PetFinder.my

PetFinder.my (https://forums.petfinder.my/index.php)
-   General Discussion (https://forums.petfinder.my/forumdisplay.php?f=13)
-   -   Question: Why do dogs run in circles? (https://forums.petfinder.my/showthread.php?t=4419)

dog is my buddy 06-02-2010 12:33 AM

Question: Why do dogs run in circles?
 
Question: Why do dogs run in circles?
The answer will get after 10 reply it. Try up!

blackie007 06-02-2010 12:56 AM

Re: Question: Why do dogs run in circles?
 
Like chasing their tails? Maybe they're bored, frustrated, or it's a behavioural problem! :))

dog is my buddy 06-02-2010 01:02 AM

Re: Question: Why do dogs run in circles?
 
lol, I got one of my USA friend answer was
"Muka runs round and round the dinning room table with his duck because I'm chasing him!
LOL,
Peter"

That's was cool answer from you, Blackie007. But I have more cool answer. Still have 9to go. Anyone Please.

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackie007 (Post 81740)
Like chasing their tails? Maybe they're bored, frustrated, or it's a behavioural problem! :))


Maneki Neko 06-02-2010 08:10 AM

Re: Question: Why do dogs run in circles?
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by dog is my buddy (Post 81739)
Question: Why do dogs run in circles?
The answer will get after 10 reply it. Try up!

Because they can't bend enough in the middle to run in triangles?? {happy}

FurKids 06-02-2010 11:45 AM

Re: Question: Why do dogs run in circles?
 
Because its hard to run in squares! Or they wanna smell their butts or you have the "Colonel Bogey" record … the faster you play it, the faster your dog will run … or your dog is the watchdog and needs winding …

Or seriously …

You might think that a dog running in circles is humorous, but for some dogs it can turn into an obsessive disorder and lead to physical and psychological problems if not dealt with. The dogs with the worst cases of running in circles can keep going for several hours, almost as if they are in a trance. Make sure that your dog does not have a medical condition, such as worms or a rash, that is causing irritation in the rear-end area. Otherwise, there are several steps you can take to train your dog to stop running in circles. Be patient, consistent and diligent, and with time your dog can be relieved of this behavior.

In older dogs, running around in circles is often associated with having been kept in a small pen. Some just get so excited.

Or your dog is showing a sign of an obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). OCD also causes dogs to chase their tails. OCD is a medical illness that causes animals to have unwanted thoughts and repeat certain patterns of behavior. German Shepherds often chase their own tails because they are genetically predisposed to exhibit compulsive behaviors.

There are many reasons a dog may circle and it often may only be discerned when the behavior is examined in the context of when, where and how it is manifested.

For example many dogs may circle in the area of where they are about to lay down. This is most probably a behavior that they retained from their wild dog and wolf ancestors. Many animals will check the area where they lay or bed down for anything that makes the area undesirable They also trample down the grasses, dirt, etc. for a more comfortable or hidden location.

Domesticated dogs have taken that behavior and used it to get our attention and get their owner to react in a certain way. Such behavior is often built upon as trick or as a way of alerting the owner that the dog needs something as specific as food, water, or access to an area where they may use the bathroom. Thus over the centuries dogs and humans have expanded this behavior for our mutual benefit.

Dogs may circle out of distress, trying to reach an itch, sore, or injury. One such distress may be worms, or impacted anal glands which can cause mental distress and physical discomfort.

Some dogs circle an area before they urinate or defecate. Since this is often also used a way of marking territory, the circling may be part of the preparation of the area for that purpose. Again another behavior likely linked to their wolf and wild dog ancestry.

Dogs may circle out of nervousness or anxiety; such as when it is storming or when their owner leaves them; often as a symptom of separation anxiety.

Dogs running in circles go hand in hand with dogs chasing their tails. They are both obsessive behaviors that may be challenging to get rid of. They both stem from some psychological disorder being either boredom, fear, frustration or anxiety. The underlying cause needs to be treated in order for the manifestation to disappear. Getting rid of this habit may be challenging and may need a dog behaviorist to solve, especially in the most severe cases that have settled and become chronic.

Below are some tips that may help reduce the behavior and at best eradicate it before becoming chronic:

Make sure your dog is getting enough exercise. Running in circles is often due to pent-up energy. Regularly take your dog on walks, runs, or to the dog park to play with other dogs.

Do not egg on your dog when he is running in circles. Laughing or getting excited will tell your dog that the behavior is a way to get attention.

Do not keep your dog in a small pen or on a short chain. Running in circles can be a result of the dog being conditioned to confinement in a small area.

Distract your dog as soon as he starts to run in circles. Give your dog a toy or bone, or play fetch.

Do not stop your dog by scolding or yelling. This will only add to any anxiety. Stop your dog from running in circles by picking up or holding him firmly with a leash. Start interacting with your dog by talking, loving and giving him a treat. This will divert your dog's attention elsewhere,

Relieve sources of anxiety. Anxiety can often cause nervous behavior, like running in circles. Sources of anxiety include leaving the dog alone for long periods of time, having lots of strangers over or loud noises.

Take your dog to an animal behaviorist if the condition is too extreme for you to deal with on your own. There may be particular brain tests and medications that can be administered.

If all fails, well .... apa susah? Simply replace it with a cat .... {good}

dog is my buddy 06-02-2010 04:19 PM

Re: Question: Why do dogs run in circles?
 
Anyone like give answer? Still have 7 to go.

FurKids 06-02-2010 04:45 PM

Re: Question: Why do dogs run in circles?
 
Aiyah, Clement ... offer la some little prize ... (not free kitten or puppy la, we got many, many oredi), then maybe get more response!

blackie007 06-02-2010 04:48 PM

Re: Question: Why do dogs run in circles?
 
I know what prize would interest all of us.....the air-conditioned dog house.....cats and dogs would love it!! :))

FurKids 06-02-2010 04:49 PM

Re: Question: Why do dogs run in circles?
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by dog is my buddy (Post 81799)
Anyone like give answer? Still have 7 to go.

He chase his tail, try to make both ends meet lorrr ....

dog is my buddy 06-02-2010 08:23 PM

Re: Question: Why do dogs run in circles?
 
2 Attachment(s)
Winner will get one air conditioner pet house Attachment

Suhaimy 06-02-2010 10:37 PM

Re: Question: Why do dogs run in circles?
 
"Five Mad Minutes"

nur azua 06-03-2010 12:51 AM

Re: Question: Why do dogs run in circles?
 
hehe..nice Q here..

chasing their tails..could be due to obsessive behaviour..or vision problems..

FurKids 06-03-2010 08:30 AM

Re: Question: Why do dogs run in circles?
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by dog is my buddy (Post 81820)
Winner will get one air conditioner pet house Attachment

Clement, dowan Attachment, wan real thing, full-sized and not miniature arrrr? A real usable life-sized one, not toy or picture, kay? I wanna give my new pickup kittens and their mama as present. Yes, they will live in a nice, nice dog-house and be the envy of everyone on the street.

FurKids 06-03-2010 08:58 AM

Re: Question: Why do dogs run in circles?
 
Clement, I like this question that you have posed because although I am a cat person (Cat Is My Buddy, CIMB), I am actually begining to learn a lot about Man's Other Buddy (Cat is also Man's Buddy, maaaaaa!).

Yes, some things appear funny but actually are not, and are in fact quite serious. And if we truly love our pets, we need to step back and seriously take a good, hard look.

Tail Chasing in Dogs
Tail chasing, at first glance, may appear to be a normal component of play behaviour in dogs. Problems arise when such behaviour becomes excessive and the dog injures itself during the activity and when the dog cannot be distracted for other activities. Many would define tail chasing, or whirling, as a stereotypic behavior. Stereotypic behavior can be defined as a ritualistic, repetitive, constant sequence of movements appearing to serve no obvious function. Such behavior is often found in cases where animals are confined and where their behavior is restricted, but can be present in ordinary environments, as well. Tail chasing has also been known to be more common in certain breeds, such as Bull Terriers, indicating this behavior may be hereditary in some cases.

Why Does Tail Chasing Occur?
The primary causes of excessive tail chasing often involve aspects of learned behavior or medical problems or both.

Behavioral causes: Attention-seeking, Boredom, Anxiety
Tail chasing and other stereotypic behaviors may be a result of operant conditioning, a process by which a behavior is affected by its consequences and an association is made between a stimulus and a response. Because dogs are social animals, attention from the owner is often a positive reinforcer causing an increase in the frequency of the performed behavior whether the owner intends this or not. Even adversive attention may act as a positive reinforcer of the behavior, especially when the animal receives little owner attention in the first place. In this case, any attention the dog receives is highly rewarding. This type of behavior is known as "attention-seeking behavior".

Boredom is another postulated cause of some stereotypies, but an unlikely one. A diagnosis of boredom as a cause of stereotypic behaviour can be incorrectly assumed. In fact the animal may simply have a greater need for aerobic exercise and will cease energy consuming stereotypic behaviour when activity is normal. It is not boredom per se that is the problem, but lack of exercise.

In addition, some dogs with anxiety may chase their tail as well. This anxiety may be in response to some sort of stimulus or it may be nonspecific. Sometimes if a dog has had a previous injury to an extremity, it may start chasing that region when it becomes aware of it. Such dogs are usually neurologically normal.

Medical causes: Neurological, Physical Injury/Irritation
In addition to the behavioral conditions mentioned above, neurological conditions can also cause behaviors such as whirling. Severe tail chasing has been attributed to psychomotor epilepsy and sometimes described as a seizure-related problem. There is also evidence that stereotyped behavior depends upon the dopamine systems involved in the control of movement. Dopamine turnover is increased in animals with stereotypies. This becomes important when drug treatment is to be considered. As well, there is a possibility that these behaviors may cause a release of endogenous opioids which stimulate the pleasure centers of the brain and protect the animal from perception of pain in more severe cases involving self-mutilation. In Bull Terriers, a breed that has been historically associated with dog fighting, it has been speculated that there may be a reduced pain perception, genetically passed on as an adaptation from the fighting generations. (Additional information on these neurological theories are discussed in the references cited at the end of this article).

A variety of superficial or peripheral conditions involving pain, irritation, or other sensations in the tail or hindquarters may also trigger tail chasing. Such conditions normally, however not exculsively, involve injury or disease to the skin and/or peripheral nervous system.

How Can Tail Chasing be Diagnosed and Treated?
Certain information will be required to assess the severity of the problem and help determine whether the tail chasing is learned or medical in origin. As an owner, you should keep track of the behavior and be able to describe details to a veterinarian including: duration, frequency, intensity of the behavior, as well as the dogs history and any other known cases in closely related dogs. Treating this problem can be handled through different methods depending on the suspected cause of the problem.

If you are certain the behaviour has been learned (perhaps it was inadvertently reinforced or rewarded by laughter or attention), then the treatment would involve removing the reinforcer. In this case the reward such as attention (praise or punishment) should immediately stop and be withheld anytime the dog tail chases. Initially the dog may increase the intensity of tail chasing to gain attention or gain the reward that had previously been given. It is important not to reward the behaviour. This is a critical stage leading to the extinction of the activity. It is important that all family members understand that non-reinforcement is vital and the tail chasing must be ignored at all costs. Any kind of attention or punishment will only escalate the problem.

Counterconditioning may also be an effective treatment for anxiety by again training the dog to associate an acceptable behavior with the stimulus rather than chasing its tail. In counterconditioning you would provide a reward or give attention to the dog when it is not tail chasing.

Neurological problems are best treated with medication. Studies have shown that some stereotypies are responsive to dopamine antagonists and to opiate receptor blockers. Various neurological conditions, such as psychomotor epiliepsy, can be ruled out or confirmed by observing the response to drug treatments.

Drug therapy in combination with behavior therapies have been proven to be effective in treating stereotypies including tail chasing. A veterinarian or behavioural consultant can provide more information on drug treatment as well.

Stereotypies generally are most responsive if they are treated during an early stage of development. The best results are obtained by identifying and removing the cause of the conflict, using an appropriate drug and counterconditioning. In some extreme cases tail chasing may be impossible to prevent or cure. The best prevention is to give your dog adequate attention and exercise, a suitable environment and carefully monitor its activities.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brown, S.A., S. Crowell-Davis, T. Malcom, et al. Naloxone-responsive compulsive tail chasing in a dog. J.A.V.M.A. 1987; 190:884-886.
Crowell-Davis, S. Tail Chasing in Dogs. In Kirk, R.W. ed. Current Veterinary Therapy XI. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders, 1991; 995-997.
Luescher, U.A., McKeown, D.B., Halip, J. Stereotypic or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders in Dogs and Cats. Vet Clin N Amer Small Anim Pract 1991; 21: 401-413.
Overall, K.L. Recognition, Diagnosis, and Management of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders. Canine Practice. 1992; 17: 40 -44.

Geneva

FurKids 06-03-2010 09:15 AM

Re: Question: Why do dogs run in circles?
 
Now, this is quite interesting:

Why dogs chase their own tails: High Cholesterol
By Queuebot in Animal on Mar 25, 2009 at 9:45 am

Veterinarians have discovered an interesting connection between dogs who chase their own tails and their blood cholesterol levels. In a study published in the Journal of Small Animal Practice, researchers took blood samples from 15 healthy dogs that were compulsive tail chasers, along with samples from 15 healthy dogs that did not chase their tails. When their samples were analyzed, the tail chasers were found to have significantly higher levels of blood cholesterol.

Researchers theorize that cholesterol affects the cell membranes which control the flow of brain hormones. Previous studies have shown a correlation between high cholesterol levels and certain behavioral problems in humans.

FurKids 06-03-2010 09:33 AM

Re: Question: Why do dogs run in circles?
 
Ha! Ha! Here is another one: To get to the other side of the street?

... and another:

Because cats don't.

Cats chase almost everything else, and they look very graceful as they do it. They take their dainty little paws and give a couple of gentle taps to their cat toy, and then chase after it themselves with dignity, decorum and style. Dogs watch with disdain, and chase their tails to show cats the right way to try to catch something.

Dogs chase balls, Frisbee's, bugs, invisible people, and noises to name but a few. They put their body and soul into the run to get the toy. As they start to run, you see legs flying in four different directions, ears flopping in the wind, tail up like a spoiler, tongue glued to the side of their face drooling a river. There is so much drool you could almost use it as a roadmap. When they get two or three feet away, they start the skid. They make an impressive skid mark with their two back legs and butt and have enough left in them to grab the toy before they fall over in a heap of fur, legs and tongue. If you look at their faces after the skid, you will swear they are smiling. If they somehow miss the toy and skid past, they keep their eyes locked on it, and do a four legged scramble that has grass, dirt, and fur flying in all directions. When they get back to the toy, they will do a kind of freefall jump with all four paws on top of it, and then grab it with their mouth that has now become a small waterfall of drool. That's when they bring the toy/stick/ball back to you, nice and slimy, so you can do it all over again.

So, both cats and dogs love to chase things, but they go about it in totally different ways. Cats don't chase their tails, but they do chase other cats' tails. Dogs chase almost anything that moves, even their own body parts, they can't help it. It is written in their DNA, they are hardwired to chase. No matter how much they want to sit and look dignified and superior and aloof (like cats) if something moves, they're off! They don't necessarily want to, but if they get the opportunity to play, they will.

It is like the old joke about dog and cat diaries:

8:00 am Dog Food My favorite thing!
9:30 am A car ride My favorite thing!
9:40 am A walk to the park My favorite thing!
10:00 am Got rubbed and petted My favorite thing!

The cats' diary says:

Day 983 of captivity..


Dogs will always try to make the best of a situation, and are the masters of improvisation. Having a tail handy is just another blessing in a long line of favorite things.

FurKids 06-03-2010 11:30 AM

Re: Question: Why do dogs run in circles?
 
Got summo:

WOMAN: I'm sorry, this dog is sick. He doesn't bark. He goes tick, tick, tick.

SHOPKEEPER: Yes, ma'am. That's because he's a watchdog!

WOMAN: Well, if he's a watchdog, why is he running around in circles?

SHOPKEEPER: He's all wound up!

FurKids 06-03-2010 01:31 PM

Re: Question: Why do dogs run in circles?
 
What did the dog's tail say to the dog? Let's go swing ....

Maneki Neko 06-03-2010 01:48 PM

Re: Question: Why do dogs run in circles?
 
Furkids,

This article (as well as your earlier post on this thread) highlights an unfortunate tendency amongst us humans to misinterpret animal behaviour.

I expect that most people, upon seeing a dog running in circles or chasing its tail, find it a funny behaviour. It amuses us, because it seems pointless, or a case of the dog joyously entertaining itself. We're so busy smiling and laughing that we may not stop to consider that it indicates a health or behavioural problem.

Likewise, when my cat would rub the sides of her face against my shins, I misinterpreted that as purely a sign of affection. Only after some reading did I realise that she's really marking me as part of her territory. Or as her property. Say, for example, as her slave. {sick}

Anyway, thank you for posting this serious information on dog behaviour in the middle of DIMB's thread. (Come on, DIMB -- what with all the possible causes in Furkids' articles, you must be at 20 reasons or more by now! {wink})

And now that I know what CIMB stands for, I may have to change banks! {shy}

Quote:

Originally Posted by FurKids (Post 81874)
(Cat Is My Buddy, CIMB)


June 06-03-2010 02:19 PM

Question: Why do dogs run in circles?
 
Amanda,at least you have 1 master. I have 12!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maneki Neko (Post 81910)
Furkids,

This article (as well as your earlier post on this thread) highlights an unfortunate tendency amongst us humans to misinterpret animal behaviour.

I expect that most people, upon seeing a dog running in circles or chasing its tail, find it a funny behaviour. It amuses us, because it seems pointless, or a case of the dog joyously entertaining itself. We're so busy smiling and laughing that we may not stop to consider that it indicates a health or behavioural problem.

Likewise, when my cat would rub the sides of her face against my shins, I misinterpreted that as purely a sign of affection. Only after some reading did I realise that she's really marking me as part of her territory. Or as her property. Say, for example, as her slave. {sick}

Anyway, thank you for posting this serious information on dog behaviour in the middle of DIMB's thread. (Come on, DIMB -- what with all the possible causes in Furkids' articles, you must be at 20 reasons or more by now! {wink})

And now that I know what CIMB stands for, I may have to change banks! {shy}



All times are GMT +8. The time now is 12:51 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.2
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.