Joan and Ted’s dog has a habit of chasing their cat around the house. Bob’s dog tries to chase every skateboarding kid in the neighborhood. Anne’s dog slipped out of the house and started chasing a moving car. Pat’s dog chases her own tail, seemingly for hours at a time, round and round. Where is all this chasing coming from?
Your dog is a predator. They may be the cutest, sweetest creature in the world, but they’re still a predator. Because you feed them good food every day, they don’t need to hunt to survive. But the instinct, a leftover from their wild ancestors, is still there. So your dog may opt to chase smaller animals (e.g., chasing squirrels), cars, people on bikes, and anything else moving quickly. For some, however, chasing can become obsessive. Some will even chase their own tails!
In the right circumstances, chasing is a fun activity for your dog. Chasing toys in the backyard is a great way to play with them. But in other circumstances, it can lead to trouble. It’s not good for them to harass your cat or the local wildlife. Chasing kids on skateboards or bikes can get someone hurt, and chasing cars is downright dangerous.
You won’t rid your dog of their natural prey drive, but you can control how they express that instinct in a way that keeps everyone safe and your dog satisfied.
What’s Up With My Dog Chasing Things?
It’s mainly about the prey drive — the dog’s natural instinct to hunt, chase, catch, and eat their prey. In the wild, it is what they must do to survive. Some dogs have a stronger prey drive than others. These dogs want to run, chew, chase, dig, and get into anything that fits into that prey drive. They’ll take off after everything that moves, even their own tail.
It can also be a matter of defense drive. Maybe an association developed early on where, for instance, a truck went by and made a loud, frightening noise. Maybe it startled the dog badly, and they lunged and barked. They learned that the big, scary thing goes away if they act this way. Later, cars going by can be treated the same way — the dog barks, lunges, and chases in defense. And the big thing goes away!
Which Dogs are Most Likely to Chase?
The biggest chasers are dogs high in prey drive. These breeds include sighthounds, like Afghan Hound, Greyhound, Irish Wolfhound, and Whippet, and herding breeds, like Australian Cattle Dogs, Belgian Malinois, and Border Collies. This list is not comprehensive. For example, other dogs were initially bred to pursue prey by digging in the ground.
What Do Dogs Chase?
Some dogs will chase almost anything that moves quickly.
- Small animals: They are natural prey for most dogs. Squirrels are popular prey, as are chipmunks, rabbits, and other rodents. Although they are predators themselves, cats often fall victim to a chasing dog. They are smaller than many dogs, and they most certainly move fast. A cat running across the yard can be an enticing challenge to a dog. And if the cat is yours, there may be an element of jealousy. They’re taking some of your attention, after all.
- Fast-moving objects: A remote-controlled toy, the vacuum (it moves and it’s loud!), or other objects can trigger the prey drive. As mentioned above, vehicles can trigger the defense drive.
- People: Joggers, delivery people, kids on bikes or skateboards, people just walking by, and children playing can become targets for a dog. It can become hazardous, especially for children.
Chasing Shadows: A Symptom of Separation Anxiety
Chasing shadows on the ground may result from frustration and anxiety. It can occur most frequently in high-energy working dogs with strong prey drives. These dogs need something to keep them busy and engaged. Without enough mental stimulation and exercise, they may resort to chasing shadows. If it’s not dealt with early, it can become an obsessive-compulsive behavior that requires professional help to resolve.
Why Does My Dog Chase Their Tail?
Most of us have seen dogs chase their tails. They spin around, endlessly reaching for that elusive tail. It may seem cute. Maybe it’s even entertaining to watch. But it’s a sign of a potential problem. It’s essential to figure out why the dog is chasing their tail and determine how best to solve the problem. If only they could tell us what’s wrong!
Instead, you have to play detective and ask yourself a few questions: What’s going on here? Am I providing enough physical and mental stimulation? If so, then what else could be going on here?
You’ll need to figure it out because compulsive tail chasing can damage the dog’s tail due to repeated biting and chewing.
So why do dogs chase their tails?
Your Dog Suddenly Starts Chasing Their Tail Out of Boredom
Your dog might be chasing their tail for lack of anything better to do. They’re bored! Is the dog left alone for long stretches of time? Even when left outside alone in the backyard, the dog will become bored in the limited space. That’s a scenario just asking for trouble. Dogs are pack animals, so they don’t do well with extended periods of isolation. They are intelligent animals, so they need things to keep their interest, just like we do. And dogs need exercise. These are especially true for high-energy working breeds, who need a way to spend any excess energy.
The remedy here may be as simple as spending more time with your dog and giving them plenty of exercise and mentally stimulating activities. Walks, places to run freely, games like fetch, searching for items, hide and seek, or learning new tricks will all help keep your dog mentally and physically engaged and happy.
If your job or other obligations keep you away from your dog for hours, consider hiring a dog sitter or walker or enrolling the dog in daycare. This way, they will have the company and attention of other people and dogs. You might even consider getting another dog!
Your Dog is Dealing With a Medical Condition
Tail chasing can hint at several medical problems, including:
- Painful injury: Perhaps their tail has been stepped on and is sore.
- Insect bites: We’ve had clients’ dogs chase their tails when the tails are covered in flea bites.
- Itching rear end: The dog may have allergies or fleas causing skin irritation.
- Intestinal parasites: They may also chew their tails to relieve discomfort.
- Neurological conditions: A peripheral nerve may be injured.
- Impacted anal glands: The tiny sacs next to the anus can become clogged.
You can handle all of these issues with a trip to the veterinarian, where the dog will receive medications and treatments for injuries, fleas, allergies, parasites, and neurological problems. A vet can also express impacted glands, alleviating the pain and discomfort.
Attention-Seeking Behavior
A tail-chasing dog may seem cute and entertaining. This is especially true of puppies. If you react to it with praise, you’re showing your dog a positive reaction to the behavior. They notice this and figure they should do it again. And again. They like the attention you’re giving, and they want more of it!
If this is the reason your dog is chasing their tail, the easiest way to stop the behavior is to ignore it. However, if it is no longer getting them the attention they want, there’s no reason to continue.
Behavioral Problems Due to Mental/Emotional Issues
People with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) will excessively repeat behaviors like washing their hands or biting their nails. A dog with OCD may chase their tail. Tail chasing can also be triggered by overexcitement, seeing another animal outside the window, stress, anxiety, or just blowing off steam.
The key to finding a solution is discovering what triggers the tail-chasing behavior. Then find a treatment to eliminate it. If the dog is not getting enough mental stimulation, introduce more games where the dog has to solve a problem, such as hide-and-seek or finding hidden treats. Maybe more time at the dog park will give them more interaction with other dogs.
In some cases, though, the problem runs deeper, such as stress and anxiety, and you may need some professional help to solve it.
Do Your Dogs Still Chase Their Tails? K9 Basics Can Help!
It can be challenging to break a dog’s obsessive chasing. The fact that you have recognized the problem and done some sleuthing to determine what triggers it is an accomplishment. Changing the behavior is a whole different ball game.
At K9 Basics, our team of professional trainers can pick up where you left off. They know how to get to the core of the issue and train your dog to let the frustrating behavior go. And they will teach you how to ensure it stays gone. Give us a call at (866) 592-2742 or, if you’re from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, or New York, visit us at 131 Kenilworth Road, Marlton, New Jersey 08053, to learn more about our dog training services. Also, browse our blog and social media for various topics about dogs and their lives with us! We’re here to help!
References
- Oelze, Patty. “Why Dogs Chase Shadows.” Wag!, Wag!, 7 Feb. 2018, wagwalking.com/behavior/why-dogs-chase-shadows. Accessed 19 Dec. 2022.
- London, Karen B. “Unhealthy Shadows Chasing Obsessions in Dogs.” Unhealthy Shadows Chasing Obsessions in Dogs · The Wildest, www.thewildest.com/dog-behavior/behavior-unhealthy-obsessions-dogs. Accessed 19 Dec. 2022.
- Weiss-Roessler, Josh. “Why Do Dogs Chase Their Tails? – Dog Care.” Cesar’s Way, 22 Apr. 2021, www.cesarsway.com/why-do-dogs-chase-their-tails/. Accessed 19 Dec. 2022.