Hi. This is my first time posting on the forum but we are baffled by my dogs behaviour. Daisy is now seven years old and since having her (she was nearly 12 months old) she has always gone a bit "loopy" if she was given a treat, such as a bone. She doesn't do it when she is given her daily meals. She goes round and round in circles and tries to bite her leg (she doesn't chase her tail). She can chew her leg until it bleeds and she growls and barks whilst going round in circles. It happens outside (my lawn is ruined with bare circles!) and inside and whether we are at home or not (our neighbour has told us it happens when we are out). She has no fleas or ticks, has been wormed and even been given antibiotics by a vet who didn't seem interested. Needless to say that didn't work. Can anyone help or point us in the right direction? We are at our wits end as it is happening more and more. Thank you!
Hello there,welcome to The Forum.We have Dexter ,he's our first dog and he is now 3.....so I haven't got a vast amount of experience to draw on.Reading your post made me think of a Facebook video I saw where a golden retriever was growling at its own leg as it ate a bone.It was getting a lot of laughs but it just made me sad because the dog was resource guarding the bone.This could be what is happening here? I don't know what to suggest to help you stop it though ......I just wanted to acknowledge your post as I can tell you really want to help your dog and it's very worrying for you Best Wishes Angela
Welcome from Hattie 8 years and our rescue boy Charlie 4 years. Is Daisy's behaviour just with a bone treat? If it is I personally wouldn't give it to her just give something else which might not have the same affect. I agree with Angela it's sad for you to watch and of course you want to find a way to help her as this has become a habit which needs breaking. Have you thought of contacting a good behaviourist to see if they can help, it might be worth it? Helen xx
Hello there and a very warm welcome It's very difficult to say what might be happening with your dog. Just on the basis of what you have said, it sounds like some kind of obsessive behaviour, and one for a professional, I'd say. What is Daisy's normal routine? What kind of walking, exercise and training does she get. Does she live inside the house, or outside? Are you in the UK?
When we first got our most recent foster Blake, he would circle and circle...chew his leg, chew his willy....but that was due to being in a high state of stress. Once we managed to help resolve his anxiety, and help him feel reassured this gradually resolved. We know his stress and anxiety was caused by his time in a dog pound and he was also trying to process his new environment. Indeed when he gets a bit stressed or excited his default is to circle. At the time I did so some research into circling, as it is a very distressing habit to watch, so I really, really feel for you having to watch this. To develop this suddenly could be due to something that has changed, causing anxiety or maybe there is a health issue. I would firstly get Daisy checked by the vet, to rule out any medical problems, there are certain conditions, where circling can be involved, t Certainly enlist the help of a professional dog behaviourist who uses only positive training methods, and who has experience in treating obsessive conditions.
Thank you all for your kind wishes. We do not give Daisy any bones or large treats as this will set off the circling behaviour - she only gets small dog treats now! In all respects she is a gentle well loved dog and has plenty of walks - our house backs onto fields. She is my fourth Labrador so I am an experienced owner but none of my other dogs did this sort of behaviour. Our vet didn't seem bothered about it when we asked him so we are going to ask around and try a different vet. She can go for weeks and not behave like this, but then something will set her off. There is no pattern to it - when we go away our next door neighbours look after her so she doesn't go to kennels, and they pamper her so, needless to say, she loves their attention.. In the summer she is outside a lot as we have a large garden and she loves to lie in the sun! Now the weather is colder she is inside but, again, there seems to be no pattern to the behaviour - she does it inside and out. We have tried all sorts to get her to stop, such as trying to give her a treat or trying to distract her but this doesn't work. My husband is despairing about the muddy circles on our lawn and it is distressing to see her like this. If the vet can offer no advice then I think we will have to find a behaviourist to help - if anyone can recommend someone in the Worcestershire area that would be great. Many thanks, Jules
