Ask Toto #39

Dear Toto:

So Seriously.  Dogs chasing their tail.  What's the deal?

Confused on East Coast

Hi there, East Coast!

Why do dogs chase their tails.  Okay, remember when you were a kid and you would spin around and collapse to the floor in a giggling heap?  I mean, that’s what Dorothy would do a lot of the time, she said getting dizzy was fun.  Uncle Henry would sometimes get dizzy after a few drinks, but he wouldn’t spin so much as kinda stagger around the barn for awhile.

ANYWAY.

I’m guessing it’s the same sensation.  Dogs spin around because it’s dizzy and freeing and fun! 

And let’s talk about the tail.  THE TAIL!  Have you ever chomped down on your toes?  It’s hard to do as an adult, but babies seem to be perfectly able to stick their feet in their mouths.

And that’s fun, too, to lightly nibble on something that’s attached to you.  So add that, plus Dizzy Is Fun, and you’ve got the answer to your spinning dog.

But now that has me thinking, tell me, why do humans pick their nose?

Thanks for the question!

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