My German Shepherd has started obsessively chasing his tail over the last 6 months. It's become a problem and our vet has no idea what to do, any thoughts would be appreciated.

Hi Cindy, my dog is a one and a half year-old GSD who has begun chasing his tail over the last six months or so. It has gotten so bad that whenever the energy changes in any way in a room he immediately jumps up and starts spinning wildly in a circle, and even sometimes growls to himself as he does it. He is a great dog overall and has no other personality issues of any kind.. Our vet has no idea what to do. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Cindy's Answer:

Good morning, this is a tough issue to tackle if your dog has been doing this for a number of months.

Is it possible to interrupt it once he starts? If so, how do you get him to stop?

Have you tried keeping him leashed and redirecting him to another activity when you see the signs that he's going to start doing this?

Will he respond to obedience commands once he starts chasing his tail?

I would micromanage him all the time and always keep a leash on him. If he doesn't already know how to go to a designated "bed" and lie on it, then I would work on that. Give him an alternative behavior (i.e., lie on your bed and stay). If he's obeying the obedience command, he can't chase his tail.

Is he injuring himself or biting his tail while spinning?

If you're unable to interrupt him when he chases his tail or he's doing this more often then it might already have crossed the line into a compulsive disorder.

I would attempt to identify early signs or pre-spin cues.

Calmly interrupt (e.g., with a “touch,” “sit,” or light leash guidance).

Redirect to a structured activity, for example - simple obedience, laying on a bed or some other easily performed command.

I might also suggest a veterinary behaviorist (as opposed to a regular veterinarian). They can help with medical and behavioral support. This is not that uncommon in certain breeds, and I've seen it over the years in GSDs, unfortunately.

I hope this gives you a place to start working on this.