Tails chasing, tail wagging, grass eating, turning around three times in bed. All great mysteries of the world, not to be solved here, but maybe explained a little bit better.
First is one of the more bizarre dog behaviors, tail chasing. The self inflicted merry-go-round our pets put themselves through can seem amusing, puzzling and even compulsive at times. The suspected causes can range from boredom to physical discomfort, to lack of attention.
While not as fast as a squirrel or a rabbit, a dogs’ tail is just as elusive to them. If a dog is not being stimulated by toys, chew treats, or other dogs, then their tail can provide an outlet for a dull day. IF a dog sees movement then it can trigger a chase response. A quick way to find out if it is lack of stimulation is to simply play with your dog, which you should be doing anyway. A long lasting chew toy and oven a fun treat ball that dispenses a tasty nugget when your dogs’ rolls in around the floor can occupy a pet for hours.
Physical discomfort can also lead to tail chasing. Fleas at the base of the tail or an abrasion can occur on the tip of the tail can cause a dog relieve whatever pain they are in. A quick tail inspection can uncover any underlying issues. If you can’t physically see anything abnormal in your dogs’ tail but still suspect he or she is in pain then a trip to the vet would be the best way to rule out any medical problems. One set of veterinarians in Turkey tried to link tail chasing to high cholesterol in dogs.
Often we respond to our dogs’ strange antics by laughing, in a sense condoning the behavior. They chase their tail, you laugh and call them cute, they keep spinning around and around and you keep paying attention. Dogs respond to our positive emotions and if they think they can do something to trigger that response then they will repeat it.
A dogs’ tail can tell as much about what they are feeling as any part of their body. Submission, anxiety, dominance, joy, any one of these emotion can cause a dog to wag its’ tail. Most dogs wag their tail when you bring out the leash for a walk or a bag of treats for a reward. But in the dog park are they wagging for a different reason? A high raised tail could mean aggression, a tail tucked between their legs could mean fear. A study of wolves found that puppies coming in to feed would wag their tails at their mother, and that the mother would wag hers as well. Maybe they had a happy family. Some studies have shown that dogs that are alone will not wag their tails, indicating that tail wagging is used more for communicating in packs, and not necessary when they are by themselves.
Do you like the smell of freshly cut grass? Does your dog like it just as much? Theories on pets eating grass range from nutrient deficiencies to clearing the stomach of bile before a meal. Feeding your dog a high quality food can keep the right amount of fiber and greens in their diet so they may not look to the lawn as a diet supplement.
Some studies suggest that dogs need to clear the excess bile in their stomach before they eat. The gallbladder produces bile that is excreted into the stomach .Too much bile on an empty stomach can lead to acid build up. One way to get rid of the acid, binge and purge and woof down a bowl full of kibble.
A small amount of grass eating shouldn’t be discouraged, but keep in mind the fertilizer, pesticides and weed killers might also be ingested by your dog.
Does your dog spin like a top before going to bed? Three times around before they lie down? Some theories suggest that genetics play a role in this behavior. Dog in the wild trample down grass before catching a few winks, possibly because trampling the ground below will smooth out any rocks or sticks they will lay down on. Other theories suggest that turning around several times establishes territory within the sleeping pack. In other words, this is my spot, you find your own.
Other people have observer wolves forming a tight circle at night, conserving body heat by getting close to each other and providing protection. Other wolves have been observed digging away the top layer of dirt on to expose a cool layer underneath, again turning and digging before they laid down.
So what does it all mean? Why do these seemingly simple creatures have so many complex character habits? Are these great mysteries of the world solvable? How about we take our dogs out for a long spring walk and let them decide which mysteries they will reveal to us.
