TAIL CHASING - Page 1

Hi i was wondering if anyone can help, i sold a pup to a very nice couple a few months back, very happy healthy pup as were all the litter, last weekend she started chronicle tail chasing and barking madly at her tail.

Up until last weekend this pup showed no signs at all, she did seem like she had a slight infection as she was licking around her vulva, but other then that seems fine, apparantly no accident to the tail has occured, she is well excercised and has another dog to run with, they also up until the weekend would throw the ball for her and she would charge of to get it now ingnores the other dog and the ball, and even when she goes out for  awalk she seems obsessed with her tail, although does not grab it just barks.

Any ideas??? owners are very upset and vet wants them to put her on prozac, she is 5.5 months old,

Vet wants to put her on Prozac ?
What is this world coming to?
Who are these people?

The dog may be coming into her first heat cycle for one thing.
The dog may be bored or frustrated.
Tell that Vet to shove the prozac up his or her ass and call me in the morning.

Moons.

 You might tell them to try an Elizabethan collar. This can become a really wicked habit, with serious physiological harm possible, so I'd try to nip it in the bud. The Elizabethan collar will act like blinders on a horse. If it's large enough, she won't ever be able to see her tail, and the positive reinforcement will be cut off. 

If the dog needs to have some kind of constant stimulation, they might try to take a small toy on a very short lead w snap, and fasten it to her collar, so that she learns to flip it up and catch it.  In SAR they use something like this, called a "Bringsel". They usually take the thumb of a leather glove and stuff it with cotton, packed hard, then sew the end shut and attach the thong and snap. The dog actually learns to flip it up to catch it. It is used for a specific purpose in SAR work, but this might provide a constantly available toy for this bitch, so she can keep herself stimulated and busy. You / they will need to teach her to obsess on that Bringsel, and how to catch it. 

This breed is sometimes a model for obsessive / compulsive behavior. But, this is what makes them such good working dogs. Couch potatoes, they are generally not. 

I had a female that acted like that years ago and she turned out to be one of the best dogs I ever had!

She had high  drives  and wanted to work and be praised.  (she could get bored in 1 minute)

It just took me a while to figure out what made her tick.

example:
If I got a ball out she would look at it,  spin and bark.
If I got her frisbee - she would stop spinning, grab it and head for the door.
If I didn't go out at that moment, she would spin again.

She also loved obedience and schutzhund training.

It was a phase that lasted until she was two or so. (in her case)

Do you have a link to her pedigree?

(Do they want to sell her? -hehe)




(moons - vet - hehe)

I can't believe this vet for wanting to put this puppy on prozac! What kind of veterinary practice is this vet running anyways? Sounds to me that this vet only has an interest in big pharma (how many pills he can sell to the public) and of course $$$$ and not real vet care. If my vet ever recommend putting any of my dogs on SSRI's I would tell them to shove the pills up their asses (as what two moons mention) and that I want all of my dogs medical records and then go to the next vet who has brains.

 Yes, these are very typically high drive dogs. However, not everyone has the time and talent or lifestyle and temperament for such a high maintenance dog. I have a bloodline now which are excellent working dogs, high prey drive and also civil, good noses, curious and extremely intelligent, but are very laid back in the kennel, sometimes almost morose. Take them out and work them and it's like night and day.. the animal comes alive, and how!

The thing I don't care for about the spinners, fence-runners, finger painters and barkaholics, is that they are not only generate nuisance complaints, but they just burn off energy and when you take them out to work them, there is "nothing left in the pot", as someone used to say. 

I am finding that the chronically active dogs might make good herding dogs, always moving.. but I don't own any sheep. For me, these dogs are worse than useless, sad to say. 

I say, try an Elizabethan collar, and take her out every day for focused exercise and play. She is clearly bored. 

 Prozac is the big thing with veterinarians, now. The panacea for behavioral and anxiety problems. Sad. 

Very sad,
Whats worst is that doctors want to prescribe anti-depressants for everything these days.
Adults maybe but to children.....................  makes me angry.
There are real reasons for things that should be dealt with, not put down with these kind of drugs.
No one wants to do the work, dealing with problems.
Just take a pill.
I think the dog will be fine.

Hey guys thanks so far good feedack, i suggested to the owner to try the Elizabethan collar, but  the vet thought this would stress her, i am not so sure, i think she is bored despite what the owner says, i have the brother still here and own and bred the mother, show lines but lines that have always liked to work,
I like the sound of the ball on the collar, i will be talking to them tomorrow so will suggest that if they dont want to try the collar, i went off my head when they told me what the vet said, and then they went to another vet and he said the same thing, crazy i know, anymore dvice would be great, they really love this dog but are very very worried.

Two Vets, Prozac !!!!
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Try a few new distractions, see if she doesn't come in heat, my bitch is coming in and like to spend a lot of time checking out the plumbing.
The collar maybe but I think thats a bit much unless shes doing damage.
Chech her for worms, look at her diet, find her a new ball or a new activity, but DONT put her on drugs !!!!
Give it a little time.