Excessive Dog Scratching and Licking Cause Skin Problem

Excessive dog scratching and licking are some common canine behavioral problems. My dog used to behave in this manner, and it led to serious hair loss and sore skin. It was frustrating to both my dog and me.

One of the most common cause to such excessive behavior is food allergy. Many busy, working owners resort to commercially prepared dog food as their dogs' main source of diet, just as I used to. In the recent years, there have been an increased skin problem in dogs that are fed with ready-made processed dog food. Some frustrated owners, like me, have switched to home-cooked dog food and are gradually seeing considerable improvement to the dogs' skin.

Owners must take note that the switch must be made gradual. Sudden switch may result in vomit and diarrhea. Begin by adding a little more new food to the old food each day over several days, allowing your dog's body system to adjust to the new food.

Be conscious of its skin and behavior during this change. Observe its skin condition closely. You may have to try this out for many rounds with different food, to eliminate those that your dog is allergy to.

Always ensure that your dog has a well-balanced diet. A healthy dog is a happy dog.