Why does my dog keep biting Himself?
The phenomenon of a dog biting itself is totally normal. People confuse it with some disease that could affect their dog. Dogs often bite themselves, which is quite similar to us humans when we scratch ourselves. The problem arises when your dog constantly bites himself, more than usual. This might occur when your dog may have chewed a specific area in-depth, and now the chewed area is sore, causing your dog pain.
The habit of constantly chewing his skin might be due to the following reasons:
1. Dry Skin:
This usually occurs in dry seasons, when humidity is low, and your dog’s skin may dry more often. This dry skin would result in continuous itching on your dog’s body. Dry skin could also be a result of a lack of fatty acids. Dry skin is usually in the form of dandruff, cracked, or rough skin.
2. Fleas and other parasites:
These bloodsucking organisms, which are present in the air, can cause a lot of discomfort to their host, the dog. Although very small in size, these creatures can cause extreme chewing and scratch in dogs. This results in the scratched area becoming sore and vulnerable to different kinds of skin diseases in the future.
3. Allergies:
Mold, pollen, bug bites, and other allergens can make your dog’s skin desiccated and greasy. Allergies can occur in various types of forms. Your dog can be allergic to any kind of soap, towel, or even its food. These allergies can make your dog scratch his body very frequently, causing him pain and loss of fur. As a dog owner, you must check if some object or substance has affected your dog and is giving him allergies.
4. Aches, pain, and soreness:
As a dog has the habit of always roaming around and sniffing his way through dangerous stuff, he might step onto different substances such as sharp tree branches, thorns, or get himself stuck in sharp bushes. This would result in your dog suffering from excessive itching and irritation.
Some dogs also face different diseases such as arthritis, which causes them to scratch its body constantly.
5. Psychological reasons:
This may be one of the most important factors that lead to your dog biting his body.
As animals tend to live in groups, a lonely dog may require companionship. If he is alone, he may feel lonely, sad, or depressed, which would lead to aggression and restlessness that will come out as biting, chewing, scratching his body. Mental illness can cause a dog to harm himself, hence a dog owner should look after his pet and, if needed, find a partner for his canine friend who might cheer him up.
The above-listed reasons might lead to your dog chewing itself and causing harm and pain to himself.
There are many ways to stop your dog from biting himself, and you can do these remedies at home rather than going to your vet.
1. Buster Collar:
Believe it or not, this plastic collar can help your dog mitigate his habit of biting himself. A dog owner should keep a collar in his house in case of emergencies. This plastic collar wrapped around your dog’s collar will result in your dog acting normally, and he will also finish his habit of biting himself. Well, of course, this would be temporary, but this certainly would save your dog from forming a habit that could cause further problems in the future.
2. Sock or Boot:
If your dog constantly bites his toe, you should consider making him wear a sock or a boot. This might sound funny, but a dog wearing socks or boots will discourage him from constantly biting his feet. Your dog would also look good as now he’ll be called a “fashion dog.”
However, one should keep in mind that dogs who already chew on clothes shouldn’t be allowed to wear socks as they might chew them as well.
3. Bodysuit:
Dogs that constantly chew on themselves should be equipped with proper bodysuits. These bodysuits include shirts, proper suits for dogs, etc. With all of this stuff, your dog would not chew or bite himself.
4. Shampoo:
When your dog suddenly starts to chew himself, it’s a good idea to bathe your dog. This would remove any parasites or creatures present in your dog’s fur that might be the reason for excessive biting. A skin-softening shampoo may also help to soothe out itching of your dog.
5. Distractions:
Your dog might bite itself due to extreme boredom. As a pet owner, it’s your responsibility to look after your dog’s activities. You should play with him, take him for a walk or arrange a playroom inside your house. If these won’t be present, your dog might bite and chew on himself due to boredom and depression.
6. Spray:
Pet sprays are applied on your dog’s shirt/trouser to discourage him from constantly biting himself. However, if applied directly to your dog’s skin, it might lead to different kinds of diseases such as cough, flu, or nausea.
7. Get Medications:
All the above-stated precautionary methods are temporary as all of them have the same root cause, which is boredom, anxiety, or depression leading to your dog biting itself.
However, if the cause of biting isn’t there, you should probably consider going to your vet and getting your dog checked by him. Your vet may be able to give proper reasoning for your dog’s chewing habit and provide possible solutions.
In most cases, vets usually prescribe medication to your dog and advise you on different methods to stop the biting habit.
Flea medication should be given regularly to your dog, otherwise, it could be a potential reason that is causing your dog to bite himself.
The above-stated methods were to stop your dog from biting itself. However, it may seem that this is a very dangerous habit, well, it isn’t, as it could easily be resolved through small precautions and a few visits to your vet.
To avoid this problem, being a pet owner, it should be your utmost priority to look after your innocent pet, as it is your responsibility. His activities, mood, and health should be taken care of by you.
Many people get fed up with their dogs and leave them to themselves. This act leads to your dog inheriting different and dangerous activities for himself. Having a dog as a pet comes with great responsibility, so make sure you take proper care of him.
To avoid all these problems, you should look after him and make him happy.
As the saying goes, A dog is a man’s best friend, so you should look after your best friend.
