In this article, we’ll review 4 reasons why dogs lick themselves. then we’ll cover what you can do to stop a canine from licking himself so often.
Sometimes dogs lick their feet, rear end, tail or even their canine bed or the furniture.
Licking is normal canine behavior, but it can also be a sign of an allergy, pain, tension or anxiety.
Plus, that licking sound might be annoying to you or your family members! I mean, who wants to work out in to view TV only to have the canine licking himself – loudly – in the corner.
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Why do dogs lick themselves?
1. The canine licks herself as a habit
The canine licks due to boredom or stress
2. Dogs lick themselves due to itchy skin or allergies
Things dogs can be allergic to
A dog’s paws or skin could also be irritated
If you suspect your canine has food allergies
Dogs can be allergic to “natural” products as well
3. Dogs lick themselves due to pain
4. Dogs lick to show disinterest
Should I be concerned my canine is licking too much?
Dog’s licking causing raw skin
What to do if you’re concerned about your dog’s licking
How to stop a canine from licking himself
1. Interrupt the canine with “no” or distract him
2. offer your canine with exercise, interaction & healthy food
3. decrease your dog’s stress
How to decrease your dog’s stress
4. Talk with your dog’s vet about the licking habit
5. hire a professional canine trainer for help
6. medication to stop a canine from licking
7. use bitter apple spray to avoid a dog’s licking
8. Cone collar or pro Collar to stop a canine from licking
9. Booties for paw protection
Other types of licking or mouthing in dogs
What to look for in a canine trainer or behaviorist
Why do dogs lick themselves?
If you want to stop your canine from licking himself, you need to understand why he’s licking himself in the first place.
Beyond basic grooming and cleaning, here are the most common reasons why a canine would lick himself:
1. The canine licks herself as a habit
Sometimes dogs lick themselves simply out of habit.
Maybe the licking was originally somewhat soothing, like a bit of a mild tension reliever or a way to deal with mild boredom.
On the emotional side, a dog’s licking may symbolize boredom, anxiety or stress, according to Joan Weston, a canine behaviorist based in Toronto. Licking can be an outlet for that tension or a self-soothing behavior.
The many common areas that dogs lick are their feet and ankles. Weston explained that this type of licking is typically a sign of tension displacement, although it is often hard to narrow down the exact cause of a dog’s licking.
“Licking itself is not the problem. It’s an indicator of a problem,” she said.
The canine licks due to boredom or stress
Licking typically arises in cases of either under-stimulation or over-stimulation. So if your canine is bored and feels like he has nothing to do, he may begin to lick himself. He might even do this to get attention from you.
Or, if he’s overwhelmed and stressed out, he may also lick.
If you suspect your canine might be licking himself due to boredom, try offering much more exercise, training and engagement.
Evaluate how much exercise your canine is currently getting and increase it. Also, look into a couple of treat-dispensing toys such as a Kong toy. A Kong will give your canine something to do so he’s less focused on licking himself.
2. Dogs lick themselves due to itchy skin or allergies
This is probably the most common reason for licking.
The problem is figuring out what exactly is causing the allergy.
Things dogs can be allergic to
Pollen
Støv
Fleas or mites
Chemicals on the lawn (or the turf itself)
Matallergi
Cedar-filled canine beds
Essential oils used in the home
Scented cleaning products or hygiene products
A dog’s paws or skin could also be irritated
De-icing materials on sidewalks and streets in the winter
Flea prevention products (natural or chemical)
Swimming, dry air, snow or changes in weather
It can be a long haul to figure out what your canine is allergic to. Your dog’s vet can help you with that if you’re interested. Allergy testing is also an option and might be worth it to you.
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If you suspect your canine has food allergies
You can try using a process of elimination.
Start with a grain-free food and then try switching to foods with different, particular protein sources like turkey or salmon. UnHeldigvis vil du ikke se en umiddelbar endring, så vær klient og endrer hundens mat grad for å unngå mageproblemer.
Noen mennesker velger å begynne å mate et hjemmelaget kosthold eller et hjemmelaget rått kosthold, slik at de kan kontrollere nøyaktig hva hundene deres spiser. Se innlegget mitt om rå hundematoppskrifter.
Hunder kan også være allergiske mot “naturlige” produkter
Vi er i denne vanvittige “naturlige” fasen for alle produkter, noe som er flott! Husk imidlertid at mennesker og hunder fremdeles kan være allergiske mot naturlige produkter, spesielt når de er duftende.
Hvis du mistenker at hunden din kan være allergisk mot en viss sjampo, et visst loppeforebyggende produkt eller et visst supplement, kan du prøve å bytte merkevarer. Velg ikke-duftende når det er mulig.
3. Hunder slikker seg på grunn av smerter
Hvis hjørnetannen din har ømme ledd eller såre muskler, kan han slikke eller tygge seg selv i et forsøk på å lindre smertene.
Er hunden din senior? Bremser han på turer eller halter? Sår ben kan være problemet.
4. Hunder slikker for å vise uinteresse
Det hjørnetann esset mitt ville slikke seg for å vise at han var uinteressert i å engasjere seg med de andre kjæledyrene mine. Han ville også slikke seg for å vise andre hunder at han ikke truet.
For eksempel ville han vende seg bort fra vår unge fosterhunn når hun ville spille. I stedet for å engasjere seg med henne eller korrigere henne, ville han se bort fra henne og fokusere på å slikke seg selv.
Jeg tror dette var en måte å vise uinteresse i henne og også en måte å takle sitt eget milde stress.
På bildet nedenfor kan du se Julias hjørnetann Baxter gjesper og gir en liten tunge flick for å vise at han er litt ubehagelig med babyen nærmer seg.
Dette er en passende reaksjon og hunder bruker denne “tunge flick” -atferden hele tiden for å vise anerkjennelse.
Skal jeg være bekymret for at hjørnetannen min slikker for mye?
Noe slikking er naturlig hos hunder. Å slikke leppene er faktisk et beroligende signal som hunder bruker for å kommunisere. Dette ligner på eksemplet over der Baxter gir en rask slikk når babyen nærmer seg.
Imidlertid er det et par scenarier der hundens slikking blir et problem.
Hundens slikking forårsaker rå hud
Noen hunder slikker så mye at de kan fjerne håret fra den aktuelle delen av kroppen og irritere huden, sa Weston. Disse granulomer eller rå flekker kan være smertefulle og utfordrende å leges.
Den andre situasjonen der Weston sa at slikking er et problem er hvis det påvirker hundens livskvalitet.
Endrer hundens slikking av tvangstanker eller atferd? Kan du lett avbryte ham eller omdirigere ham til andre ting? Eller slikker han hele tiden?
Weston sa å vurdere en menneskelig analogi av noen som biter neglene.
Hvis det skjer av og til, kan det ikke være en stor sak. Men hvis en person føler seg tvunget til å bite neglene mange av tiden, eller hvis de skader seg, kan de ha en mye større situasjon som burde tas opp.
Weston delte også at foreldre kan spille en rolle i hundens slikking.
”Vi vet at angst hos hunder kan arves, akkurat som hos mennesker. Det er en oppførsel som er genetisk modulert, ”sa hun.
Hun sa også at angst ofte forverres om natten, da den er kjemisk drevet.
Hva du skal gjøre hvis du er opptatt av hundens slikking
Gjenkjenne forskjellen mellom hundens normale slikking og en slikkende besettelse.
Hvis hundens slikking påvirker livskvaliteten hans, hindrer ham i å utføre normale aktiviteter eller forårsake fysiske skader, er det på tide å se dypere og prøve å adressere den, sa Weston.
Hvordan stoppe en hjørnetann fra å slikke seg selv
Hvis du trenger å få hundens slikking praksis under kontroll, her er noen ideer å vurdere. Du må velge hva som er best for din eksakte situasjon. Dette er generelle ideer.
1. Avbryt hjørnetannen med “nei” eller distrahere ham
Sometimes you just need to tell your canine “no” or “Baxter, stop,” to get him to “reset” and focus on something else.
If speaking isn’t sufficient to make your canine stop licking, try to get him interested in a chew toy, bully stick or treat. You can also take him outside or into another room, play with him or simply sit and pet him.
2. offer your canine with exercise, interaction & healthy food
Make sure to offer your canine with his basic needs for physical exercise, mental challenges, play, downtime and a healthy diet.
If it seems like your canine is bored, try to increase his exercise and mental stimulation. offer him with puzzle-type toys instead of food bowls. try a new activity like agility or flyball.
Build obedience or trick training into your daily schedule.
3. decrease your dog’s stress
If it seems like your dog’s licking is emotionally driven, try to figure out what is triggering the licking. Is it boredom or anxiety? Is it a particular person or situation?
Weston shared an example of a canine who became anxious when a neighbor mowed the lawn. So keep in mind that the cause may be outside of your immediate environment, or may seem so inconsequential to you that you don’t think of it at first.
Just like in humans, everyone responds differently to changes and stress, so you have to try to see things from your dog’s point of view.
You may not be able to eliminate the stress—the neighbor needs to mow the grass, for example—but you can help your canine to learn to live with it.
If your dog’s licking seems to be driven by stress, you need to help your canine find peace.
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How to decrease your dog’s stress
Counter-conditioning. help your canine to associate whatever is bothering him with good things.
Crate training. This gives your canine a space where he feels safe and comfortable.
Consistent routine. This can help your canine be much more relaxed. In the case of a schedule change or new family member, some extra attention through play, petting or walks can help your canine adjust.
4. Talk with your dog’s vet about the licking habit
Your vet can be an invaluable resource. A physical check-up can identify if the licking is driven by allergies, injury or pain.
Your regular vet may also recommend you to a veterinary specialist such as a canine dermatologist.
5. hire a professional canine trainer for help
Likewise, a canine trainer or behaviorist may be able to offer some ideas you had not thought of.
Consulting a behaviorist or someone who is able to assess your canine from a psychological perspective can be very helpful to identify the cause of your dog’s licking and how to address the behavior.
Weston emphasized that for behaviorists, the licking ought to be a secondary concern.
“Their goal is to address the underlying behavior, typically by adjusting the environment to either increase or decrease stimulation.”
6. medication to stop a canine from licking
Sometimes a vet or behaviorist may recommend medication for your dog. just like in humans, medication can help to balance your dog’s emotions.
If itchiness is the issue, your dog’s vet may recommend Benadryl as a short-term relief while you work to eliminate the actual cause.
See our post: Benadryl for dogs.
There are also prescription allergy medications for dogs that can help.
Just make sure to ask about the proper dosage.
7. use bitter apple spray to avoid a dog’s licking
Consult with your vet first, but bitter apple spray can be an option for some dogs.
These sprays can be applied to a dog’s paws or other areas that they are licking. many dogs dislike the taste, so they will stop licking.
However, these sprays simply address the behavior, not what has caused the licking.
8. Cone collar or pro Collar to stop a canine from licking
If your dog’s licking is causing irritated or raw skin or infections you may need to temporarily use a cone collar (a.k.a. a “party hat”!). also look into the much more canine friendly pro Collar, imagined below.
Again, these are not solving the actual cause of the dog’s licking.
9. Booties for paw protection
If your dog’s paws are getting irritated from something in the environment, try a light pair of booties to safeguard them from chemicals outside.
I recommend the Pawz boots because they’re so lightweight and can be used year round.
You can also try wiping the paws off with a damp paper towel when you come inside to help remove pollen, dust, chemicals, etc.
Other types of licking or mouthing in dogs
As mentioned, some level of licking is normal in dogs.