Tail Chasing - Page 1

I have an 8 month old puppy that was returned to me. She has an issue with chasing her tail. Its so bad that there is no hair left on her tail - it looks like a rat tail. She was primarily left outdoors alone - invisible fence, and kenneled at night. Has been to the vet - no skin issues. I am having troubles fixing the issue. I thought she was maybe under stimulated but the more activity she gets the more tail chasing/spinning she does. She will even push her bum up against a tree to help herself grab her tail.
Questions? Comments? Advice?
pedigree : http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/german_shepherd_dog/breeding.result?father=2450681&mother=747691

Unfortunately when an obsession starts to be observed it needs to be addressed and stopped immediately. The tail chasing and self-mutilation has now become very ingrained.

I would talk to your vet about some Prozac therapy combined with extreme vigilance. The dog should be like your shadow so you can deliver the proper discouragement of the habit. The Prozac is not necessarily a lifetime treatment but it can be what is needed to break through the obsessive mindset. ( I have done this successfully with a cat who chased and bloodied his tail, but it would be worth it to try with a dog, IMHO)

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/german_shepherd_dog/breeding.result?father=2450681&mother=747691

A live link to the pedigree above ... butttttttttt  ... the pedigree has nothing to do with the problem.  The now tween age puppy was left alone with nothing to do so she invented something to do.  I have seen dogs carry plastic and metal buckets around in their mouth, dig holes, bark at the ground and dig holes, spin, and invent imaginary play partners if bored and ignored.  The log lady in Twin Peaks was an example of delusional obsession.  I would try to get her obsessed with something less self destructive like a tug or a ball.  A lot of high drive dogs are obsessive compulsive you just need to channel that energy into something less destructive.  Since your dog has a compulsion to chase and grab her tail I would try to get her to chase and grab a tug since when she has a tug in her mouth she can't chase her tail and grab it.  The people who raised the pup screwed up her head and it is likely she has no bond or any trust or respect for humans as a result.  It will take time for her to trust and respect you which will diminish her need to comfort herself with tail chasing behavior.  Build her trust and respect with you or another human and switch her to a tug as a toy or focus for her self comforting obsession.  Her behavior can be seen as a self comforting behavior that is destructive ( carrying rocks in the mouth is another ) not as some insanity.  People who chain smoke cigarettes and eat a dozen donuts a day are likewise using a self destructive comforting behavior to address an underlying psychological problem just as your dog spins and chases her tail ... she can't smoke and has no Krispy Kremes so she makes do with her tail.

I've had German Shepherds like this before and you have begun the right things by taking her to your Vet's...You have to rule out things as you can...First is to check and make sure there's no physical/medical reason for this...Second you should have a Vet/Neurologist check her out to see if it's a neurological problem...
Sometimes dogs...usually very young dogs will have something that triggers this reaction and cause such an outcome...
Most of the times there's nothing that will help but you should try anything and everything possible...
Most of these dogs would leave their tail alone as long as you did something with them to keep their minds off it...but it returns later...Some people have gone as far as to amputate the tail...
I wish you luck and if I can help let me know...

~Bob~

My previous boy did this, I had to take him totally out of his present environment to stop the obsession, as the dog next door drove him crazy; same time later learned he had DM, thought possibly he had a tingling nerve issue back there; also check her anal glands and check for any type tape worms also any fistula type sores on her behind around and underneath her tail. You can get a surgical collar for her that would prevent her from being able to reach that far back but probably not going to help change her mindset.?? Guess you need best to figure out what's bugging her... Best of luck Nan

Since we're looking at the pedigree anyway,Brittany21, could you clarify which organization issued the registration number you've entered for the sire, Hutch?

I am glad you asked hexe because I was questioned on that before and when I asked for help no one helped me..... he is registered with CKC and that is what follows his registered name on his paper work... but if there is somewhere else I am to be looking or need to do please let me know - thanks

CKC meaning Canadian Kennel Club, or CKC as in Continental Kennel Club? Edited to add: Never mind--did some further looking around, and I see you're in Canada, and the dogs are CKC registered. So that's the dog's registration number, and what you need to do is edit Hutch's pedigree info and select the CKC as the registry organization. If you're not sure how to do that, Fantom or LivingFence can take care of doing it.

 

This is why everyone of my dogs go out with an open door policy,
I don t care what the reason, bring them back...going out of town for awhile, bring um back, problem trai ing, bring um, lost your house, your job,temporary, long term....here I am.
If I bred them, I OWE THEM, THE DOG....FOR LIFE.
I had several yorkies that went round and round, bought them from breeder, my last one just passed, ten years and while not spi ning like she had, she would walk round and round the coffee table.
Your pup is younger, hopefully you can work thru it.
Maybe some totally disgusting tasting ointment on the tail along with lots of other activities.
Any friends with kids who can hang out swimming, frisbee, ball with him?

Boredom and/or imbalance in drives in ratio to nerve strength I have found to be root cause in many cases for dogs without health issues.