Boxer allergy/itching

Question
We (actually my daughter) have a beautiful 2-year-old female Boxer (spayed) who continually breaks out in a rash. She is now on a wheat- and chicken- free diet and has Comfortis for flea treatment every two weeks. She has frequent baths with non-allergenic shampoo. Her big brother (4 years old) is fine. We've eliminated a 100% wool rug; floor is tile and hardwood; bedding is cotton and poly. They also have Memory Foam and orthopedic mattresses to lie on since her brother has hip dysplasia. They have a fenced-in backyard in which to run with a minimum of pesticides. Please help. Thank you for your expertise.

Answer
Hi Mary Lou,

Since your daughter has eliminated the most common culprits, I would only bath her once a month or less as the boxer doesn't require as much bathing as other breeds. Boxers are generally a cleaner by nature continually licking and bathing themselves. Some dogs are allergic to their own saliva and the frequent baths may be causing more of the cleaning they tend to do thus putting more saliva on her coat causing the allergic reaction. We use dawn dish soap as a shampoo for our boxers then apply mineral oil to seal the moisture in the coat which is lost during bathing. I would also change the flea remedy to a once a month treatment. Hope these tips help if not feel free to contact me again.

Sincerely,
Angela Donald
Canine Behavior Consultant
http://www.hitowerboxers.com