1 yr old female poodle pulling out fur

Question
Why is my 1 yr old female poodle pulling out her hair ?  I have had her since she was 2 months old and only started doing this after she was spayed in December 2010. She is not in pain but her leg is almost to the point of bleeding.  What may be the cause of this and how can I put an end to it?

Answer

Hi Anna,

The first thing to do is visit your veterinarian. This behavior might be caused by a health condition such as microscopic skin mites, seborrhea, a hormonal condition, allergies, or an autoimmune problems. On top of the primary cause there could be a secondary skin infection that also needs medical attention.

Only after a medical condition has been ruled out, you would consider other reasons why your dog has developed this habit. Many dogs develop the hair pulling/chewing habit due to an excess of nervous energy and nowhere to vent the stress, so they develop a habit or pastime of licking or chewing themselves to the point where it can case harm. Because of the raw skin, there might be a bacterial or yeast based skin infection that needs to be treated. For treating the underlaying cause of stress or nervous energy, provide your dog with plenty of opportunities to run, play, exercise and train on a daily basis. This will vent any pent up energy and relieve stress. A well-exercised, trained and happy dog will not likely have to relieve tension or entertain herself by self mutilation.

When you see your dog starting the chew/pull hair immediately distract her into a different activity, such as chewing on toy (or a filled Kong toy). When your dog has been distracted into chewing something else, praise her so she knows that it pleases you. Whenever your dog begins to chew herself or pull hair, try making a very short, sharp, loud sound, just enough to startle her into stopping and looking around to see what happened. Using an empty soda can that you put some pennies into works well. Try not to let her know that you caused the noise. After she has been distracted and has stopped for several seconds, call her over to play a game, do some training or give her a massage or special toy. Reward her for other behavior rather than inadvertently rewarding her for chewing herself.

It may take a month or longer before you break your dog of the hair pulling/chewing habit, because the habit has been going on for over a year. But your first step is a vet exam.

I hope that helps.
Best of luck,

Patti