TRIED EVERYTHING I KNOW!!!! To stop Marley & Denszil chasing their tails!!!!

We have 2 Blue Staffy's Mr.Marley & (his Son) Denszil,for the past 12mts we've had a nightmare trying to get them to stop chasing their tails.On a few occations they have both bitten their tails and Marley has about 4inc missing from his tail as a result of more than once biting his tail!!!It was so bad the vet recommended amputating his tail down to two knuckles,but the day before the planned operation I popped in the vets and told them I wanted to ''have one last go at trying to get him to stop chasing his tail and biting it''.

As it stands I feel I did the right thing postponing the operation ,as Mr.Marley has not bitten his tail and drew blood since-althought he has nicked it a few times since last July.I'm not too sure exactly how this all started other than to say Mr.Marley was NO TROUBLE AT ALL FROM PUPPY UP UNTIL DENSZIL CAME ALONG.Denszil was a very lively puppy and chased his tail whenever we went into open spaces like parks and the back garden.Then Marley started doing the tail chasing thing and actually bite his tail severly.He had a shade on for many weeks and within days of taking it off he'd bitten it again.Denszil has only drew blood on a few occations and has his complete tail.

For some strange reason if the door knocks,mobile phone rings or even if me and the wife and kids laugh outloud it's enough to set them off.Its a simular story when we let them outside to do their bisness they run out then immeadiately start chasing their tails whilst barking.WE'VE TRIED USING TREATS AS REWARDS FOR GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS of the said triggers but to no avail!!!! If the door knocks or the phone rings or we laugh outloud it a more or less guarentee Specially Mr.Marley will chase his tail.Even if we try to leave them in the livingroom to go out the house they will both start running in circles trying to bite their tails.

I'm at my wits end and we're terrified this behaviour will send our most beloved lil fella's mental.If anyone has even the slightest bit of info or technique to help us stop our dogs from repeating this unheathy behaviour we would be ooh so grateful.Unfortunately we have not had any internet for some 12mts due to finaces not permitting and so not been on the forum for so long,kinda hoping the most experienced of you owners will not view us as take take take members due to lack of activity on the forum.DESPERATELY NEED SOME GOOD GOOD ADVICE FOLKS!!!!

Very much appreciated.......

have you been to have a vet check up?

yes! both are very healthy and normal....No health isses and the vet states it's behavioral and to take him to a specialist.Unfortunately these proffesionals charge mega-bucks per hour which at the moment is financially unatainable......

I'm really not sure what suggest as it sounds rather extreme. What do you do to discourage it? Xx

Just do our best to to reassure them it's not good,so will call their names to get their attention and tell them to be good boys.Neither has bitten their respective tails for some time,but we can't seem to stop them from doing it and as I've said there's a few 100% guarenteed triggers such as laughng out loud,mobiles ringing(tried chaning ringtones as mad as it sounds) or tying to leave them on their own.Tried being stern vocally aswell as softley talking to them.Nothing seems to discourage the behaviour...........

Have you tried time out, removing them physically and putting them to sit, in a separate room or separated by a baby gate even? Just throwing ideas as its not something I have dealt with Xx

Maybe they began doing it because they were bored at some point and it has just become a bad habit. I would suggest lots of exercise and kongs filled up, or meaty bones to distract them.
Could you put something on the tail that they wouldn't enjoy the taste of......I can't think of anything that's nasty tasting and safe for them though ??


Just to break the habit could you put a little bell on their collar, so they become obsessed with something else for a little while.
If they are really unbreakable then how about one of those plastic collars the vets give you when they have stitches?

Hi Racamoe,we havent tried kongs and as for meaty bones,we don't give them bones as a rule as Denszil can turn quiteaggressive when it comes to food.They do have those chewy bone treats regular though.As for putting something on their tails that don't taste too good,thats something that might work with Marley but Denszil the lil devil he is eats almost any and everything.lool.We have tried the time out technique to no avail.But it's definately not boredom as they get walked twice a day and both times it's a 2-3 mile round trip going onto 2 fields.Seems to be excitement related for the most part although that don't cover being left alone or attempting to leave them alone.

If it was me i'd book into a local dog training class, get back to basics and start again. Learn to use the doorbell as a Trigger for going to a particular place ie his crate, its a safe place, and its small so they shouldn't be able to spin etc, keep it all very calm. If they are likely to try and bite their tails, i'd suggest one of the inflatable collars rather that the plastic hoods, they tend to incite more damage and frustration.
If they are both running straight out into the garden and starting the spinning behavior, then take them out one at a time on a training line so that you can keep control, do not open the door till they are calm... if they start to get excited, straight back in and wait till they calm down and then go again. But again... very cool and collected... no excitement. Reward with calm gentle praise if they are calm. As I said, if it was me I'd work them both individually till they get what I want, then start gradually working them together.
Good luck and keep trying

Tail chasing is a problem - I really don't need to tell you that, do I?

What you will need to do is be ready to distract each one of them every time they even look like they're going to start! Easy to say & difficult to acheive - but it must be done.

It sounds like the real trigger was introducing Denszil, especially as he is the son of Marley.

Can I ask what they are fed, what type of exercise they get & for how long?

Sounds anxiety related. And habit !
Each time the door rings, they tail chase - anxiety.

I'd up their exercise. When u see them about to start the tail chasing - A firm assertive NO! - sit,stay and give them a kong or other chew thing. - and lots of praise...eventually the NO should work on it's own.

My girl used to tail chase, she's bashed into Walls etc - only surface wounds on her tail tip but - when u have a 3stone staffy going mad with their tail - it's dangerous ! She responds to the NO, and will sit and stay. During that time she is 'staying' she's calming down.

Thing is - u need to respond to the act immediately - no point letting them go a few rounds n then stop them.

X

The younger one will have learned this behaviour. It sounds like you have accidently reinforced it by telling them to be good boys. Words don't work for dogs, only actions.

I will repeat what caryll asked about food and exercise? Are they crated? If so, i don't recommend it. Crating a dog that chases its tail can be even worse for it.

Can someone please tell me why tail chasing is deemed to be soo bad? I have seen most dogs do it at some point, Molly does it on some occasions, is it something to be worried about?

pag wrote:Can someone please tell me why tail chasing is deemed to be soo bad? I have seen most dogs do it at some point, Molly does it on some occasions, is it something to be worried about?

The link below explains things quite well:

http://www.7x7.com/pets/ask-vet-what-does-it-mean-when-dog-chases-its-tail

spray them with water and growl at them, trust me it will work, let me if it does work, just had a lady out from barkbusters, seems water stops dogs doing things naughty

pag wrote:Can someone please tell me why tail chasing is deemed to be soo bad? I have seen most dogs do it at some point, Molly does it on some occasions, is it something to be worried about?

The odd little bout of tail chasing isn't a problem, but when it becomes all the time it develops into Obsessive Compulsive Disorder & it can literally ruin a dog's life.

rainny/bruno wrote:spray them with water and growl at them, trust me it will work, let me if it does work, just had a lady out from barkbusters, seems water stops dogs doing things naughty

Don't do the growl. Dogs don't understand humans growling & you could end up confusing the dog & making it anxious, which will make the OCD worse. Water spraying won't do a thing to OCD behaviour because they go into a trance almost. The only way is distraction before the chasing starts or physically stopping them once they've started followed by distraction to prevent further chasing.

thanks, I never knew..

pag wrote:thanks, I never knew..

Unless you've come across dogs with severe OCD you probably won't know! I've become far more aware of it since I got Dempsey because EBTs have a predisposition to OCD behaviour, and spinning or tail chasing are two of the most common manifestations. Some dogs have to eventually be pts if they can't be stopped.