

So Im not to only one with a dog like that? LOL

Jazz was stadning paralell to the wall and turned around really fast and THUNK her head on the wall. She also has been known to walk straight into them when she's not paying attention.

 

[mojozen]

So Im not to only one with a dog like that? LOL

Jazz was stadning paralell to the wall and turned around really fast and THUNK her head on the wall. She also has been known to walk straight into them when she's not paying attention.

Actually Mojo's real talent seems to be walking in the right spot behind me where somehow (and I really don't know how this happens so much!) my foot connects with his bottom jaw when I'm walking through my apartment. He literally ghosts that close to me... He also runs into me/walls/boyfriend/furniture/and even the floor sometimes when playing hard... Smacks his nose or head or body or legs and keeps right on going. His tail is DEFINATELY NOT A PROBLEM!!!

It's the good end... and occasionally Mojo acts like he is really surprised to see it attached to his body still. Which with the way he is about his head, it is amazing it hasn't fallen off yet!

-- Megan