Why Do Dogs Bite Their Tails How To Stop Them From Biting Their Tail

Tail-biting in dogs is a very common occurrence and everyone has seen a dog do this at some point.There are a variety of reasons that a dog may bite its tail. Harmless ones include boredom and attention-seeking but compulsive biting may signal some issues that need medical attention.A dog may be biting its tail out of sheer boredom, to get your attention, or because of anxiety or stress. It may also be doing this because you have unwittingly encouraged this behavior by laughing at its dog-biting tendencies. It is common for puppies who are discovering their bodies to be fascinated by and bite their own tails as well. Usually, when a dog bites its tail, it’s near the base.However, tail-biting may be an indication of a deeper health problem that requires medical attention from a vet. These reasons include parasite infestations like ticks and fleas. Dogs are allergic to the bite of these bugs, so they chew on the area that is infected. Other allergens like pollen, chemicals, and shampoos may also cause tail-biting. Formation of open wound hot spots, a broken tail, or an impacted anal gland are a few other reasons. The good thing is that all of these problems can be fixed with proper medication vigilance from the dog owner. If you notice your dog biting its tail, you should book an appointment at the vets to see if there is an underlying health issue. Be sure to examine your dog’s tail if it shows compulsive tail-biting behavior.If you enjoyed this article about why dogs chase their tails, why not also read about why do dogs eat cat poop or why do dogs have tails here on Kidadl.Why do dogs bite their feet and tails sometimes?There are a number of reasons as to why a dog may be biting its own tail. Dogs may be biting because of parasites like ticks, worms, and fleas or due to skin or food allergies. Hot spots, an injury, impacted anal glands, and secondary infections are some other reasons. It is also possible that your dog is biting on its tail due to boredom, stress, and confinement.Parasitic infestations like ticks and fleas are very common seasonal afflictions with dogs. A dog scratching a certain spot on its body is a common sight. It is just getting rid of the ticks that have attached themselves to its body. With things like medicated collars, prescriptions, and regular baths, ticks can easily be treated. Just like humans are allergic to dog or cat saliva, dogs can be allergic to the saliva of fleas and ticks. A dog that has a flea allergy that has not been diagnosed may repeatedly bite at the allergic reaction site, until they break their skin for some relief. Tapeworms are another reason why a dog may be biting its tail, mainly near the base. This is because tapeworms affect the area near the anus. A dog cannot stop itself from gnawing the base of the tail and it whines because of the pain caused by itself.Allergies are another common reason for a dog to bite its tail. Dermatitis or skin inflammation from the surrounding environment like pollen or household chemicals may cause allergies. Although, ticks and fleas are more common causes of allergies. Mites, contact with different animals, and mold are some other reasons. Most allergies happen to a dog between the age of three months and six to seven years. A dog’s instinct to scratch is the same as that of a human with a skin allergy. Sometimes, when you treat one allergy, you may find another. If the skin of the dog is sensitive, baths with soaps and shampoos are can be enough to trigger an allergic response.Hot spots may be another reason for a dog biting its tail. They can cause a lot of pain and discomfort. A hot spot is a place where a dog repeatedly scratches or chews which may cause an open wound. Moisture and warmth are conditions that can lead to a hot spot formation. If stray bacteria should find its way to the hot spot before treatment, there may be a secondary infection. A hot spot can be recognized via the presence of pus, blood, and matted hair. If a puppy bites the base of their tail so much that it draws blood, secondary infections are not the cause, just a symptom. A veterinary doctor should be able to help you determine the actual reason, be it nutrition, hygiene, or something else.Other common reasons for a pet dog to chew on its tail are anxiety, stress, or boredom. These lead to the dog engaging in repetitive and destructive behaviors like tearing up shoes, pillows, and other things. It’s somewhat helpful to leave your dogs in a crate. Confinement may give them some relief from behaviors that cause stress and anxiety. Dogs without enough exercise, mental stimulation, and interactive behaviors may bite their tails too. Seeking attention is another reason.An injury to the hindquarters or other rear areas like a fractured or broken tail may also cause a pet dog to bite and chew the tail. It is its way to draw our attention to the pain and discomfort it is feeling.Anal glands that have been impacted can also result in tail biting near the base. Anal glands are very important to dogs because they fill similar needs as human hands. Dogs smell other dogs’ anal gland fluids, similar to us shaking hands while meeting. This is primarily why dogs sniff each other’s rears. An obvious indication of a pet dog having impacted anal glands is scooting. It may sit up and drag its behind across the floor. Some other symptoms are a foul smell from the dog’s rear, trouble during defecation, and there may also be pus or blood in the feces when serious.A dog chewing on its tail, mainly near the base, is due to a variety of reasons and problems. Luckily, all of them are treatable if one stays vigilant about the health of their dog.Why do dogs bite at the base of their tails?When a dog bites its tail, it is usually near the base. Allergic reactions from ticks and fleas usually occur near the base. A puppy biting its tail near the base is also discovering its body. Anal glands are very important to a dog. The glands are the way they communicate with other dogs. If the anal glands are impacted, dogs may bite the tail near them, which is at the base. Also, tapeworms affect the area near the dog’s anus and this may cause the dog to obsessively bite at the base of the tail too.To get your dog to stop biting its tail, it is important to seek out a veterinarian doctor if a pet dog is biting its tail too much. An underlying medical issue can be easily treated this way. For persistent cases, the dog needs to be examined and tests need to be performed on them which may include blood counts, biochemistry profiles, metabolic screenings, tick titer tests, neurological exams, and x-rays.Personally, you can invest in an Elizabethan collar. Use this collar until the affected area looks like it’s healing, meaning there is hair regrowth and no raw tissue and bleeding. A veterinarian doctor can help you fit a collar on your dog. Also, after you have removed the Elizabethan collar, make sure that your dog is biting its tail no more.If medical causes of tail-biting are ruled out, consult with a behaviorist for guidance, training, and assessment. Follow the directions given by veterinary behaviorists with care.Also, it is common to see dogs chasing their tail. Dogs chase their tails again and again and go around in circles. Also, sometimes they’re just having silly fun by tail chasing. They may be exploring what they can do or discovering their bodies. Tail chasing may also signal compulsive behavior and this may need behavioral or medical treatment.Do dogs bite their tail because of boredom?Yes, dogs do tend to bite their tail due to boredom. It is one of the many possible reasons.When left alone for a long time, dogs get bored. A lack of physical and mental stimulation is not good for a dog. To channel their energy, dogs chase their tails or even bite them. It may give them some degree of amusement and stimulation. You can help your dog to release their energy by being involved in more physical activities with them, playing with them more, and giving them mental puzzles. Walk your dog every day and play fetch with them.Do puppies bite their tails?Yes, puppies bite their tails, much like older dogs. The reasons are similar to those of older dogs.Puppies may seem obsessed with their tails when they’re just learning to master their motor skills. They suddenly become aware of the fact that they have a tail and they are more than happy with that discovery! Puppies can be taught to become less obsessive about biting their tails by introducing them to chew toys. After they grow up, pet dogs chase their tails less often.One of the reasons a puppy dog may bite its tail is local irritations. Small cuts, bug bites, and allergies often cause local irritations on the tail of a pup. Inspect the puppy’s tail and see if there are indeed any crusts, sores, unusual smells, cuts, redness, or even pus. Also, check under the tail for signs of puffiness and irritation.A puppy dog may also indulge in tail-chewing due to pesky parasites. Fleas like to form congregations on the scruffy tail of a puppy dog. Even though you might never see these fleas, you should look carefully for flea droppings. Black specks that become red when you pour water on them are a clear indication that your puppy dog has fleas. Fleas may also carry along tapeworms and other parasitic worms that can trigger tail-biting habits in your puppy. This is usually after they crawl out from the puppy dog’s tail and butt.A less serious playful reason is that a puppy just wants to play. After having been examined by a vet and getting a clean bill of health, if you find that your puppy likes to bite its tail, it’s probably for playful reasons. It’s not too different from human babies who are intrigued by and nibble on their own toes. The puppy will most likely outgrow tail-biting behavior.Another reason is reinforcement. Puppies crave human attention. If you giggle and laugh every time you notice your dog biting his tail or tail-chasing, you are giving it reinforcement that this makes you happy. It has more motivation to keep biting its tail. You can stop this by not indulging in any amusement when you see your dog bite its tail. A laugh or eye contact is a sign of encouragement for a puppy and a scolding is discouraging. So take notice of all kinds of reinforcement.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for why do dogs bite their tails? how to stop them from biting their tail then why not take a look at why do woodpeckers peck wood? and how to avoid a woodpecker’s pecking? or why do worms come out when it rains? cool earthworm facts.

Tail-biting in dogs is a very common occurrence and everyone has seen a dog do this at some point.