Dog Training: How to “Lick” Your Dog’s Incessant Licking Habit!

Does your dog seem to spend an infinite amount of time licking
himself? Why is he doing it? And how do you, as a dog owner,
correct that annoying licking habit? Here are five of the most
common reasons why your dog might be incessantly licking himself
and the solutions to correcting the habit.

1. Your dog might have developed an unrelenting licking habit
because he needs a bath.

If your dog spends alot of time outside, romping through the
woods, tramping in the mud, rolling in the grass or wading in
the nearest stream or pond, he is probably dirty. So, your dog
may be constantly licking himself because the dirt is irritating
him! Plus, all that outdoor activity may have gotten him
infested with ticks, fleas, mites, or lice. Your dog’s incessant
licking may be an attempt to rid himself of those nasty
varmints!

Give him a bath with a veterinarian-approved flea and tick
shampoo. Before bathing him, make sure you brush out all the
mats and tangles from his coat or the bathing will make them
worse.

2. Your dog might have developed a chronic licking habit
because he has a skin disorder.

Some common skin disorders that a dog may develop are mange or
dermatitis. Mange is a skin disease in dogs that is caused by
various types of mites. The dermatitis could be caused by an
allergic reaction to fleas, dust mites, mold or a certain brand
of dog food. If you suspect that your dog has a case of mange or
dermatitis, your veterinarian will be able to diagnose what the
disorder is and prescribe a course of treatment.

3. Your dog might have developed a persistent licking habit
because he is under stress.

The stress may be a result of a new adoption, physical abuse,
separation anxiety, or even a reaction to a new food. If you
think separation anxiety might be the cause of his stress, there
are several methods for solving the problem. Try exposing your
dog to being alone for very short periods of time. When your dog
has adjusted to being alone for that duration of time, gradually
increase your departure period. If you must be away from your
dog for a long period of time, while you are away at work, try
to find a friend or neighbor who could come over and take him
for a walk a couple of times during the day.

Perhaps a new dog in the family is causing the stress? It is
very common to experience a period of stress and adjustment when
a new dog is brought into a household that has an established
pet. One way to help make the transition a little easier is to
give your older dog alot of attention and love. It will let him
know that he’s still a vital part of the family. Just remember
that it will take time for your dogs to adjust to one another
and be one happy dog family!

Changing your dog’s diet can also cause stress. If you’re
thinking of feeding your dog a new brand of dry dog food, do it
gradually and over a period of four days or longer. On the first
day that you change the food, feed your dog one quarter of the
new food with three quarters of the old food. Add in another
quarter of the new food after a couple of days or so. After
another two days, add in another quarter of the new dog food.
Finally, after another couple of days or so, you will be able to
leave out the old dog food entirely!

If you cannot determine the cause of your dog’s stress, talk to
your veterinarian. He’ll be able to refer you to a dog
behaviorist who will be able to determine the cause of your dogs
stress. If your dog has severe separation anxiety, an
anti-anxiety medication might be considered to alleviate the
anxiety. Drugs are not a complete solution, however, and should
be used along with a treatment program.

4. Your dog might have developed an incessant licking habit
because he has an injury that has resulted in an open
wound.

A dog that has developed an injury that has resulted in an open
wound will lick himself incessantly in an attempt to clean the
wound and keep it free from bacteria. Dog saliva has been proven
to kill some germs and when your dog licks an open wound, it
will aid in keeping the wound infection free.

Veterinarian treatment may be required if your dog appears to be
in pain, the wound contains a foreign material and is deep
enough to require stitches, is bleeding excessively or becomes
infected.

5. Your dog might have developed a relentless licking habit
because he has developed the bad habit of doing so.

Some dogs develop the habit of licking their paws incessantly
despite them being clean, uninjured and parasite-free!

Your dog may develop the habit of constantly licking himself
because he has alot of nervous energy and no way to alleviate
the stress. He also may have learned this behavior because he is
bored and this is a way to entertain himself!

Give your dog lots of time to play and run and work off any
excess energy. If your dog is well-exercised and happy, he won’t
feel the need to relentlessly lick himself to relieve stress or
boredom!

The information detailed above will help you discover and
correct your dog’s habit of chronic licking. With careful
observation and a little attention to proper grooming, training,
along with regular veterinarian visits, you can ‘lick’ your
dog’s incessant licking habit!