Are you a dog lovers?. then this is might still be a question for you. Why dog likes scratching himself. Of course for some beginners who have just kept dogs, this question becomes one of the important things we must know the answer to so we know exactly what we must do in response to this. We will find 5 common reasons your dog likes scratching himself. It will greatly help us to get to know our pet dogs even better. For that reason, some of the things below will really help you to recognize dog behavior like his penchant for scratching himself.
Why dog likes scratching himself? Dogs, like humans will scratch their bodies including biting their toes, scratching with claws, tearing the skin at some point and sometimes scratching at the ear when feeling itchy. Itching is a common condition in the dog’s body. Itching that the dog feels will make him feel uncomfortable, restless, even stressed. Especially if the itching is all over his body. The thing the dog does to overcome the itchiness is by scratching the itchy body parts. Instead of relieving itching, scratching behavior actually makes the skin hurt and not infrequently causes ongoing infection on the skin. Therefore, dog owners must be sensitive to the characteristics of dogs that feel itching, which is often make their skin reddish.
These are 5 common reasons your dogs like scratching himself :
1. Fleas or parasites that live the dog’s skin.
If a pet dog lives inside the house, pay attention to the use of textile materials that can make it itchy like a rug or mat. Don’t let your dog play with stray dogs that are at risk of transmitting skin or parasitic diseases. In addition, give dog flea medication regularly. Do not forget to bathe your dog with shampoo containing anti-parasitic ingredients. Take it to the veterinarian for further consultation if the dog’s condition is severe or to reduce other symptoms besides itching. Your veterinarian can diagnose this parasite by looking for it using a microscope. Treatment of this parasite uses a spray drug once every two weeks.
2. Food allergies.
Sometimes a dog’s skin can experience rashes if the food is not of good quality, including commercial dog food. To prevent allergies to these foods, do not give food that can trigger allergies. Suppose your dog has allergies to chicken, stay away from foods that contain chicken in it. Give food that contains the same nutritional source from other types of food. For example dogs that are allergic to chicken meat, provide dog food that contains salmon meat (other than chicken). Do not forget to always read the composition of ingredients in the packaging of dog food to avoid allergies.
3. Dog’s dry ​​skin
The characteristics of dry skin in dogs are the presence of dry skin flakes scattered in the cage or other places where he usually plays, dandruff, hard and brittle hair, and hard or cracked skin. Dog’s skin contains oil that will disappear if we bathe our dog with shampoo. The nature of oil is to hold back dirt so we have to bathe our dogs regularly. But if we bathe it too often, the oil in the dog’s skin will disappear and the skin becomes dry. Dry skin will cause itching, because itchy dogs tend to scratch it. The effect of scratching will cause injury where parasites and bacteria will nest. Make sure the dog is given a high-quality and balanced diet and always provide water for dogs to drink. Choose packaged foods that include the name of the meat, for example chicken, beef, or lamb, at the top of the composition list. Adding some vegetables, such as sweet potatoes or carrots will be very beneficial for your dog . In addition, you can also look for foods that contain vitamin E or omega 6 fatty acids that are beneficial for dog skin. Add olive oil to dog food to relieve dry skin.
4. Boredom
This seems counterintuitive, or, at the very least, strange. If there is no physical disease, why does the dog scratch, itch, or bite himself repeatedly?. Do you often leave the house for a long time every day, leaving a dog alone at home?. Do you have someone else / dog nurse to take care of the dog’s needs for exercise, attention, and routine?. Does the dog already have access to toys, fresh water and food when you or your family are going to work or school?. Boredom, of course, can cause dogs to find a way to entertain themselves. In the absence of other alternatives, and when crushing a pillow or chewing shoes is no longer satisfying, he may start scratching.
5. Anxiety
It is not easy to recognize anxiety. The initial signs are often subtle and most behaviors due to anxiety are sometimes normal in various conditions. When trying to identify signs of anxiety in dogs, it is important to realize that anxious dogs predict bad things, either in general or certain situations, and then act. You not only need to look at the behavior, but also the background of the behavior to examine the anxiety. A dog that is not familiar with car or air travel can cause anxiety. Confined environment such as a cage or chest when he is used to freedom can cause anxiety. Introduction of something new into the house can cause anxiety too. If itching is repeated accompanied by sudden hair loss or indigestion, diarrhea, or vomiting, then one of these stresses may be at the root of the problem. Giving him time to adjust to a stable environment to eliminate anxiety.
Those are 5 common reasons why your dog likes scratching himself. If you pay attention to the habits of the dog and treat it very carefully, then your dog will be healthy and happy, and of course the itchiness will disappear on its own.