[irishstu1976]

I have a little collie who is forever spinning around and chasing her tail. The thing is she garbs hold of it in her mouth and it is becoming discoloured from the saliva. I brought her to the vet and she said there was'nt a lot we could do except try and encourage her to stop. Any tips on how to do this and anyone know why she might do it???

[Bluefrog]

While quite rare, this can become a real problem if not handled correctly. I am pretty surprised at your vet's response and suggestion and while I don't mean to scare you, I do think knowing a bit about the topic is worthwhile.

I had noticed my pup doing it a couple of times so I read up on it a bit. Here's what I've learned.

Puppies will sometimes chase their tail as a normal part of play. It's commonly seen when a pup is first separated from its siblings; when not having them to play with anymore, it turns its attention to itself. This behaviour becomes less frequent as the dog matures.

If however, your dog is somewhat older or is doing it very frequently it can be a sign of stress build-up - you should ask yourself if your dog is getting adequate exercise and stimulation?

In the worst cases which are pretty rare, it may point to a dog version of compulsive disorder.

Most sources seem to agree that intervening to stop the behaviour can actually have a negative effect as it may be that the dog does it for attention. For instance, when you first notice the behaviour it can seem funny and endearing and you might make a fuss of the dog for it.

As it continues, you could be reinforcing the message to the dog that this behaviour gets them attention by intervening - even if the intervention is a negative scolding one or even if just to provide a distraction - this is why it is so important that you ensure you deal with it correctly in your particular case.

It is usually recommended that you initially ignore the behaviour - even leaving the dog alone by leaving the room when it starts. After a time, if that fails to have an effect, you should seek the help of an dog behaviourist. In the very rare worst case scenario the last option is medication.

[sorella]

Collies as a breed do dance in circles. Hope you can sort this out... maybe distract her?

[Toulouse]

It can be a sign of stress or boredom. Collies are a working breed and are very clever. Is she getting enough physical and mental stimulation?

I would think that a behaviouralist would be the next stop.

[sorella]

We have a skilled breeder on staff; I will ask her. What she does not know re dogs is not worth knowing....

But collies do need a ferocious amount of exercise.

[sorella]

OK.

Here is the professional word

(a) boredom simply. The collie needs more exercise and more interplay. Get eg a frisbee and play a long tme with her every day. balls, anything that she can play with and interact with you with. Needs wearing out in running and play every day; that is this breed.

The expression was... collies are programmed to herd and chase; if the only thing moving is their tail, then they will chase that.

(b) diet. If you are feeding a proprietary food, it may be making her more wired. Put her on raw food for a month. And large raw bones to play with and chew on.

A common problem with collies..

Ours is "obsessed" with traffic and spends hours by the gate; every tme a car passes she dances and circles... we run her a lot also.

Blessings
Blessings

[irishstu1976]

Thanks Sorella and everyone else... Much appreciated... She's probably not getting the exercise she demands.... She's a very loving and happy dog otherwise but i do hope i can cure her of this and will take on board all the advice... Many thanks...