Why Do Dogs Chase Their Tails?

If you have ever owned a dog, chances are, you might be one of those who have seen your canine friend going around in circles chasing it's own tail on quite a few occasions. While tail chasing is not an uncommon phenomenon, it is one that usually baffles owners. Here are some of the reasons experts have suggested are responsible for this behavior.

1. Dogs chase their tails because they are bored, or not stimulated enough. This is the reason most experts suggest. Dogs have been selectively bred over the ages to run around herding sheep the whole day. While nowadays most dogs are kept as pets, their genetic makeup is such that they would much more rather be running around than be staying in one place all the time. Tail chasing provides a form of outlet for them. When the dog catches sight of it's tail just on the edge of it's vision, the dog is attracted by the movement. The dog chases the tail not so much because it is there but because it is the only thing that can be chased that it finds.
2. Another reason that has been suggested is that dogs have learnt that tail chasing evokes a positive reaction from their owners, e.g. laughter and amusement and attention being showered on the dog. Since the dog has associated tail chasing with a positive emotion, it might engage in tail chasing when it wants to elicit some form of affection and attention from it's owner.
3. Some cases have tail chasing have also been linked with physical discomfort on the part of the dog. While not all cases of tail chasing have to do with this, it has been suggested that fleas on the tail or some sort of irritation on the tail and/or the area surrounding the base of the tail could cause a dog to engage in excessive tail-chasing.
4. Dogs chase their tails because it is there. Just like babies seem to show immense interest in their toes, puppies are fascinated by their tail, which exists just the point where the rest of the world and their body ends. Puppies haven't gotten an idea of where all the parts of their bodies are at a young age, and a tail is not clearly defined as ¡°My tail¡±. A young puppy left alone without any other playmates or forms of entertainment will chase after it's own tail. Puppies will usually grow out of it, but if tail-chasing persists, it is likely due to one of the reasons above.

While seeing your dog chase it's own tail may seem amusing, the reasons behind tail-chasing often are not. If your dog continues to chase it's own tail on a regular basis, it might be a signal to you that all is not well for your dog. If left on it's own, tail-chasing can develop into extreme cases where a dog bites it's tail until it bleeds, or a form of obsessive compulsive disorder where a dog chases it's tail until exhausted, sleeps, and wakes up and starts the cycle again.