Why Does My Dog Chase Their Tail?

A picture of a very happy dog running on the green grass

By nature, dogs love to play. Many times, we will see your dog chase their tail around and around, think nothing of it and laugh it off. But, have you ever wondered why your dog is doing this? Could it be a sign of something serious going on?

Boredom

Most of the time, a dog will chase their tail out of sheer boredom. Chasing their tail is fun for them and prevents them from being bored. This is especially true in puppies but can happen in adult dogs too, just not as often.

Check out some of the reasons dogs chase their tails below!

Attention

When you see your dog chasing their tail, what do you usually do? Most people will stand there and laugh, right? Dogs like attention and will do what they know brings positive attention to them. He may want you to play with him or he may just want you to pay attention to him.

Itchiness

If your dog is only chasing their tail occasionally, it may they are trying to scratch an itch on their back. Just like we may have an itch in the middle of our back that seems so hard to reach, dogs are the same way. It might be they just have an itch they can’t get to scratch.

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Medical

While it is not usually common for a dog to chase their tail because of something medically wrong, it does happen. It could be that your dog has fleas or tapeworms. If this is the case, you will notice them chasing their tail constantly and/or they nip or chew at their tail. This is an indication they need to be seen by a veterinarian.

Compulsion

When your dog chases their tail from compulsion, that is when it becomes a problem that needs to be addressed. OCD, or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, can happen in dogs just like it does in humans, although not nearly as frequent. Dogs that have OCD will chase their tail for extended periods of time and don’t seem to be distracted from doing so. This is also another case when veterinarian attention is needed.

Does your dog chase his/her tail? Have you wondered why? Share your experience in the comments below!

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