All of us dog lovers have seen a dog biting its tail at some point. Watching this behaviour always brings a smile to our faces — dogs do it often, especially as puppies. Much like babies who discover they have little feet and hands and put them in their mouths to explore them, a puppy does the exact same thing with its tail.
When an adult dog does it every now and then, it is simply play; clearly the dog is bored and is chasing its own tail for fun. It is still a good idea to discourage this type of play, as it can cause serious problems to the dog's neck or spine. But what happens when a dog biting its tail becomes an obsessive behaviour that goes on without interruption, day after day? It is not hard to see that what was once a game that made us smile has now become a real problem. Let's try to understand what reasons may lie behind this behaviour and what steps should be taken.
What to do if your dog bites its tail
If a dog bites its tail obsessively, the most likely explanation is that there is a physical problem with the tail itself. If your dog is scratching, the first thing to do is examine the tail very carefully and up close, to check whether there are any parasites causing itching. This is because the most common reason for tail itching is a rash caused by parasites. If that is the issue, it will be straightforward to resolve — simply get rid of the troublesome creatures and treat the rash with a suitable product; once the itching has passed, the dog will stop biting its tail.
If there are no parasites, look for any swelling that might be hiding an abscess or an infected wound that the dog could have sustained in any number of ways. Again, if this is the problem, the solution is simple: take your dog to the vet, who will treat the wound in the most appropriate way. Another possible reason why a dog bites its tail could be a fracture of the tail itself, or an inflammation of the anal glands. These are all problems that require prompt veterinary attention and that cause the dog considerable pain — pain that it tries to relieve and communicate through this behaviour.
Why do dogs bite their tails?
Sometimes, however, none of these symptoms are present in a dog that bites its tail — so what is going on? What is wrong with our dog? Why does my dog bite its tail? A compulsive behaviour such as continuously biting its tail cannot go unnoticed and cannot be without cause; there must be a reason, and if it is not a physical problem, then it is a sign of a behavioural or neurological disorder. In this case too, a visit to the vet is the right step — they will help you understand whether you need to consult a neurologist or a veterinary behaviourist.
Behavioural problems in dogs are usually the result of a mistake on our part. A dog that does not spend enough time with its owner, for example, may develop unusual behaviour; biting its tail could be its way of telling you it wants a little attention from you. Alternatively, the dog may simply have had no proper training — raising a dog is not something to be taken for granted. It requires clear, consistent rules and an alpha figure in the household, which absolutely must be you, not the dog. A dog without rules is not a good companion, and is not at all happy, and often shows this through compulsive behaviours — such as dogs biting their tails.
Neurological causes
Neurological problems that can manifest as obsessive behaviour are very often linked to a trauma the dog suffered when young — for example, it may have been taken away from its mother too early and as a result experience separation anxiety. Whether the problem is neurological or behavioural, there is no quick fix; it will take a course of treatment and long rehabilitation sessions for both the dog and for you. You will need to learn how to handle your dog in the most appropriate way so that it does not relapse.
Remedies for a dog that bites its tail
So, in summary, what should we do — and above all, what should we not do — if a dog continuously bites its tail? First of all, examine the dog's tail and rule out any physical problem; once that is ruled out, consult your vet and try to understand together whether the dog has a behavioural or neurological problem, then seek the appropriate specialist. If you are not in the habit of spending much time with your dog, now is the time to change that — take it for daily walks and provide it with toys so that it does not get bored.
It is also important to remember that there are certain things you should absolutely not do, such as laughing when your dog bites its tail or, worse, scolding it harshly. A dog that bites its tail because it feels abandoned, neglected, or overwhelmed will behave far worse if treated that way. The best thing to do in the moment when your dog bites its tail is to ignore it completely. We must not underestimate the problem — as we said, if it is something the dog does now and then as a game, there is nothing to worry about, but if it becomes an obsessive behaviour, there is nothing left to laugh about; you need to step in straight away before the problem becomes irreversible.
