Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Why Bull Terriers Chase Their Tails and What Triggers It
By Moon-Fanelli, Alice A et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2011·Department of Clinical Science, United States·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Characteristics of compulsive tail chasing and associated risk factors in Bull Terriers.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study looked at tail chasing in Bull Terriers and found that male dogs are slightly more likely to develop this behavior than females. Tail chasing can be linked to trance-like states and occasional aggression, which may disrupt the dog's normal activities. The research involved surveys from owners of 333 Bull Terriers, with 145 dogs exhibiting tail chasing. Understanding these traits can help owners recognize and manage this behavior in their pets.
People also search for: Bull Terrier tail chasing behavior · why does my dog chase its tail · male vs female Bull Terrier behavior · managing dog aggression and tail chasing
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate and define the characteristics of tail chasing in Bull Terriers and explore the association between tail chasing and other behavioral and physical characteristics. DESIGN: Survey and case-control study. ANIMALS: 333 Bull Terriers (145 dogs with tail-chasing behavior and 188 unaffected dogs). PROCEDURES: Owners of Bull Terriers with tail-chasing behavior were surveyed regarding the age of onset, triggers, frequency, duration, interruptability, degree of disruption to the dogs' normal functioning and the owners' relationship with the dog, and associated medical and physical consequences. Associations of tail chasing with various behavioral and physical characteristics were examined by comparison of dogs with tail-chasing behavior with unaffected dogs. RESULTS: Phenotypic and developmental descriptions of tail chasing in Bull Terriers were defined. Associations of tail chasing with sex, trance-like behavior, and episodic aggression were found. Males were at an 8% greater risk for the diagnosis of tail chasing than females. Phobias and owner-directed aggression did not significantly associate with tail chasing in the final log-linear model, but did have significant associations in earlier analyses that did not include the behaviors of episodic aggression and trance-like behavior. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In Bull Terriers with tail-chasing behavior, there was a slight increase in the susceptibility of males to develop tail-chasing behavior, compared with females. A close association of tail chasing with trance-like behavior and episodic aggression was identified.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21453176/