We all have our weaknesses when it comes to the body, especially dogs, which are very sensitive creatures to all kinds of contact. Some feel uncomfortable when you touch their ears, others their legs and others don't like it when you touch their tail.
And speaking of which, since it can be a fairly common phenomenon, many people wonder Why does my dog not like having his tail touched?This can happen for a variety of reasons, some physical, and others emotional and psychological. The important thing is to study each case separately and see if it is a matter simply about your tastes, or if there is some background to your refusal.
If this is a situation that is happening with your pet, we invite you to read this new article on our site where we will explain what happens when you try to touch or comb your dog's tail and he does not allows, walks away or tries to tell you no with his mouth.
he is a very sensitive dog
Your dog may be the hyper sensitive type and this is totally normal in the canine world. Just as you don't like certain things because they produce diverse and unpleasant sensations, so does he.
The tail area is one of the most controversial parts of dogs. Being very close to the anus, many may feel that by touching their tail you are getting too close to their private parts, so they will not appreciate it or see it as a caressbut as an assault.
According to various animal studies, for no apparent reason, 90% of dogs don't like having their tails touched.
Do you have any sores, pain or itching
Si you did it before and everything was going well, but from one moment to the next, your dog reacts negatively to this type of contact and you are being as gentle as possible, the first thing will be take him to the vet for an examination. Don't wait too long, your dog could have an injury or feel pain.
Maybe on your last walk to the park a dog bit you or an insect bit you while you were resting on the grass. The wound does not always have to bleed too much or the dog shows extreme signs of pain, so it is good that at the first negative reaction when you touch him, you visit the veterinarian. In fact, if your dog's tail is very furry and fluffy, it will be difficult to see with the naked eye if it has any injuries.
On the other hand, Did you know that dogs can break their tails? Dogs' tails break quite easily, in Especially the longest queues. A dog's tail is made up of small bones held together by joints. Bones themselves can break or fracture, while joints can become dislocated.
If you see your dog fall from a height, you have accidentally stepped on its tail, it has hit something or is bitten by a dog, go to and perform a complete physical examination to locate possible pain leading to injury. Some symptoms of a broken tail include inability to flex, crooked tail, pain, and difficulty wagging or moving it.
Oh Oh, eye trauma
Is this a normal reaction? If your dog has never liked you touching his tail, it may be due to something that happened to him in his early life when he was just a puppy. Remember that many fears, phobias and even pain are caused by some event or traumatic event that occurred in the near and distant past.
Have you had the dog since he was a puppy? Do you know what his story is? Your dog may have been bitten on the tail by another dog or animal or hit by a previous handler. If he has his tail amputated, it may also have happened in his adult or puppy stage, causing him immense terror when remembering it.
Getting to know the past history of our pets helps us understand certain behaviors, personalities and ways of reacting to circumstances. Do some research and if you come to the conclusion that your dog may be going through a trauma, consult an ethologist or dog educator, professionals who will help you redirect this situation.
What to do if my dog doesn't like having his tail touched?
Now that you've explored the reasons why your dog doesn't like having his tail touched, the most important thing you can do is avoid invading his privacy. If you invade his space that he doesn't appreciate you getting close to, you could provoke a reaction in him that you will later regret. He could bite you or have any aggressive attitude towards you
We must use common sense. If your dog is not comfortable with this type of contact, don't try to force or train him to change his mind and behavior. The most sensible thing as a caregiver would be to leave it and make peace with the idea that your dog does not like you to touch his tail no matter how furry and soft it is and no matter how much you like it. The most will be to try to touch it in another way. It is possible that your dog feels that you are touching him too hard; he tries to do it more gently while you give him a relaxing massage that goes from head to tail.
How to deal with this problem?
If we want to be able to touch the dog, it is usual that a priori we try to solve these problems at home, the truth is that depending on the reaction Dogmay or may not be the appropriate decision. If your dog growls to tell you to stop, it is a positive situation, since it indicates that he "warns you" that he does not like it. In these cases we must respect that he does not like it and we will avoid touching his tail. Perhaps with time, affection, the use of positive reinforcement and the necessary trust, he will allow us to touch or brush that area at some point.
However, if marks or bites your hand by casually touching its tail, we are talking about a more serious situation and that it may pose a problem, especially when strangers want to interact with him.
If the origin of this fear is due to a child touching or pulling on its tail, then the situation can turn into a bigger problem, especially if it bites a small child. Then it's time to go to the professional Canine behavior modification should always be carried out by an ethologist (veterinarian specialized in canine behavior) or a canine educator or experienced trainer.
