Why Is My Dog Walking in Circles?

A dog walking in circles can be completely harmless or indicate a potentially serious medical or behavioural issue. Usually, you can take a look at what other signs your dog is exhibiting to decide whether their circling is deemed ‘normal’ or not.

Make sure that you consult a dog care guide to figure out some other symptoms that could indicate an unwell dog. A care guide for new dog owners will describe normal behaviour to put you at ease.

Let’s take a look at some reasons why a dog might walk in circles.

General Reasons for Dogs to Walk in Circles

If you’re asking ‘why is my dog walking in circles?’ then it might be worth getting them checked out. Tips to be a better dog owner include being proactive about their physical and emotional well-being. 

For those who want to know, ‘why dogs walk in circles’, here are a few reasons.

Harmless behaviour 

Before toileting or settling down into bed are both normal times that your dog might turn a few times around in a circle. 

You could also find your dog circling for fun, a prelude to chasing its tail.

Vestibular Syndrome

Potentially something you will face when coping with an ageing dog, this is a disease that affects the inner ear and balance.

Constantly falling, drooling and walking with the head down are also symptoms, which are similar to a stroke. 

Possible injury

This relates specifically to head injuries that can cause your furbaby to walk in circles. Look for strange pupil dilation, loss of appetite or whining when you touch their head as other indicators for this cause.

Infection of the inner ear

If there is an offensive smell coming from an ear, head tilting or shaking or ear scratching and redness as well as your dog walking in circles, an ear infection could be the culprit. 

Make sure you take your furbaby to the vet for treatment immediately. 

Anxiety

A vet can prescribe medication to ease anxiety, or you can speak with a dog behaviourist to see if you can help to curb these issues for your furbaby. 

Neurological Reasons for Your Dog Walking in Circles

Apart from the learned behaviour that most dogs do before they poop or when they lie down to sleep, there’s little reason why your dog should be walking in circles. 

There could be an underlying neurological issue that can impact your dog at any age, but if you’re managing dogs with arthritis, it could be that much more distressing to see your dog put themselves in further discomfort due to this behaviour. It’s important to seek veterinarian help to determine the cause.

Stroke

A stroke can occur when blood flow to the brain is obstructed or a blood vessel bursts. Should this occur in the forebrain, a symptom could include walking in circles.

You must act quickly if you expect a stroke to try to limit the long-term effects.

Brain tumour

Similar to a stroke, if a tumour is growing in the forebrain of your furbaby, a symptom could include walking in circles. 

A tumour is an uncontrolled growth of cells within tissue and will likely result in brain dysfunction if not detected or treated quickly.

Hydrocephalus

This is when there is swelling in the brain, usually caused by cerebrospinal fluid. This is more prevalent in certain breeds, such as toy dogs.

How to Identify the Possible Causes?

You can try out a few things to figure out why your dog keeps walking in circles. If your dog finds it difficult to turn in the other direction, this indicates that it may be a neurological condition. Redness or pain in an ear points to an infection. 

It could be a behavioural condition. If your furbaby is spinning in circles and panting, without any apparent joy in its actions, then they are showing clear signs of distress. 

Perhaps they are anxious. Follow some tips for leaving dogs alone at home to help your dog deal with separation anxiety. 

Dog Walking in Circles? Take These Preventive Measures

You can reduce the chances that your furbaby will suffer from some of these conditions by following these simple steps. 

It comes down to being vigilant and consulting a professional for support if you’re unsure. This is both advice for a perfectly healthy furbaby and includes tips to care for a sick dog, perhaps a dog that keeps walking in circles or behaving abnormally.  

Maintain ear hygiene

As part of a regular hygiene regime, make sure that you clean your dog’s ears. This reduces the chance of an infection by removing wax buildup and ear mites and allowing you to take note of potential injuries. 

Every one or two months for most dogs is sufficient and you shouldn’t attempt to clean deep inside their ears. Ear cleaning solutions are available and make sure you have a few treats on hand.

Identify "normal" and "abnormal" behaviour

A dog spinning in circles and panting constantly is not normal. You know your dog and its behaviour better than anyone, so you can identify abnormalities or potential injuries that could affect them negatively.

Watch for triggers, such as food, people or other dogs, which might have caused a change from what you consider normal, to abnormal behaviour.

Stay on top of your dog’s health

Annual vet wellness checkups go a long way in maintaining optimal health for your furbaby. 

A vet will palpate over your dog’s entire body to look for lumps and bumps and to check their eyes, ears, skin and weight to make note of any changes. They will also offer bespoke advice for keeping your dog healthy. 

Consult a veterinarian if your dog is not acting normally

If your furbaby begins acting strangely and is walking in circles, consult your veterinarian immediately. By acting quickly, you may catch the onset of a potentially serious condition.

Proper treatment can be administered in most cases if you act quickly enough and this could be a life-saving action for your furbaby.

You are obliged to take good care and control of your dog in NZ the moment you choose to own one. Being proactive about their neurological, emotional and physical health by taking note of any changes in their behaviour is important.