What should I do? - Page 2

My mom's female does this too. She is physically healthy but obviously not mentally. She has mutilated her tail so badly it is docked. She still spins constantly. Doesn't even know people are visiting and can't go for a walk. Very sad to see a dog like this...and she is only 3. We have been told there is no solution and have tried EVERYTHING to no avail. All we can do is love her silliness.

Hi Isabelle, this is generally a stereotypic behaviour and is reasonably common in GSD's. When doing GSD Rescue, we had quite a number of animals surrendered because their owners could not cope with this and similar behaviours (chasing shadows is another example). I would suggest that you see a good behaviourist/trainer after ruling out all possible physical problems. Contact the APDT at www.apdt.com (Association of Pet Dog Trainers) to get referals (I am assuming that you are in the USA, but there is also the APDT in the UK and Australia). A lot of dogs can be much improved with medication and counter conditioning, to the point that at least they wont mutilate themselves and can live relatively normal lives. I hope all goes well for you.

Really High Drive dogs need to be kept busy or boredom sets in then can lead to self mutilation. I had this issue with a female when kept in a kennel. She is now our house dog. When we put her outside unattended she is on 30 foot line tied to a stake in the ground. Completely different dog when staked out compared to being in a kennel run. This dog also gets a 3 to 5 mile run every other day. You have to find a way to help alleviate the anxiety. Exercise has worked for us. Good Luck, Kyle

hi, sorry i have not read all relplies. but i can told you about my dogs and some from what i have heard. my old female .. i have bought with 2 years .. had also have this problem. every free minute she was catching her tail. only if she was with other dogs outside in garden or i play with her she dont do it. she has done it ever .. all this years she was alive. later she was lying in kennel and eat on her tail. nothing helps. for me its a problem of dogs head. they are too nervous and nothing helps. you can have luck and dogs minimize this problems but mostly she dont do it. a friend of me had a puppy. he had begone with catching at the age of 8 weeks. it was very hard. he has gave him to a family who had time all day. after a half year she had only half tail .. and after one year she was in heaven. also if the tail isnt there they catch. its a head problem .. sure. so i think ... its bad thing but maybe better to let him sleep. my opinion .. you dog never loose this problem. kind regards, nadine

I had this problem in a Border Collie. Went to many vets and trainers. No solution. He mutilated himself every day very badly. Not a lack of exercise or stimulation. He went to the park every day and chased the ball 50 times. He was a house dog with the family. Never kenneled. I tore my hair out over it and finally had him put down at around 2 years. It was diagnosed as obsessive compulsive disorder. But since that time I have learned that dogs given Prosac or other similar acting drugs have been cured so long as they are kept on the drug, just like people with OCD. I wish I had known this when he was alive. By the way, it is believed that OCD can be hereditary.

I read your posts with interest, I myself have never experienced this type of behavior, but a few months ago I saw a TV dog training programme where the trainer cured a Golden Retriever of chaseing lights, the problem was so bad the dog spent most of its free time drooling and licking the windows(the source of many of the dancing lights). The trainer cured the problem, and gave the owners a programme to follow for the duration of the dogs life, she diagnosed OCD, and used kindly aversion techniques and distractions to keep the dog from his 'tic'. This was broadcast in the UK, if you are interested I could research the programme for you and find some contacts/ recomendations in the US via the programmes trainer. please advise your requirements. C