It is a behavior so known that it is proverbial: the dog that bites the tail is synonymous with a futile and seamless feat. In dogs this behavior is quite common, especially in puppies who are learning about their body and who have not yet realized that the tail is part of it. But what does this gesture mean? In most cases, a dog who tries to bite his tail occasionally in fact it is only playing: even if he is now an adult and knows that the tail is a part of his body, this is a way to request attention or vent excess energy when it is excited or boredin the same way in which we humans enrich our hair or eat nails as a pastime.
However, chasing your tail frequently can be a symptom of malaisewhich goes from the presence of irritation or parasites In the back of the body to real compulsive obsessive disorders unleashed by stress. The best method to understand if your dog chases your tail in a harmless way or if it can conceal something more serious is to observe how and how much it does: if a dog does it every day, several times a day, and it is difficult to distract it from this activity, then it is advisable to contact a vet.
Because dogs try to bite the tail: the possible causes
Common behavior in dogs, the chase of the tail can be an expression of the game or, on the contrary, a symptom of a malaise. The causes can be manifold:
- Signal irritation, inflammation, allergies or of the presence of parasites
- Symptom of Compulsive obsessive disorders
- Misunderstanding of the behavior by the masters e positive reinforcement
A possible signal of irritation or parasites
A dog that starts from one day to the next to chase his tail, and who has not often manifested this behavior in the past, could have any kind of woundallergy or irritation to the tail itself, that perhaps we have not noticed. Dogs tend to bite the areas that give them pain or annoyance. Another possible cause is the presence of parasites such as fleas or ticks on the tail, or of gastrointestinal parasites such as tension or ascarid worms. These weeds can cause irritation to the anal parts of the dog, which annoyed tries to reach it, giving the impression, in an observer, to be interested in his tail. If you suspect a possible skin irritation or the presence of parasites, contact the vet immediately for the most appropriate treatment.
Compulsive obsessive disorders in dogs
If, on the other hand, your dog is used to biting his tail, especially if in reaction to reproaches or other stressful events, and persevere even if you try to make him stop, it is possible that he has some kind of Psychological behavioral disorder. Even dogs, in fact, can suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and generalized anxiety disorder (Gad), both characterized by repeated and obsessive behaviors. Chasing each other is one of these, together with the biting your legs or lick parts of the body with such insistence to cause dermatitis (the so -called “acoral granuloma”). Some canine breeds, such as Bull Terrier or German shepherds, have these symptoms more frequently and in advance than other breeds, suggesting that there is some kind of genetic predisposition to compulsive and anxiety disorders. Even within the same breed, the predisposition to these disorders and the frequency of symptoms vary from dog to dog, depending on his personality and lifestyle.
It is possible to treat OCDs and gads in dogs with specific behavioral training, or by acting on their daily habits, or even in rarer cases and Upon prescription of the veterinarianthrough the administration of drugs, as specific canine variants of the Prozac. Already in the 90s, the administration of drugs against OCD in dogs affected by the disorder was effective in double -blind studies, but psychopharmacological treatments for dogs and other pets are still not widespread Since, unlike human beings, obtaining direct information on the animal psychological state is very difficult.
A behavior easily misunderstood by the masters
One of the main problems of dogs that bite the tail is precisely the reaction of their masters. A dog that turns and bites the tail in our eyes appears funny and fun, which leads to underestimating possible problems or making incorrect diagnoses. Analyzing videos of dogs that bite the tail published on YouTube, a study highlighted this problem, also cataloging the reactions of the masters to this behavior and the commendations of users to the videos. The many cases, the masters reacted in a positive way, laughing or even encouraging the dog to bite their tail, even in the face of examples of not playing behavior, but potentially diagnosed as symptoms of malaise in adult individuals. This is problematic because dogs rely on positive reinforcement of their masters, and a laugh or encouragement could lead the dog to repeat that behavior with further insistence.
