# My Dog Chases Her Tail



## Stuart Stuart (Dec 25, 2009)

Before anybody gets way of topic my 11 month old female german shepherd chases her tail. She gets good exercise and has plenty of toys. I noticed a few days ago she has a raw spot own her tail I thought it may have come from the cage she sleeps in its all wire I thought her tail might hit the end of the crate and the wire may have caused the problem with her tail but I think it is from her nipping at her tail. Any ideas how to stop the tail chasing and what would be best to treat her tail with. This is my first working dog and every day is a new experience.


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## Chris McDonald (May 29, 2008)

Tie her front legs together real tight and cover her whole tail with duct tape.


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## Faisal Khan (Apr 16, 2009)

What triggers the tail chasing? Could be superficial or OCD.


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

Your parents were cruel bastards to give you the same first and last name... 

Tail chasing? Your dog sounds bored, or has an itchy tail. Start there and work your way forward.


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## Chris McDonald (May 29, 2008)

Holy shit, your right. You think its got something to do with the dog chasing its tail? Maybe its not his real name, maybe he changed because he thought it would help him become famous. Like lady gaga or gogo or whatever


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## Stuart Stuart (Dec 25, 2009)

Easy on the name. My dog chases her tail at different times she does have a lot of energy.


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## will fernandez (May 17, 2006)

I have seen quite a few high energy dogs give themselves hot spots from being in a crate or kennel to long.


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## Tammy St. Louis (Feb 17, 2010)

could it be fleas?


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## Gerry Grimwood (Apr 2, 2007)

Is the dog spinning or actually trying to bite the tail ??


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## Stuart Stuart (Dec 25, 2009)

No fleas even when she is just laying around she is holding her tail in her mouth


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

Chris McDonald said:


> Holy shit, your right. You think its got something to do with the dog chasing its tail? Maybe its not his real name, maybe he changed because he thought it would help him become famous. Like lady gaga or gogo or whatever


Might have better luck with bleach blonde hair and the statement of "it's just a little bit of a penis"


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## Jim Nash (Mar 30, 2006)

While we are at it does your dog eat it's own poop too ?


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

Jim Nash said:


> While we are at it does your dog eat it's own poop too ?


Now that's a good dog, it recycles and saves me from having to pick up after it...


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## Jim Nash (Mar 30, 2006)

Stuart Stuart said:


> Before anybody gets way of topic my 11 month old female german shepherd chases her tail. She gets good exercise and has plenty of toys. I noticed a few days ago she has a raw spot own her tail I thought it may have come from the cage she sleeps in its all wire I thought her tail might hit the end of the crate and the wire may have caused the problem with her tail but I think it is from her nipping at her tail. Any ideas how to stop the tail chasing and what would be best to treat her tail with. This is my first working dog and every day is a new experience.


Get a lazer light and have the dog chase that instead . That or chop off it's tail .


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Wet down the tail with Bitter Apple "after" you've primed the dog for the taste of the Bitter Apple. Seriously!
It sound like an obsession already.
Tail chasing is a genetic issue with some lines of Bull Terrier and that can get so bad the dog is either constantly drugged or put down.


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## Harry Keely (Aug 26, 2009)

Get a mali or DS and loose the GSD, just kidding but it could be out of frustration, boredom, genetics, medical, fleas etc....... You need to try to pin down certain areas and or times and what enviromental stimulus there could be that are repeated when you see this happening. Start of easy with a good flea bath. You can also get give your dog a capstar that you can get from your vet or boarding facility which will kill 99% of any bug thats on them within a half hour or so of them being given it.


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## Jim Nash (Mar 30, 2006)

Grease the bottom of the crate . If that don't work stab it with a pointed stick .


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Good to know I don't have to be the smart ass all the time. 

Stuart, Stuart, your dog has a mental condition. I like to call it just plain nuts. Do you have a video of the dogs tail, so we can see what kind of damage she is doing ? Maybe one of her spinning after it so we can all laugh ?


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## Thomas Barriano (Mar 27, 2006)

Ashley Campbell said:


> Your parents were cruel bastards to give you the same first and last name... .


Now if they had of named him 
Stewart Stuart that would have been funny


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## Alice Bezemer (Aug 4, 2010)

Im not sure how they call it in the the states but over here they call it Wolfsklier/Wolfsteken which translates to Wolfgland/Wolfsign... its a spot located about 3 inches down the tail looking from the kackbone, triangular in shape and the hairs are harder in this area, you shift the hairs aside and should see a discolloration of the skin...now every dog seems to have a developed Wolfgland/sign but dogs that do have it some times get trouble with it getting infected for some unknown reason...the chew it or just lick it to hell or just hold it in their mouth constantly, makes them chase their tails as well...have a look and see if you can find it and check how it looks if the dog does have the gland/sign...could be its irritating the crap out of the dog.

im pretty sure one of the people with veterenarian knowledge know what i mean


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## Dick van Leeuwen (Nov 28, 2006)

What bloodline Stuart? In some bloodlines of GSD's its a known genetic problem. We had one and did not know it was in the bloodline before we bought him. 
Dog whit a good bite, but whit each exitement he would chase his tail. I corrected him to do that every time ( in a serious way.....) When not "in drive" that worked. Problem is that because of the corrections, you can come to a point that the stress caused by that make him chase his tail again (or in other neurotic behaviour).

We gave him away and he is at a farm now enjoying the "good live"..
He had the right traits for a good working dog (bite, courage body-hardness), but the "tail-chasing" neurotic part could occure at moments you would not want that during work.
Reason enough to search for a good home for him.


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## Jerry Lyda (Apr 4, 2006)

I agree with Bob and Dick. I take it that this behavior has just recently started? try the bitter apple or something like that. It's worth a try. She's a worker like the dog that Dick mentioned. HIGH drive. Boredom will play a big part. 

Stuart Stuart is a code name for under cover work.


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## Alice Bezemer (Aug 4, 2010)

Stuart Stuart said:


> Before anybody gets way of topic my 11 month old female german shepherd chases her tail. She gets good exercise and has plenty of toys. I noticed a few days ago she has a raw spot own her tail I thought it may have come from the cage she sleeps in its all wire I thought her tail might hit the end of the crate and the wire may have caused the problem with her tail but I think it is from her nipping at her tail. Any ideas how to stop the tail chasing and what would be best to treat her tail with. This is my first working dog and every day is a new experience.



was wondering if its the same GSD as in this topic ?

http://www.workingdogforum.com/vBulletin/f30/puppy-chasing-tail-14612/

then the problem made itself clear early on and somehow you didnt anticipate or handle it correctly or their might really be a medical issue here....


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## Harry Keely (Aug 26, 2009)

Alice Bezemer said:


> Im not sure how they call it in the the states but over here they call it Wolfsklier/Wolfsteken which translates to Wolfgland/Wolfsign... its a spot located about 3 inches down the tail looking from the kackbone, triangular in shape and the hairs are harder in this area, you shift the hairs aside and should see a discolloration of the skin...now every dog seems to have a developed Wolfgland/sign but dogs that do have it some times get trouble with it getting infected for some unknown reason...the chew it or just lick it to hell or just hold it in their mouth constantly, makes them chase their tails as well...have a look and see if you can find it and check how it looks if the dog does have the gland/sign...could be its irritating the crap out of the dog.
> 
> im pretty sure one of the people with veterenarian knowledge know what i mean


Interesting knowledge thanks for the learning lesson


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

Alice what you are talking about is more commonly referred to as stud tail. My bitch has it though as well. Its a very dark triangular shaped mark on her tail, about 4" or so from the root. I understand there is a sebaceous gland there, in some dogs they lose their fur in that spot. It's never been a problem for any of my dogs but apparently they can become over active and/or infect.

You can see it a bit in this picture


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