My boys tail - Page 2

I wouldn't be so sure he is not doing it in the kennel in your absence, his hind legs are rather marked up for a dog that is calm in the kennel.

Margaret N-J

You could try a cone of shame or basket muzzle.  I've used both before on a dog with a wound that he would not leave alone (and was just making worse).

A muzzle or exercise is not going to stop the tail chasing if it's OCD. OCD is not curable, drugs can mask it, but it's still there. I believe it is neurological and not a learned behavior. Bull terriers are a breed that are afflicted with it.

Oh I surely wasn't suggesting clipping his tail, merely was telling you I knew someone who had to cause his bitch was so neurotic her tail was blood raw. I've never had one do that.

if it is neurological Joanro, why would the behavior only occur in the bathroom while his human is showering?

Darcy

I know Cmills I was kidding.You know I was thinking I don't think i've seen him do it outside the house.And when we are outside he is focused on me or a ball.Well lets say he doesn't take time to sit.I'm curious does anyone elses dog stands on his tail when sitting? When he sits his tail curls towards the front of his body and he will stand on it with his front paw.So when he tries to stand he realizes he is on it and the chasing will start then

Steve.

Darcy, about a dog with an OCD, the thing is, it seems his own tail most likely is the trigger for him, now. If it isnt arrested, triggers can transfer to something else or simply be added.

Steve,

Why do you only notice this during showertime, do you think?  Perhaps it began as an accident and seemed fun at the start. The fact that he is showing the beginnning of self-mutilation is the reason for concern.

Hi

was just wondering if that is scarring or callouses on the back legs in the last photo?  Is he lying on a concrete run or anything that could be causing irritation?

I don't see where the op said it ONLY occurs while person is showering. Maybe this instance is not, I dunno, I'm not a vet.

The kennels are on a concrete slab I do have stray and shaving on the floor and in his house..As soon as he hears us pulling in the driveway the boy does get very,very excited  and i'm thinking thats why the calluses.My other 2 not so crazy when we come home. I guess I should not have said he doesn't do it in his kennel.I should've said i've never caught him doing it.
I notice him doing it in the bathroom because at times when he tries to catch it he will hit the shower as he spins.I do need to clarify he doesn't do this all the time.
Oh and he isn't biting his tail he just grabs the hair or stands on it.I have been thinking seems like it's the bathroom and the kitchen.Bathroom is good size, but as you enter and where shower is it is narrow and the kitchen was designed to be effeicent so it's rather narrow also.So it seems like the bathroom and kitchen is his trigger points because they are narrow?
Well last night I left the boy out of the bathroom while i showered he wasn't happy.But no tail chasing just laid by the door til i was done.And today we will try to keep him out of the kitchen and i'm going to see if I can burn all his energy going to be tough because this boy is full of it.
Thanks for all the advise.
Steve