I know that this has been discussed before but I have a problem with a puppy that is tail chasing. He is 15 weeks old and I have tried distraction with toys, big marrow bone, exercise, training sessions, long walks and play sessions, leaving a short lead attached so that I can correct him, but he just keeps on spining
around to attack his tail.
My next move is to try him on medication.
Has anyone here on line managed to correct a puppy with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?
This is just tearing me apart so any other thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

What was going on when it started? How long has it been?

What breed and size is the puppy and what exactly was tried as far as exercise and short upbeat training sessions?

Have you been able to consult with a behaviorist (besides a GP vet)?

I understand how hard this is.

I got an email from a gentleman this morning, he is also having a tail chasing problem with his GSD puppy. I am going to cut and paste my answer here. I will say that I am not an advocate of medicating dogs, ESPECIALLY puppies for this. This is one of those issues like separation anxiety that may end up being a lifetime of management.

Here is my response to him, you may find some of it helpful.

"This behavior needs to be stopped right away, as it is a form of OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). I have seen dogs that started this as puppies become so obsessed with chasing their tail that they actually mutilate the tail and have to have it amputated. If anyone has ever laughed or given any type of positive reinforcement to this behavior, it can make it harder to break.



Since she barks while she is doing this I would suggest a no bark collar. You can find information on No Bark Collars on the web site at http://www.leerburg.com/815.htm



If she learns to chase her tail ‘quietly’ (no barking) you will have to figure out in what environment and scenario it’s most likely to happen and try to control her surroundings, but also may need to use a remote collar to interrupt the behavior. You may want to begin training her with an electric collar, so when you need it you will both be comfortable with using it. http://leerburg.com/318.htm



This is a complex issue, with no easy fix. It’s a matter of lifelong management in many cases. Mental and physical exercise are the biggest keys to success. A mentally stimulated dog that gets plenty of age appropriate exercise is much easier to deal with. A tired dog is a good dog. "

Connie, after the last puppy left for his new home my pick of litter came inside and was crated at night & he slept beside me at night, during the day he has a very large grassy run for free exercise and other dogs for company.He also goes for a 30 min walk every morning.
After 2 weeks of night crating he developed a tooth root abscess from a fractured tooth which needed surgery for removal. It was after this that I first saw him chase his tail, but it did not seem to be a problem at the time.
Now he is 15 weeks old it is most definately a problem.
I have also tried leaving a short leash attached to his collar so that I can correct him but whenever I approach his run he gets very agitated / excited? and starts to spin and attack the tail
At first I tried to divert his attention to toys a bone or play.
Then I tried a short training session & then a long walk but no matter what I did he always went back to his tail, even when we go for a walk every so often he will spin and try to catch his tail.
I now have him on Vitamin B1, it is early days as yet for the B1.

Ten years ago I had a small breed dog that was attacked and he developed a compulsion to attack his feet, so I do know about OC Dissorders, he lived for 12 months wearing an Elizabethan collar day & night then I finally had him PTS as he (had no quality of life)& would still have eaten his feet if he had half a chance.
This puppy is a GSD, I have done a great deal of research on line and the one thing that I do know is that OCD are really bad news especially in a young puppy.
Personally I am starting to think that this puppy has no future & that is why I have posted here, I would like to know if anyone has had a good result with a puppy that chases its tail and if they did what did they do to achieve that result?

 Quote: joan thomson

.... crated at night & he slept beside me at night, during the day he has a very large grassy run for free exercise and other dogs for company.He also goes for a 30 min walk every morning. ... After 2 weeks of night crating he developed a tooth root abscess from a fractured tooth which needed surgery for removal..... I first saw him chase his tail, but it did not seem to be a problem .... Now he is 15 weeks old it is most definately a problem. ... I have also tried leaving a short leash attached to his collar so that I can correct him but whenever I approach his run he gets very agitated / excited? and starts to spin and attack the tail .... At first I tried to divert his attention to toys a bone or play. ... Then I tried a short training session & then a long walk but no matter what I did he always went back to his tail, even when we go for a walk every so often he will spin and try to catch his tail.

Do you see a problem when you read these quoted pieces from your post?

"At first I tried...." "Then I tried .... " "30 min walk ...."

This kind of behavior is not a pick-one-thing-try-it-a-couple-of-times deal.

30 minutes a day is all I see for structured activity. The yard means almost zero. Dogs often don't frolic in the fenced yard, no matter what we may choose to picture in our minds. It's often just a slightly more interesting enclosed space to lie down in and wait for something to happen.

This dog needs what Cindy posted. Training sessions means throughout the day in short (upbeat) sessions. Are you using marker training?

Lifetime management, mental and physical exercise, and redirection are critical. Unfortunately, this has progressed.

What kind of medication are you considering? I really have a negative reaction to this. Are you considering it as a temporary intervention in order to give you time and breathing room to form different habits?

BTW, I do understand the problem that you face.

I am hoping that others reading this will see that this kind of behavior requires immediate and multi-pronged intervention, and no assumption at first that it's not a problem. It is a problem, and it does get worse.

This dog is bored.
He is a German Shepherd Dog. 30 minutes a day of walking on a leash, does absolutely nothing to exercise his very clever and active GSD brain.
Walking exercises the legs, but the grey matter is screaming for use. So, out of boredom, and probably frustration and confusion after a painful dental problem, he is soothing himself by chasing his tail.

I'd start marker training with the pup ASAP.
He also needs reassurance that his mouth is going to be okay.
First, he went through a painful dental episode, and NOW he has begun teething. He is nervous about the way his mouth feels, for sure. Helping him through this, by giving him nice things to relieve teething pain and anxiety- AND exercising and distracting that busy and stressed brain of his, are his best bet.

I'm never an advocate of medication to begin with, but on a dog this young, I’m even more strongly opposed.
It's the equivilant of putting a toddler on Prozac. His body doesn't need to be under seige from all these foreign compounds.

What it needs is age and breed appropriate exercise, several short marker-training sessions to tire the brain, and reassurance that teething is not going to be as painful as his last dental debaucle.

I fostered a German Showline once, got him when he was 12 wks old, and he chased his tail! My GSD had never done that, and I thought - until now when I read this thread, that this Showline had it's drives out of whack, and was just spun!
After being at my house for a month, and joining a schutzhund club with him the habit did disappear all on it's own. So they are right Joan, it is fixable just by keeping the pup mentally as well as physically busy.

Gotta love this board.

My heart goes out to you. YOu probably have a very intelligent dog who is inventing things to keep himself occupied. My Cody chased his tail and will sometimes try it again.

One thing that helped. I don't know if this will help your pup.

My COdy has a very high prey drive, if there is no prey to chase, he invents his own, the white tip on the end of his tail. SO, one thing you can try, is not to just offer him a toy but make yourself a flirt pole with a toy. My husband made me one out of the first part of a fishing pole. I attached a life like stuffed rabbit, (small) to a strong (let me repeat) strong string, and would drag it all around and just when he almost got the rabbit, would jerk it up as if it hoped.

He played this until he would get very tired. I didn't let him jump way up in the air to get it, due to him being a pup and his little bones in his legs not doing well under the continual shock of coming down so hard on the ground. I do this until he is very exhausted.

I also put Cody on the treadmill every day. I walk him every day (almost every day, I miss one day a week when I attend church in the evenings) I rehearse his many behaviors I have taught him, daily. I make sure he gets a good nap each day. ANd of course reward him for "resting". Which I had to train him to do.

I am not a professional dog trainer. I hope this helps you with your dog. I found 1/2 hour of walking Cody was like a warm up for an athlete. I have to combine very fast walking so he picks up his stride, and reward him and play with him as I walk him. I even ask him to do his behaviors as we walk. We rehearse the wait, sit, and down commands as we are on our walk. We go and investigate scrary things like shopping carts that make a loud sound when pushed together. I reward him for not being afraid and sniffing them. You will find if this works, that your little pup is a dream come true. I am encouraged to see that you do not want to just "put him to sleep" but are looking for solutions.

He needs an outlet for his anxiety or energy.. give him one. You will find it is a real blast to watch him respond. He may not respond perfectly right away, but give him time. Please let me know how it goes.

It worked for my Cody, it may not work for all dogs.

Good suggestions!

My shepherd puppy also had tail chasing compulsion, along with rock eatting, and basically anything else he could put in his mouth when outside. He has VERY high prey drive. Unfortunately, he also has had surgery for elbow dysplasia, and now is limping on his left hind leg (going to see orthopedic vet next week.)Lots of running is out, but we did find, through all his physical limitations, multiple short walks a day (including some on treadmill) and some light OB training, along with a few throws of the tennis ball a day was what worked for us.
Now the only time he chases his tail is when he's frustrated, like when my s.o. "tickle tortures" me and the dog wants to intervene but knows he shouldn't, he'll start chasing his tail. And then it's only briefly.
Also, when he would do it, we'd immediately say "No! Go lay down" which is what we use whenever he's bothering us, or doing some unwanted behavior. It's worked like a charm.
So with proper direction now, he'll probably outgrow it just fine. GSD's are very intelligent to the point of becoming obsessive at times.