How many times do you find your dog chasing its tail? It might appear like a quick and odd chase at times and a tornado with your dog in hot pursuit at others.
It’s harmless if it’s occasional and doesn’t do any worse. But it might not be the case always, which is why dog owners ask, “do dogs think their tail is a toy?”
But many times, dog parents can’t even find the reason why their dogs chase their tails. It could be fun or something serious.
So here, we will explore various reasons and understand how dogs feel about their tails.
Boredom
What do you do when you get bored? Some dogs choose to go behind their tails.
This happens when they are left alone in the daytime or not getting sufficient physical or mental stimulation.
Dogs use tail chasing to get entertained for a while. Moreover, this also lets them drain some energy they have build-up doing nothing.
So, when boredom is the reason, fixing the behavior is simple. Making them do more regular activities can help.
Add daily walks to their regular chores, mental games, physical activities, and more to keep them busy.
Thinking of what you can add to the list? We play fetch games with our fur baby. And like ours, other dogs can barely resist this one.
For mental engagement, you can use some brain puzzles and games.
Puppy playfulness
Have you been around newborn kids and toddlers? You would have seen them use their moth to explore everything they see. Dogs also tend to do the same.
So, it may be a yes with conditions for “do dogs think their tail is a toy?” A better answer is that puppies are playful like kids and like to play with their tails.
However, with age, they start learning things about their anatomy. Thus, they realize the tail is a part of their body and tend to stop playing with it.
Ticks and fleas
Ticks or fleas could be another reason why your pet is chasing the tails. When an infestation makes the tail itchy, dogs start chasing it to get some relief by biting it.
So, if you even doubt that to be the reason, don’t forget to check their skin first.
Watch out for dark brown/black specks in their flea feces (coat). It can also be the case of bald patches due to the huge scratching and licking.
Medical conditions
Many doctors (veterinarians) agree that dogs chasing their tails could be a medical issue. This can be due to one of the many underlying health conditions.
Most common conditions that may cause this include infection, pain, seizures, or cancer. So, when you find your pet chasing its tail, it is the perfect time to rule out medical problems.
Don’t delay getting in touch with a vet and get your pet examined for the root cause of the problem.
Attention seeking
Are you ignoring your pet? Even if you don’t, the dog might feel that. And, chasing tail is attempt dogs do to seek attention.
So, when canines feel like they are not having enough of your attention, they will do different things to make you react. Tail chasing is just one of them.
Once you respond, even if you do it to stop them from tail chasing, they will take it positively. And then, tail chasing will become their thing to get your attention.
To stop this attention-seeking behavior, take out good time from your daily schedule to play with the pet. These 4-legged fur babies are sociable creatures that may ask for a lot of attention.
Anxiety
Tail chasing can also be an anxiety symptom. In such cases, repetitive behavior serves as a comfort source for pets and can be used as a stress reliever.
So, your dog might start doing it when it feels nervous. Some general causes of anxiety among dogs are:
- Small living places like crates or kennels
- Lack of chances to socialize
- Emotional or physical abuse in the house
- Aggression from another dog or pet
- Past frightening experiences
When Should You Contact the Veterinarian?
Consulting a vet should be an option when you are getting to a no for “do dogs think their tail is a toy?”
Many situations may need you to see a vet. So, you should opt for medical advice when tail-chasing:
- Happens frequently
- Lasts for more than a few minutes
- Isn’t ceasing with gentle redirection
- Tends to cause injury
As we already discussed, medical issues that can cause tail chasing to include trauma, allergies, fleas, spine, or tail disease.
Besides, your veterinarian can also help find out whether your dog is ill or merely anxious or stressed. Knowing this can help you proceed with the right approach.
The Verdict – Do Dogs Think Their Tail is a Toy?
You can take it as a yes. When pets are young, they might not know the tail as a part of their body. So, considering it a toy, they may play with it, chasing and biting.
But tail chasing is also associated with many other reasons including medical issues.
Hence, finding and treating the right cause can help prevent your dog from chasing its tail.
FAQs
Do dogs know it’s their own tail?
Tail chasing is generally a result of boredom or a craving for attention. Similar to biting nails, the act of tail chasing is self-gratifying.
While newborn pups may not know it’s their tail, bigger dogs know it for sure. However, you might unwillingly encourage yours to chase the tail by giving attention.
Do dogs get dizzy from chasing their tails?
That’s not the case with pets. They don’t experience dizziness from such movements or spinning.
Even if your pet is going too hard on chasing the tail, don’t worry. The dog won’t collapse into a dizzy mess like humans.
Instead, pets get dizzy after an impact on their vestibular system. This can also throw them off balance.
Is it bad for dogs to chase their tails?
It isn’t bad if it’s once or twice. But when tail chasing goes obsessive, it could be the symptom of a canine compulsive disorder.
If not kept in check, the behavior can become self-destructive, resulting in pets damaging their tails. Consult the vet in case of obsessive tail chasing.