Dog constantly licking

Licking is a very natural behavior for dogs, it allows them to clean themselves, sometimes even to soothe themselves, but when it becomes excessive, you have to ask yourself questions and try to answer them quickly.

 

Why does my dog lick himself all the time?

There are several reasons why a dog may lick certain parts of the body excessively, the most common being :

• Your dog licks himself because he is painful
• Your dog is licking because he has a parasite infestation
• Your dog is licking because it has a wound
•Your dog is licking because it is bored
• Your dog is licking because it is anxious

 

 

Let's take a look at each cause and see what you can (and should) do to fix the problem.

• My dog licks himself because he is in pain
Indeed, a dog, when in pain, when in pain, may use licking to try to soothe and relieve the pain. Generally, this behavior is accompanied by lameness or other changes in your dog's attitude and behavior. In this case, consult your veterinarian quickly to assess the situation and really allow your dog to relieve his pain(s).

• My dog licks himself because he is infested with parasites
A dog will also have a reflex of course of scratching but also of licking when an area will itch him like an area infested with fleas or other external parasites. For that, it is obviously advised to prevent rather than cure and to use anti-parasite products throughout the year, even during the "off" periods in order to prevent the heaviest periods in terms of vigilance.

Then, if your dog is already infested, it will be necessary to use products that are more curative (shampoo for example) but also and above all to disinfect the whole environment of the dog (his basket as well as all the places where he comes and goes) in order to completely eliminate the parasites. Don't hesitate to call a professional: veterinarian or pharmacist so that he can guide you in the right steps to follow.

• My dog licks himself because he has a wound
Here again, the first thing to do is to visualize and identify the wound, to disinfect it but above all to take it to the veterinarian so that he can judge if stitches are necessary, staples or a simple bandage for example. Then, it is very important to know that, despite strong beliefs on this subject, letting a dog lick a wound will absolutely not help it to heal, quite the contrary! Indeed, a dog's saliva can contain many bacteria that can further infect the existing wound. So, if your dog has to keep a wound "in the open", it is absolutely necessary to provide him with a collar during the whole healing period.

• My dog licks himself because he is bored
A dog can also lick itself because it is bored. Indeed, boredom is the worst enemy of the dog and when he does not find an occupation, when he is not given an occupation or even worse when he is not allowed to spend enough time, the dog can then find activities that are often symptomatic of a real malaise.

The main thing to do here is to find occupations for your dog, to spend time with him and especially to stimulate him daily and not only on Sundays when the weather is nice. Here are some examples of how you can/should spend your dog: Take him out every day outside the garden / Play with him regularly / Offer him playful training sessions / Throw treats/croquettes in the garden or the living room to stimulate his sense of smell / Leave him a Kong type toy / Give him a bone to chew on / Teach him new directions

• My dog is licking because he is anxious
If it is still excessive and if you have ruled out all the previous reasons, it is possible that your dog's licking is due to an anxiety state. He will then use licking to soothe himself, but sometimes his stress will be so great that his licking may result in what are called licking sores. In this case, you must quickly find the cause of your dog's stress and general malaise!

Maybe specific events? Triggers, people, other animals, other dogs, places, etc.? It is up to you to observe your dog carefully to understand the reason for his stress. This type of behavior can also be observed in dogs that have experienced a "trauma" such as an accident or a sudden change of environment, the arrival or departure of a member of the social group (whether it be a human, an animal or a fellow dog), or a move, etc.

In this case, it is absolutely necessary not to prevent him from licking himself because this behavior, as previously mentioned, allows him to calm down and comfort himself. However, if he becomes excessive, you should try to help him to live better with this situation which does not make him comfortable. To help him, you can start by :

- Consult a veterinarian
- Consult a professional in canine behavior
- Give him natural aids such as Bach Flower Remedies