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This is one of those questions you hate to ask, but if you’ve ever seen yours or someone else’s dog do it, then you have to wonder why dogs eat poop. It’s unsightly, unattractive, and unsafe where your dog’s health is concerned. But, if it’s any consolation, your dog is not alone in poop eating behavior.

Feces eating is quite common in the animal kingdom. For many species, poop eating, or coprophagia, serves a distinct purpose. Some animals have trouble digesting their food fully, so they eat it again to get the most nutrients out of it. Some eat poop for nutritive value alone. So why do dogs eat poop?

Why Does Dogs Eat Poop

There are many reasons why dogs eat poop. There may be something missing from their diet that they are trying to fill by eating feces, or maybe they’re just plain hungry. Another possibility is that if they are confined to a small living area for an extended period of time, they may feel the need to keep it clean. So, if a dog is hungry and living in a dirty area, he can kill two birds with one stone by eating his own excrement.

Health Issues

One of the possible reasons to cause a dog to seek more nutrients from poop eating is parasitical infection. Your dog might not be getting enough nutrients because of parasites or worms that suck the nutrients out of your dogs digestive system. You might be saying to yourself, „My dog doesn’t have worms!“.

And you may be right, but the dog or cat next door does, and if your pet is prone to eating feces, guess what? One gulp and Fido is infected. The point is your dog can’t satisfy his unwanted guests needs along with his own from the regular daily feeding.

Copycatting or mimicry is common and essential in the animal world, and is another possible answer to the ‘Why do dogs eat poop’ question. If a puppy sees mom or pops eating poop, then it must be a good idea. In the absence of mother and father, seeing you pick up feces may be enough to make a young dog think it is an okay thing to do. The good news is that there is a solution to dogs eating poop.

How to Modify the Behavior

Dogs, like people, are fairly predictable once you get to know them. If your dog hasn’t had the nasty habit before, but recently started eating poop, then something has changed. A dog that has hitherto now been happy and satisfied, but all of a sudden has taken to eating things he shouldn’t, could have worms or some other parasite. You’ll want to take your dog to the vet to find out what’s going on and get an effective treatment.

If your vet gives your dog the thumbs up, your dog is well nourished, and there doesn’t seem to be any other reason directly responsible for the behavior, then there are other things that can be done to prevent feces eating.

Places from where you can physically remove feces include:

• The yard. Remove poop from your yard every day.
• The curb. The neighbors will appreciate it.
• Keep areas around the property clean as well. Places like paths or alleys.
• Exercise areas like walking routes and the park.

Additional Measures

In addition there are other physical measures you can take to control the nasty habit. There are certain tastes that most dogs hate like the bitterness of bitter apple and the heat of cayenne pepper. The neighbors may talk a little if they see you out “seasoning” the neighborhood , but some things are just worth it. If you can catch him in the act of poop eating, a good sharp “No!” can be an effective deterrent.

Stop Your Dog From Eating Poop

One fine morning you wake up to a bright sunshine and then lo and behold you notice your dog doing something strange – He was eating his own feces!

Your feelings were beyond imagination and you were most certainly clueless. You must have wondered why a dog eats feces and how this could have happened to you. Well, no worries a lot of dog owners end up in a similar situation quite often!

What to Do if Your Dog Want to Eat Poop?

Have you ever wondered what could be ‘wrong’ with your dog? Have you wondered as to why your dog took to that behavior? Has it troubled you quite often thinking about this ‘unusual’ behavior of your dog?

Do Not Be Worried!

First and foremost, when your dog eats its own feces, your cat’s or any other animal’s poop, you should know that it is neither an abnormal behavior nor is it (in most cases) a „disease“ your dog is suffering from.

Believe it or not, it is but natural for a dog to eat feces; its own or some other animal’s.

Yes, the behavior certainly could seem unusual and maybe disgusting for an owner. But, the first thing you should do is NOT be worried but rather be concerned about the same!

Know the Exact Reason Why a Dog Eats Feces

The next thing for us is to understand as to why a dog eats feces. I mean, there are several reasons for the dog to have developed the habit of eating its feces.

The most important thing now is to find the exact reason behind your dog eating its feces.

The reasons could range from Behavioral to Medical to Natural causes. It could also be due to the combination of two or more of these above stated reasons.

Act to Stop Dog Poop Eating

Once you have understood the exact cause behind the behavior, act immediately.

Ideally, you could take your dog to the vet to check if there are any Medical causes like – Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency, severe Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Intestinal Lymphosarcoma among other related problems. You can then proceed based on your vet’s advice in order to prevent the behavior.

If you have realized that your dog was eating its feces due to Natural or Behavioral causes you would not need the consultation of your vet and can look to eradicate the habit right in your home using one of the preventive measures.

Implement the Preventive Measure

Depending on the exact cause you could implement the required measure in order to ensure that your dog does not eat its own feces.

If the behavior is due to Medical causes then you could go as per the directions of your vet. If the cause(s) is either Behavioral or Natural, you can implement the preventive measures.

Also, you should understand that the solution to eradicate the problem can be the combination of two or more preventive measures.

Preventive Measures to Stop Poop Eating In Dogs

One of the many preventive measures necessary to help your dog from eating his/her poop is fecal removal.

In fact, fecal removal is the simplest measure that can be adopted in order to stop your dog from eating his own poop.

Sounds disgusting isn’t it and difficult too? Well, that’s how we start to train our beloved dogs so they can get rid of this seemingly unfavorable habit.

Combination of Preventive Measures

The preventive measures could be more than one and the method of implementation could be a combination of 2-3 preventive measures. Sometimes the dog needs to be trained on more than one behavioral aspect in order for us to help the dog from eating its poop.

For example, one measure could be – To immediately clean the surroundings of the dog poop (fecal removal) – but this measure alone may not help.

We may also need to immediately divert the attention of the dog after he/she has pooped and restrain it from eating the poop by using some ‘’Do Not Do That’’ commands as and when the dog tends to go near the poop.

If we do not do so, it could resort to the behavior of eating poop when we are absent from the house. The dog has to be ‘trained’ to not go near the poop and made to believe that even smelling the poop is bad.

Only when we can train the dog effectively in this manner can we hope to help stop poop eating in dogs.

Be Patient and Persistent!

You have been implementing the preventive measures, you have not missed out on anything and yet you find that your dog ‘sneaks’ out on you and continues to ‘indulge’ in the habit of eating its feces. What do you do now?

I know it can be frustrating being the owner of a dog that refuses to budge.

Sometimes it so can happen that we may end up not being regular in implementing the preventive measure(s) and other times we may just ‘get tired’ and let go of the ‘training’.

It is very essential for us to keep in mind that preventive measures can surely help the dog get rid of the habit but patience and persistence are two vital things. We need to be very patient with the whole process and persistent in the implementation, only then can we hope to achieve the ‘impossible’!

In the end, if there is nothing to cause a problem, then there is no problem. If there is no poop, no poop can be eaten. Physical removal of the feces is the easiest way to prevent your dog’s coprophagia. So, be vigilant, patient, and learn what you can about coprophagia. That way, when you’re asked,”Why do dogs eat poop?”, you’ll have the answers.

Owners are always advised by dogs experts to use pet foods to ensure the healthy nutrition of the dog. Food poisoning can be prevented if the dog is given foods specifically formulated for dogs. No dog owner will intentionally feed the pet foods that can cause poisoning. However, not many dog owners are aware that some common human foods can have toxic effects on the dog.

Theobromine Poisoning in Dogs

Dogs must not be allowed to consume chocolate, coffee and tea because Theobromine in chocolate and caffeine in tea and coffee are naturally occurring substances that stimulates the nervous system and the heart.

Ethanol Poisoning in Dogs

Dogs are not only affectionate but also entertaining companions as they can be trained to do tricks. It would be a big accomplishment if a dog owner can teach the dog to drink beer from the can but ingestion of alcoholic beverages would have ill effects that can result to the death of the pet.

The chemical compound in alcoholic beverages called ethanol cannot be tolerated by the dogs system. This substance that is rapidly absorbed by the dogs system will affect the central nervous system and cause respiratory depression. Immediate medical attention is imperative for dogs that have swallowed sizeable amounts of alcoholic beverage as inducing vomiting will not help the pet.

Thiosulfate Poisoning Dogs

Onion is another common human food that is poisonous to dogs. This human food has thiosulfate that destroys the dogs red blood cells. Foods containing onions must not be given to dogs as the thiosulfate is not destroyed by cooking. A large dose or small but regular doses of onions can cause the death of the dog.

Xylitol Poisoning Dogs

Xylitol is an artificial sweetener that has become increasingly more common in our food. Initially, it was found mainly in gum, mints, and candies, but now it is found in all kinds of processed foods like yogurt, can goods, and many low carb or sugar free products. It is also commonly found in toothpaste and mouthwash, so be sure not to brush your dog’s teeth with your toothpaste, or cure their bad breath with your mouthwash.

Even a little quantity of xylitol can cause complete liver failure and death. The poisonous effects will normally show up within 30 minutes of consumption. It causes a rapid increase in insulin and a sudden and dramatic decrease in blood sugar. The symptoms comprise of vormiting, ataxia (stumbling around with uncoordinated movements), and general weakness, seizures, and coma.

Common Foods Toxic to Dogs

It should never be assumed that foods eaten by humans are also safe for dogs. In spite of the similarities in genetics, dogs can get poisoned by some human foods because these animals have different metabolism.

You surely would be careful in giving your dog people food. Because of the bond children have with the pet, it would be very hard to stop them from giving unsafe foods. The grapes or the chocolate being eaten by the child will be shared with the pet.

Coffee, Tea and Alcoholic Beverages

Coffee, tea and alcoholic beverages will be listed as toxic to dogs. These are unsafe beverages for dogs because the caffeine in coffee and tea has the effect of stimulating the cardiac and central nervous system of the dog. Ingestion of alcohol will result to intoxication. Consuming large amounts of coffee, tea and alcoholic beverages can result to the death of the dog.

Chocolates and Candies

Chocolates and candies are favorite comfort foods especially by people with sweet tooth. Too much consumption of chocolate can result to obesity but consumed in moderation this sweet was found to be good for the heart. Chocolates and sugar-free candies are included in the list of foods poisonous to dogs.

Chocolate has the naturally occurring stimulant known as Theobromine that has dangerous effect on the dogs cardiac and nervous systems. The Xylitol in sugar-free candies causes blood sugar to plummet so that the dog can die in minutes after ingesting even a small amount of these candies.

Raw Eggs and Raw Fish

Raw eggs and raw fish are listed as foods toxic to dogs. Dogs that consume raw eggs regularly have skin and coat health concerns because the avidin the raw eggs contain hinders biotin from being absorbed by the body. Raw eggs also have Salmonella. Thiamin deficiency that causes the dog to have poor appetite, to seize and to die results if the dog is allowed to eat raw fish regularly.

There are a lot of human foods we’d love to share with our dogs, but among these foods some are healthy while others are toxic to our dogs. If you want to ensure a long, happy and healthy life for your dog, you need to make sure you’re feeding him or her healthiest food possible.

Just because a certain human food is good for you doesn’t make it the best food to feed your pet.

Though it can appear easy to provide your dog the same food you eat, you should never give them all types of human food.

Human Food Can Sometimes Cause a Health Risk for Dogs

With that said, it is important to understand which culinary treats make for great dog treats and which could bring you to the vet and lofty bills.

Egg

Hard boiled eggs are okay as a special treat, though, as long as your dog doesn’t show any unfavorable reaction to them. But like humans, dogs should avoid raw eggs. They can cause hair and skin issues and can pose a threat to your dog’s health.

Safe and Toxic Fruit for Dogs

Being omnivorous animals, dogs are known to eat anything even inedible things. Dogs, like humans would gain a lot of healthful benefits from eating fruits. Fruits are loaded with vitamins that will enhance the immune system of the dog and also strengthen the intestinal muscles for easier waste elimination.

Dogs owners can give the pet any kind of fruits but not grapes and avocados. An unknown substance in grapes and raisins is toxic to dogs as it can cause severe kidney damage. Avocado is very dangerous for dogs as ingestion of the fruit, leaves, bark and pit can result to the death when the toxin causes fluid to accumulate in the dogs chest, heart and abdomen.

Vegetables

They are normally perfect for a dog’s diet; although it’s not true for all of the vegetables. In larger amounts, items like onions, chives, and garlic can cause intestinal and red blood cell problems. Rhubarb leaves and mushrooms should also be avoided. Some acceptable vegetables to use as snacks are green beans, carrots, zucchini, and cucumber.

Chocolate

Chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine, which should on no account be consumed by dogs. It can cause severe agitation, abdominal pain, muscle tremors, irregular heart rhythm, vomiting, dehydration, raised body temperature, seizures, and, of course, death. So, chocolate is dangerous to your dog health.

Grapes

Grapes and raisins can cause rapid kidney failure. Although currently unknown what chemicals and compounds are in grapes that cause toxicity in dogs, the results of consumption can be pretty devastating. While it varies between dogs, symptoms may not show up in them. Dogs will also develop dehydration and lack of appetite. Death from kidney failure may happen within four to five days.

Bacon

It’s absolutely tragic that we can’t share one of the greatest foods out there with our dogs. Research proved that foods rich in fat, like bacon, may lead to disease, pancreatitis in dogs and all sorts of problems with digestion and nutrient absorption even coma.

It has been the habit of pet owners to share the food with the pet. Children form legendary bonds with dogs thus it would be difficult for them to refuse the food-begging pet. However, it is the responsibility of the parents to make the children understand the dangers of sharing common foods with the pet.

Given the close ties humans have with dogs, it would be very hard to remember that some foods safe for human consumption are poisonous to dogs thus a list of these toxic foods posted in a prominent place would serve as reminder to all the family members.

There are many reasons why we give our dogs treats. Sometimes, owners use dog treats to reinforce desired behaviors. Other times, owners provide them in order to help their dogs learn a desired response to a new command. Still other times, treats might be used simply as a way to express affection for our four-legged companions.

It’s important to realize the right dog treats can prove instrumental in motivating a specific behavioral response from your dog. Moreover, treats help ensure your pooch remains engaged during your training sessions, and healthy over the long run. On the other hand, the wrong treats can have the opposite effect, especially when given in excess.

The Different Types of Treats for Your Dog

Below, we’ll provide an overview of the different types of treats you can offer your canine. You’ll discover that some work better than others, depending on the circumstances and your goals.

Crunchy versus Soft Treats

Some are hard and crunchy; others are soft and pliable. Treats of both varieties are available in different flavors and sizes. Generally, smaller is better because they are less likely to become stuck in your dog’s throat.

When you’re training your dog, it’s a good idea to use softer treats. The hard and crunchy variety tends to break apart, which will distract your canine while he tries to clean up the pieces. Any distraction is an obstacle during training.

Dog Treats That Taste Like People Food

There are many dog treats that are formulated to taste like foods normally eaten by people. For example, some taste like liver while others are reminiscent of seafood and various meats. While these morsels are effective for training purposes, a lot of owners mistakenly believe they are always preferred by canines. In reality, it depends on the dog. Some canines will enjoy them; some won’t. The only way to know whether your dog likes these types of treats is to offer them and note his reaction.

Good For Oral Health

Some dog treats are designed to promote good oral health. They require a lot of chewing, which helps to keep your pooch’s teeth and gums clean. The problem is, if they’re swallowed, the wrong size can cause choking or problems in your canine’s GI tract.

If you’re going to give him treats that are meant to promote dental health, make sure they are the right size for him. Then, avoid letting him chew them unsupervised.

Table Scraps And Other People Food

First, some types of table scraps can be beneficial to your canine. For example, small pieces of lean meats and seafood carry nutritional value. The danger is that there are plenty of foods that can make your dog sick. Grapes, chocolate, onions, and macadamia nuts are all potentially harmful to your dog. Plus, veterinarians suggest the quickest path to canine obesity is through table scraps because there are far more calories contained in them than in treats.

The takeaway with table scraps is this: they can be good for your dog’s health. However, owners can do plenty of harm if they’re unaware regarding the types of foods their canines should avoid.

Dog Treats Are An Indispensable Training Tool

One of the most compelling reasons to provide your dog with treats is to influence his behavior in a way that conforms with your wishes. In fact, most professional trainers extol the benefits of using food as a positive reinforcement tool.

When you purchase treats for your dog, make sure they have similar ingredients to those you’ll find in commercial dog foods. Commercial brands are already formulated to deliver the vitamins and nutrients your canine needs. Don’t make the common mistake of providing him with certain treats just because the flavors appeal to you. Your dog is bound to have different tastes. Let him decide the flavors he enjoys.

Homemade Dog Food and Treats

Quality dog food and treats are very important if you want your dog to remain healthy and active. Making quality food for your dog can be the best solution if you want to have a healthy dog that will do what you want it do. This is because sometimes the food you purchase for your dog might be of low quality and perhaps, not safe for your dog.

As such, home made dog food and treats are the best solution for your pet. Making quality dog food is easy. All you require is to mix vegetables, starches and some meat. However, you need to know the following before and when preparing dog food and treats;

You need to consider the impact of the treats and food on your dog. For instance, if you are switching to homemade food for your dog from bought food, you may consult with your vet to find out possible effect of the foods on your dog.

Dogs Need a Balanced Diet

When preparing homemade dog food and treats, you need to understand that dogs need a balanced diet. The diet should have starch 30 percent; vegetables should also be 30 percent and meat 40 percent. Giving your dog this treat will ensure that it remains healthy and fit for role you want it to play in your home.

It is also important that you try mixing ground turkey, carrot and rice when making your homemade dog food. There are also popular meals which are manufacture using brown rice, ground beef, carrot and brewer’s yeast.

To ensure that you give your have the best dog food and treats to keep your pet healthy, rotate the foods to give your dog a wide variety of meals.

Give the dog Pasta, Potatoes, Rice and Oatmeal so that it can have enough starch.

Good dog food and treats will not only make your dog healthy. They will also ensure that your dog is happy and playful. Ensure that you store the dog’s meals in a refrigerator but not for over three days.

Starting to use Dog Training Commands it’s not that difficult but first you must ensure that you are the dominant alpha male in your ‘pack’– and that your dog acknowledges this. Without you taking the role of ‘boss’ and your dog knowing it, dog training commands can become an uphill struggle.

Whether training a puppy or an older dog the single most important thing is to establish your dominant Alpha male status within your home. Once you have achieved this then teaching dog training commands becomes so much easier.

Dog Training Commands – Being the Alpha Dog in Your Home

The number one thing that you must do to reduce the impact of bad behaviour, ensure your dog listens to you, and that he doesn’t embarrass you in front of friends and family, is to establish yourself in the role of pack leader.

However, for many this can be a tough task as you need to have a firm hand making sure that your dog knows who is in charge and obeys your dog training commands at ALL times. So, if you are just a big softie at heart like me or just don’t know where to begin, here are some simple tips.

Praise Correctly

Yes, there are right ways and wrong ways to give your dog praise. When your dog has responded correctly to dog training commands the correct way to praise him is to put your hands firmly on your dog and hugging him. Put your hands on him firmly, hold them there and don’t be skimpy with your praise.

Whenever you touch your dog you should do so firmly to ensure that he knows you’re in charge. You should never hit or punish your dog. Also, don’t drag out the praise too long. Give your dog praise, be warm and firm and then leave him be.

Reprimanding Properly

When your dog does something wrong or does not respond correctly to dog training commands don’t hit him or yell at him endlessly. This becomes very confusing for your dog and it can create fear issues that may led to even more aggression.

Use calm and assertive gestures to correct your dogs behaviour. You can take the leash or collar to adjust it, but don’t pull or yell as you do it. Be decisive and hold your authority. Show your dog that you are in charge of their movements and that they should heed your dog training commands. This always works extremely well.

Give Dog Training Commands that are Enforceable

If your dog is far away from you, then it would be difficult to stop him from doing as he pleases. Only use dog training commands that you can enforce as the Alpha Male.

Once you have been accepted as the Alpha male this is much easier to achieve. But you will still need to be at hand to adjust the behaviour of your dog should he decide for some reason not to listen to your dog training commands.

Boundaries and Permissions

Much like your children, a dog needs to be given boundaries of where they can go and when. Begin by making the sofa off limits, then make the kitchen off limits. Be sure that your dog is not allowed to change his behaviour whenever he wants.

The golden rule here is that your dog should always seek your permission to do these things. If you want him to stay on the floor, it doesn’t mean he is never to be allowed on the sofa – just that he has to have permission to do so.

Long Sit-Stays

One of the first dog training commands your your dog will learn should be „sit-stay“. This is a dominant command so if your dog is very dominant or aggressive you will need to make them lay down and stay. The longer you hold your dog in this still position, the greater the assertion of your Alpha male role.

Consistency and Calmness

It is sometimes said that dog owners look like their dogs. Even if that isn’t true in your case your dog will still mirror your personality. If you get angry easily and you are not consistent with your dog training commands, your dog will follow your lead and also become unpredictable. Don’t forget that just like a child, you are his role model.

Be consistent with your dog training commands and the way you follow through with them.Your dog will then respect you and want to please you. He will happily respond and do what you require of him, accepting your role as the Alpha male and leader of the pack.

Common Dog Commands:

Imagine what it would be like if you were to go on a walk with your dog. Your dog listens to your every command. When you say, “Stay” your dog stays. When you say, “Heal” your dog heals. Imagine your friends patting you on the back for the wonderful job you’ve done training your dog.

• Good dog
• Yes
• No
• Sit
• Down
• Stay / Stop
• Wait
• Here / Come
• Heel
• Stand
• Go
• Fetch
• Let loose / Give
• Shake hands
• Give
• Okay
• Find
• Speak
• Leave it

Your dog is very smart and very adaptable. This is how they survive in the wild. You must spend time to teach your dog to respect and follow your dog training commands at all times otherwise he will soon begin to see himself as the Alpha. So it’s essential that your dog knows the pecking order and that this is consistently enforced. Your dog will soon begin behaving better than you ever expected possible.

Your dog has a sore spot on her paw. She is licking and licking and licking. It is driving you crazy. You tell her to stop and she does until you turn your back or show that you are no longer paying attention. She goes back to licking and you wonder why she is so obsessed.

The answer is that the dog is doing what she instinctively knows to do. She is cleaning her wound. The tongue’s soft and moist surface makes it an effective wound cleaner. Saliva loosens any debris or scabs that may be lingering on the surface of the wound. The tongue serves the same capacity as the cotton swabs a veterinarian would use to clean a wound.

Dogs Have Cleaner Mouths Than Humans

There is an old myth that implies that dogs have sterile mouths. One of the reasons for this line of thinking is that dog’s wounds tend to heal faster than those of humans. This may be due to the fact that a dog’s saliva does have some antibacterial and antibiotic properties that help promote healing. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean you should allow your puppy to lick his wounds. Consider where his tongue has been in the past hour.

If you dog suddenly begins licking excessively at a spot on his or her body, take time to find out why. Constant licking of a thorn or splinter could drive it deeper into the dog’s body parts, creating a need for medical attention.

Dogs do not limit their wound licking to themselves. Most canines are all too happy to lick your wounds too.

Lick Granuloma in Dogs

Any wound that is excessively licked by a dog can become infected. Excessive licking can cause what is known as a lick granuloma. This is an area that becomes raw and it is ripe for infection to set in.

A lick granuloma often means a visit to the veterinarian’s office. In some cases, the wound may have to be wrapped or sprayed with a commercial product in order to keep the dog from causing more damage. In cases where infection has set in, antibiotics may be needed to cure the wound.

Cone-shaped Collar to Prevent Dog Licking Wound

No matter what you do, some dogs cannot be convinced to stop licking wounds. You can say no and the well-behaved dog will listen. Turn your back and the licking resumes. If you have a dog that orally fixates on a sore, you may have to use a cone-shaped collar to prevent him or her from reaching the wound.

The collar is guaranteed to make dog look pitiful, but resist those sad eyes. Leave the collar on until the dog’s vet tells you it is safe to remove it.

For some dogs, licking is simply a bad habit. Try supplying an array of chew toys to distract the dog. You might give a rawhide treat that will keep the dog happy and busy. Break up the day’s monotony with a walk in the park or a swim in the lake. Do anything you can to stop the habit as it truly can be detrimental to the dogs health and well being.

Dog Excessive Licking

It’s no secret that dogs enjoy licking and will take just about any opportunity to lick themselves, toys, furniture, and people. A dog’s tongue isn’t just for eating, they use it for a variety of reasons. Your dog’s tongue is highly sensitive, much like the nose or ears and is often used to evaluate novel stimuli. This is why it is not realistic to expect to stop your dog from licking completely.

There’s a balance that need to be met in order to fulfill your dog’s licking needs and your sanity. In some cases, dog excessive licking is caused by a health condition or medications. In these cases, the problem needs to be addressed in order to restore your dog’s health and also to reduce excessive licking.

Nausea is one of the most common causes of dog excessive licking and can be effected by your dog’s diet, medications and even dietary supplements. Table scraps and treats can also lead to dog excessive licking, so it’s important to identify everything your dog is ingesting, even if you don’t believe it is at the root of the problem.

Some potential causes of dog licking can include:

• Liver disease, pancreatitis, IBS or some kinds of intestinal tumors that lead to stomach discomfort or nausea.
• Tooth or gum disease that causes pain or infection.
• Conditions of the adrenal glands such as hyper or hypoadrenocorticism.
• Polyphagia, an excessive appetite.
• Nervous system malfunction including seizure disorders or water on the brain.
• Lack of exercise and/or attention, boredom.
• Anxiety or neurosis.
• Communication/mixed messages between owners and dogs, leading to frustration.
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder.
• Cognitive decline, as seen in dogs with dementia.

Some external factors that can lead to dog excessive licking include feelings of anxiety, mixed messages with their owners commands and lack of enough stimulation, particularly in breeds that are high energy. Owners who use punishment improperly or who leave their dog alone or with strangers frequently are more likely to have a dog who licks their paws out of frustration. Dogs who are already predisposed to anxiety are also more likely to turn to licking when anxious.

Dog Skin Problems and Solutions

Is your dog constantly licking, biting or scratching the same spot? Is your furniture wearing more of your dog’s fur than your dog itself? Does your dog appear to be in discomfort or pain? All of these may indicate dog skin problems that should be addressed as quickly as possible, not only for your dog’s current peace and comfort but for its future health and longevity as well.

Seemingly benign dog skin problems could develop into a severe and possibly life-threatening condition.

Dog Skin Problems Symptoms

As with a human, there are numerous different skin conditions that can affect a dog. They are:

• Allergies (such as to dust mites)
• Environment
• Infections (typically appearing as inflammation and redness)
• Neurogenic problems (relating to the nervous symptoms)
• Nutritional problems
• Parasites (such as ringworm, heartworm, fleas and ticks)

While this variety of types of skin problems exists, however, the range of symptoms they cause is similar.

Typical Symptoms of a Dog Skin Problem Include:

• Fur loss
• Skin irritation or inflammation
• Dog dandruff, or dry and flaky skin
• Painful redness and swelling
• Chronic licking, chewing, biting or gnawing, especially in a single spot
• Incessant scratching
• Skin infection

No one wants to let their pets suffer any longer necessary. The sooner you discover that something is wrong, the sooner you can identify the problem and take care of it.