Dogs do some strange things sometimes, don’t they? Whether it’s sniffing another dog’s butt, burying their own food or toys, or having a sudden case of the zoomies, our pets are never shy to show off their quirky canine habits. It’s one of the many reasons we love them, after all!

Sometimes, though, what looks like funny behavior can be a big hint that something’s not quite right with a dog. A dog walking in circles may be an indication of a health condition that shouldn’t be ignored.

Pacing and circling in dogs can be activities in which dogs engage in order to perform some normal activities like urinating, defecating, sniffing and investigating, or they can be compulsive behaviors which are not normal. They may also be indicative of underlying pain or a neurological disease or canine dementia.

Let’s find out more.

Obviously, the most common symptom of a dog circling and pacing around is exactly that — your pet is circling and pacing! But, there are more — some of which may not be quite so easy to detect. The symptoms of potential canine compulsive behaviors are varied and not every individual will display the same symptoms.

Here are some things you might notice in your pet to some degree:

While it may seem ‘cute’ or ‘funny’ when your dog does the tail chasing thing, or when they’re pacing or circling sometimes for hours on end, it’s important to note that it may not be an intentional way to get your attention.

Instead, it could be a signal of a deeper, more serious problem which needs to be evaluated and treated — and sooner rather than later.

So, the key question: what’s causing your dog to walk in circles, or pace around? While some occasional pacing and circling can be considered ‘normal’ doggy behavior, if it’s happening frequently it could be caused by another issue that does need closer attention. Something is triggering this compulsive behavior.

Potential causes of a dog walking in circles can include:

As we've just covered, if your dog is showing signs of disorientation and circling there can be a wide range of causes. This means that reaching a diagnosis may not be easy, or quick, so be prepared. This may not be as simple as conducting a fast blood test.

Your veterinarian, or other attending veterinary professional, will need a complete history from you — which typically includes your dog’s diet, living and housing arrangements, and exercise habits.

This includes where that exercise takes place, any injuries or health conditions which have affected your pet over the course of his or her life and the details of the symptoms you’ve noticed along with their duration. You should note whether they came on gradually or suddenly and their severity. 

Your vet is likely to do a physical examination and will possibly also need to order blood testing, urine and fecal testing, radiography (x-rays) and perhaps CT or MRI imaging to ascertain if there are any masses present which could be factors for the symptoms and clinical signs being displayed by your family pet.

Once the testing results from the various testing modalities being utilized by your vet are received and evaluated, an appropriate treatment plan will be developed and initiated for your canine family member.

It goes without saying that the treatment options presented by your vet to help a dog walking in circles will be dependent upon the cause he or she has found for the pacing, circling and other compulsive behaviors a pet is suffering.  

If a systemic condition is found, treatments will include those options which are consistent with the disease condition found, for example oral medication administration, medications to treat the infectious component, if any, or potential surgical options in the case of tumor growth being the causative affliction. 

If your vet determines that the problem stems from dietary issues, then he will make recommendations for dietary changes to help remedy the problem.

When the condition is behavioural, we would implement behavioral training and changes in your pet’s home environment and routine to reduce stress and anxiety.

In the event that your vet finds everything in his testing of your family pet to be normal and diagnoses your pet with a behavioral issue only (which doesn’t have a systemic component) and if the behavior continues beyond a few days, he may refer you to an animal behaviorist for appropriate treatment

Canine dementia cannot be cured but can be managed with environmental changes, prescription diet and supplements.

Vet bills and follow-up treatments costs can be expensive — without pet insurance. Having a pet insurance policy means pet parents will get the support they need when it’s time to pay the vet. Get the best cover for your pet in seconds with free-to-use Wag! Compare.

Will a dog recover from whatever’s causing him or her to walk in circles, spin in circles, or pace around?

The prognosis for a dog who suffers from this will be dependent upon the ultimate cause as determined by your veterinary professional.  For some of the causes, the treatments may be ongoing for the life of your pet, or they may be intermittent as the disease process waxes and wanes in its development.

For other causes, it may be that a simpler solution will fit the bill, like giving your canine family member more exercise, more play time or training which keeps his mind active and learning, or it might be simply changing his diet.

In any event, dispensing copious amounts of the three A’s — affection, affirmation, and attention — will always be part of the treatment plan.