how long do puppies chase their tails?

I got a German Shepard pup for Christmas. Her thing is to put some kind of toy in her mouth and chase her tail. The funny thing is she can catch it. She steps on it with her foot, she'll drop her toy then grab her tail. It's really funny, but now she is 5 months old, almost 6. I didn't think they did it that long. Truthfully I think they are puppies until they are 2, but I don't remember my other dogs doing it past 3 of 4 months.

My husband teases me that someone is going to break in the house and all she's gonna do is chase her tail!

 

I don't know it depends how s̶t̶u̶p̶i̶d̶ playful your dog is. My dog never did that, but it also never chased anything that wasn't actually live. But I would expect it to stop eventually.

What happens is the puppy is attempting to play with its own tail or does not yet recognize the tail is a part of its own body.

 

my puppy did it for about 8-9 months... He is not stupid, but if he were a lightbulb he would be a pretty dim one lol

 

Friend of mine has a pitbull mix that did it when ever you wanted em to...all you had to do was grab his tail poke em in the face and say get it MANSON...the dogs name was manson lol...that was up until he started getting old at like 4 or 5 plus

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Chasing of tails does not show signs of stupidity or smartness, Dogs will tend from time to time play with their tails, My family dog is a shetland sheepdog, one of the smartest breeds of dogs besides a border collie, and is an obediance champion etc, and she still chases her tail, its like a habit almost, kind of like how some people still suck their thumbs, sleep with stuffed animals, pick their nose, chew their fingernails, its just something that they forget what they are doing and do it without thinking. Dogs just think it is fun to do sometimes and it entertains them, don't worry about it as an indicator as to how smart they are, some dogs just dont grow out of it.

 

Some dogs do it for fun, for others it becomes a neurotic thing. I've seen some dogs that chase their tails alllll day long. It's probably not that - but if it continues, I would talk to the vet about it.

I love german shepherds!! Enjoy her!!

 

Unfortunatly i have a german shepard that's 5 years old and still does it. We have tried trainers and drugs without sucsess. He has burned holes through are carpets and done great damage to himself.

 

I'm hoping maybe it's cabin fever. I have never had a puppy through the winter, she does have an older sister to play with, who just turned 2, so I don't think she's bored.

I hope she grows out of it, but if not, it isn't to the point of being a problem, she just looks so stupid!!

thanks everyone