Learn Why Your Dog Chases His Tail
Lots of dogs chase their tails when they’ve got energy and excitement that they don’t know how to handle. For some dogs, the big event is going outside after being cooped up all day.
Getting out of the tub is always exciting as well. And the sight of a leash is a sure-fire call to action.
For some dogs, chasing their tails is something to do when they really don’t know what to do. It’s like people who bite their nails, tap on a desk, or do some other physical action subconsciously.
Dogs roll over and over on their backs. They jump up on their hind legs. They run around in circles and bark. These are all normal outlets for energy and excitement, and dogs do them all of the time.
Tail chasing is less common. Researchers are not sure why dogs do it, but they suspect it may have something to do with their Hunting pasts.
Dogs originally got their meals by hunting, usually small prey such as rabbits. Their brains and eyes are wired in such a way that they’re intensely aware of quick movements.
It’s possible that some dogs catch a glimpse of their tails, get excited, and, without thinking about it, try to catch the pesky things. They rarely succeed, of course. So they keep trying.
We don’t have any reason to believe that dogs really think their tails are prey to be captured. But that basic instinct may be what gets them started.
Dogs That Chase Their Tails Just To Show Off
Even if dogs initially see their tails as bushy little squirrels, it shouldn’t take them long to realize their mistake.
Yet some dogs keep chasing – not just once or twice, but all the time. They may simply think it’s fun, especially when the people they live with think it’s fun too.
Tail chasing is pretty cute when dogs first do it, and a lot of people make a big fuss over it. And dogs happen to enjoy an appreciative audience. When they discover that something gets them a lot of attention, they’ll keep doing it.
But this has a downside. Like actors who are always “on,” some dogs get such a thrill from performing that they keep doing it even when the curtain is down. Tail chasing is hard work,
and they run themselves ragged until they collapse in a panting heap on the floor.
Then they get up and do it again.
Daniel Millions
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/learn-why-your-dog-chases-his-tail-132840.html
My puppy suffered albuterol toxicity.. ?
he popped my inhaler from my last question I posted.
That’s now why I’m posting I’m posting for advise. He was abused and we rescued him when he was 6wks old. He is now 5 months old it’s almost impossible to control him. Now I know it’s the owners who control the dogs but it’s hard with him. He doesn’t learn. We have him in puppy classes but he seems almost unresponsive. My point is, He is potty trained but still goes in the house like his blatter isn’t right. We let him out like ever 45 mins and he still goes in the house. Though he will goes days without going in the house and days where he does 4 times in one day. He also has to chew EVERYTHING. the base boarding in the halls the carpet is his favorite. We are in military housing and he tonight chewed a piece of carpet 2inches wide and 6 inches in length. He chewed an entire area in front of the bathroom carpet at our last home. He chews headphones and wires. He ate an cord to the computer that was electrocuting him and he was unresponsive just kept chewing till I heard sizzling in the next room. We watch him like a hawk and try to keep everything up but he’s getting bigger and unless we staple everything to ceiling he’s gonna find a way to get it. He’s also always chewing on our older dog. biting him eating his eats. He eats himself. He shoves his entire foot in his mouth and just starts gnawing on it. He chases his tail till he falls over from being dizzy, eats his hip. He used to eat his ears but his heads grown so he can’t reach them. He chews the blankets. phone books. shoes. ANYTHING basically. You’d think we starved him but we don’t he eats Purina dog chow like the older dog and we leave it on the floor because the other dog doesn’t know how to eat on a schedule and he’s now 5 years old. The puppy eats when he’s hungry and we take him outside when he starts to act funny. We don’t know what to do anymore. He sleeps in bed with us because he gets cold being such a short haired dog but he has to be like on our faces. If I’m on the couch he has to wrap his body around my neck like a snake. He always needs to be on me. He will sit in the window like a cat and bark for hours on end at nothing. He’s lost his voice a couple times from it. It’s just getting unbearable and no one seems to know how to help us. He doesn’t respond to us squirting water in his face he eats it. a spank on the butt he thinks your playing. If you tell him he’s naughty in a forceful tone he bags up for two seconds and comes back trying to play. We have tried so much. Some please help
he is a pitbull dachshund beagle mix
heres a couple pics
http://i36.tinypic.com/2gw9u7p.jpg
http://i38.tinypic.com/jif4ut.jpg
http://i35.tinypic.com/214r41c.jpg
he’s a puppy, all puppies tend to be naughty, but they all grow out of it.
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He’s acting out because he has so much energy. He needs to be walked walked walked! And you need to GOOGLE crate training and start the process.
It’s not cruel. Dogs love it once the get used to it because they are den animals. This doesn’t mean you put him in a cage all day long. You really need to understand the process, and it’s all at your fingertips. You can always buy a crate on CRAIGS LIST for 25-50 bucks depending on the size you need. Do it for your sanity and the safety of you dog!
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tainer
The easiest way is positive reinforcement training. The sort that involves food treats as a reward.
You need quite alot of treats, small, soft treats that are aromatic & quick to eat. During each session he’ll probably end up eating quite a bit so they only need to be the size of a your finger nail.
I think it’s good to read up about it on the net, but even better is going to a training course that uses PRT. Sometimes learning from a ‘real’ person is easier because they are right there to answer your questions.
Alot of the training is repeditive. But it’s very simple once a person catches on to how it works. The trainer should also point out what you’re doing wrong & how the dog will respond.
By the way, when training with treats it is a good idea to cut back the dogs main meals accordingly. Believe me, they do alot of snacking with this type of training.
Good luck & be patient. The dog will be ok if you are persistent!!
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Was he like this before he got into your inhaler? Puppies are normally silly and like to chew everything and anything, some are more destructive than others. My puppy likes to chase his tail but chewing on his paw is a bit different.
What do you mean when you say is is unresponsive at puppy classes? How many have you attended and are you following up the classes with practice at home?
Some breeds are harder to train than others. I have never had a beagle but there are alot of beagle questions on Y!A re. their behaviour and barking, etc. I believe that they do have a 1 track mind. Their also tends to be alot of dachshund questions as well. Maybe this wasn’t good breeds to be mixed together.
I guess that you need to talk to your vet if you have serious concerns that there is a mental problem with him. Perhaps they can refer you to someone who may be able to help out.
As far as the destructive behaviour is concerned it would be best, when he is not being supervised, to confine him in an area where he can’t do major damage. The other thing is to distract his chewing on the wrong thing by giving him a chew toy. My 5 month old puppy has his favourite toys and he especially likes squeaky ones.
All the best in your struggles.
PS> He is very cute.
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It sounds like your guy is a necrotic lil guy! I don’t know what the temperament of dachshunds are like but I know alot of this behavior is common in Pits they are spazzes and are high drive/energy dogs. I was drained after I fostered 1 pit and I’m used to 2 to 3 border collies at a time… Beagles are known for having wooden legs when it comes to food and eating everything in sight.
First how much exercise does your guy get??? He needs to have that energy drained fast. As soon as he finishes his shots he needs major walk time. If he doesn’t have his shots yet, I would recommend you start leash training him around the house, get him to walk nicely introducing the leash slowly and using positive reinforcement. Once he is able to walk on a leash and is socialized use a retractible or long line in the park to maximize walk time, you walk 1 mile he walks or runs 4 miles. I recommend that you pick up a series of babygates and dog proof a room of the house where he can be safe when he’s alone. Hopefully, it’ll be a vinal or wood floor, duct tape down cords if any are exposed and all furniture needs to be disposable in this room. brushed nickle or stainless steel works well, anything wood or cloth is fair game including mattresses….
Use bitter apple regularly on anything eatable, including the water in the spray bottle, I normally recommend 2/3 bitter apple mixed with 1/3 water sprayed directly at the mouth from a concealed spray bottle or squirt gun. Don’t raise your voice if you squirt him, don’t smack him and don’t hold the squirt bottle like your doing a bank robbery. I usually start praising as soon as they stop the bad behavior and say something like, "oooooooo, what was that? did the boogie man get ya???". Start NILF training, he has to sit for food, sit for walks and is not allowed on the couch unless you invite him up, do a search in google for NILF or "nothing in life is free".
Try changing the food to a good quality food for both of your guys, I like grain free/corn free low filler foods. do a search here and any 5 or 6 star food should work well… http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/ and you need to change to scheduled feeding, it help establish leadership in the home. It is your food that you let them have and it’s not the kibble fairy who magically make the food appear in the bowl.
Add; when did he pop the inhaler? what symptoms is he showing? If he popped the inhaler recently and is showing any symptoms take him to the vet. Rapid heart rates in lil puppies can’t be good but I don’t know what the vet would be able to do beyond monitor him and be close while he has the toxicity.
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When he is in the house, keep him on a leash and correct bad behaviors as they occur. It is restricting for you at first but it works much quicker than letting him have the run of the house. When he goes to squat to pee say NO and bring him immediately to the outside then PRAISE when he goes outside. Same thing with the behaviors of destruction and bothering the other dog.
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