Q. My lab/hound mix keeps biting/licking his wrist area, now there is an open sore in that area. What can I do to crub this behavior

ANSWER : A. Itching can be caused by more than just external parasites, and if your dog is already on a flea medication, then it is possibly not the case. Itching can indicate anything from allergies to even minor skin infections causing problems. If your dog has been treated with prednisone (a steroid that inhibits the immune system) and it did not help, then looking at other options may help.

Food allergies are very common in dogs and can present with itching and licking all over the body rather than on just one spot. Common food allergens include ingredients such as wheat, corn and soy products, however dogs can be allergic to almost anything! Starting a food trial of an allergen-friendly diet from your vet or pet store that avoids these common ingredients may help. The food should be switched over a period of 7-9 days and then given about a month to decide if it is helping.

Small skin infections or yeast in the skin can also cause itching, however this itching is often more specific to a certain area of the body (such as the toes, or base of the tail). Your vet can perform a skin scraping of the area to be cultured at a lab to look for any yeast or bacteria. If they are present, a medication given either orally or placed on the affected area can clear up the infection.

In some cases, licking and chewing can actually be due to a boredom or anxiety behavior. Dogs may lick one spot obsessively to the point of creating sores or wounds in the area. Stopping your dog from licking and chewing either through the use of dog booties, no lick strips, T-shirts or even Elizabethan collars can break the habit and give the area time to heal. Licking and chewing can also cause the spread of bacterial infections so should be deterred even if not behaviorally caused.

ANSWER : A. Lick Granulomas (chewing sores on body parts) are very common in dogs and can be triggered by an initial health event, and then become a behavioral issue. Breaking the “habit” of licking can be hard at times, and takes a lot of time and patience. It is also a good idea to make sure any initial or underlying problems in the area (such as infections or parasites) is cleared up.

While the cone or covering the area with long socks if on the forearm or foot is a traditional method of breaking the habit, there are new products out called “no lick strips” which can be applied onto a bandage over the affected area. These strips utilize a minor form of positive punishment- when the dog licks the strip he gets a minor electrostatic shock or bad taste in his mouth, deterring him from continuing. The strips have had good success with use when compared to just using an Elizabethan collar.

Treating any underlying stress or anxiety can also help to decrease licking behaviors. Calming medications and treats, removing the stressors, providing a safe place for your dog to “hide” during stress or anxiety, or even using calming pheromones can all help with stress reduction.

ANSWER : A. Licking the feet and legs can be caused by a number of things in dogs including allergies, illness or even stress behaviors. Allergies are the most common in dogs, with yeast infections coming in second. Allergies can cause the area to become red and itching, making your dog want to lick and chew on them. Over time, the area may become stained from saliva, especially in lighter or white-coated dogs. Yeast infections are also common between the toes, and may cause a smelly “corn chip” smell to appear near your dog’s feet. Again, dogs will attempt to lick and chew to relieve the itch. Keeping the feet clean and dry can help relieve both allergies and infections and pet wipes or a baby wipe of all paws when your dog comes in from outdoors may also help. Keeping your dog from licking the space with either dog booties or an Elizabethan collar is also good as it will prevent secondary infection and staining of the paws and legs. If your dog is determined to keep licking and keeping the feet clean and dry do not help, then your vet can help by providing a medication to treat any infection or provide relief of allergies.

ANSWER : A. Licking can sometimes be medical or behaviorally caused. As with any sudden new behavior in your pet, it is a good idea to schedule a wellness exam with your vet to make sure there are not any health issues causing it.

Behaviorally, licking can be an anxiety-related behavior, and may become habitual to your pet. If something stressful is happening in the morning such as people going to work, kids waking up and being noisy, or new routines, it may have caused a sort of “ritual behavior” from your pet in the form of licking. Identifying the stressor may help to break the habit.

Giving your pet a calm place to relax in the morning may help, as may providing a pheromone diffuser to help during any stressful transitions. These release a calming pheromone that can help reduce stress-related behaviors. Also offering something GOOD to lick such as a Kong filled with peanut butter, or an ice cube to move around the house may keep her occupied and licking that instead of your furniture.

ANSWER : A. Excessive licking in one area often leads to a condition called Acral Lick Dermatitis or Lick Granuloma. By constantly nibbling on one spot, which is usually on one of front legs, dogs can cause skin irritation and inflammation and not uncommonly skin infection.

There is a long list of possible causes of this problem. In many dogs this is purely a behavioral issue related to anxiety, boredom or stress. Dogs with joint pain like to lick over the painful area to alleviate pain. Skin allergy or infections, skin foreign bodies predispose dogs to Acral Lick Granuloma as well. Finally, low thyroid hormone level is believed to play a role in developing Lick Granuloma.

Treatment is often long, and close cooperation between the owner and the vet is required. The effort should ultimately be directed to identify and treat the underlying cause.

ANSWER : A. Biting and chewing to the point of hair loss can be caused by a number of things. Allergies, skin infections, and even metabolic illnesses can all cause the skin to become bothersome, or hair to be lost. In some cases, the behavior of licking or chewing at the hair can become chronic, and lead to infections or sores on the leg.

It is best to have your sister bring her dog in to have the legs looked at. Your vet can check for any signs of infection, allergy or even external parasites and provide treatment for relief. If there is no apparent cause, your vet may also recommend a blood test to check for internal illness as the cause.

Until you can get to the vet, it is best to prevent the dog from licking or scratching at the area. An Elizabethan collar (cone) is best to stop the behavior and allow the legs to rest some until they can be examined. If there is any dirt or debris in the area, a warm clean washcloth can be used to keep the area clean and prevent secondary infection until it can be examined.

ANSWER : A. Puppies are very much like babies and young toddlers, and will explore the world with their mouths. This may include chewing objects, or licking them. Puppies and other more submissive dogs may also lick people as a way to “appease” them and try to gain favor. If your dog is licking objects, then using something such as a no-lick spray and providing appropriate other toys to explore can help curb the behavior. If you are the one being licked, then ignoring your dog or getting up and moving away when the licking begins can help stop the behavior. Be sure, however, to still give your pup lots of praise when NOT licking!

ANSWER : A. First, avoid scolding him and acting aggressively towards him if you don’t want him to be acting aggressively towards you. There are other methods you can use to communicate to your dog that you don’t want him to continue doing what he is doing. I recommend you stop telling him “no”, scolding him, or raising your voice at him. Everything coming from you should be 100% positive and 100% calm.

Try to figure out ways to clearly communicate what you want to your dog. If you want your dog to leave something or someone alone, I strongly suggest teaching your dog commands like “leave it”. Here is a link to a video in which I explain how to do it:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1TS5nA7z5Q

Another thing I suggest you use is a no-reward marker. This clearly communicates when your dog has done something wrong. No-reward markers have to be introduced during your training sessions. You should be doing at least three training sessions per day, that are something like 3-10 minutes long (working on different things each training session). If you are teaching your dog something BRAND NEW, do not use the no-reward marker, as you do not want to discourage your dog from performing behaviors for you. Use the no-reward marker for known behaviors only. Here is another helpful video about this:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdU5a6fXKlg

Lure each new behavior (as shown in the video) using high value treats. Let’s say you’re working on “down” which is a behavior your dog knows fairly well. Present the treat to your dog. Ask your dog to “down” (only ask once). If he does not go “down” immediately, say, “uh-oh” or “eh-eh” in a gentle tone, and then place the treat behind your back. This communicates to your dog that they did something to make the treat go away.

After you place the treat behind your back to show your pup “that was wrong” you need to communicate to your pup “let’s try again” by getting your pup to walk around for a second, and then start the behavior all over again. If your puppy is very young, chances are you haven’t taught him a solid “down” behavior yet. So, as I said, do not use this method until you have lured each new behavior as shown in the video.

This is the order in which you should teach behaviors: Lure using a high value treat as shown in the video. After a few successful food lures, lure with an empty hand. If the pup is successful with the empty hand lure, reward with lots of treats. If the pup is unsuccessful, then go back to food-luring a couple more times. After a few successful empty-hand lures, you can begin to add the cue. Say “sit”, then lure with an empty hand, and then reward. Once your pup understands the cue, begin to work on the no-reward marker.