Nervous Scratching and Biting

Everywhere you turn there is a product to keep your dog from itching. We all know from experience how frustrating it can be to have an itch you can't scratch, and we feel helpless when our puppy is biting or scratching itself. In some instances the dog can bite at itself so intensely as to cause an open wound around the base of the tail or its hind legs. There's hype about flea treatments, skin sprays, and the newest avenue is all about food allergies. True, all these things can contribute to a dog scratching or biting itself uncontrollably, but the most common cause is a lack of exercise or mental stimulation.

  by  orphanjones

All modern domestic dogs can trace their lineage back to the wolf, and this is important to know as we begin to understand and decipher some of their behaviors. A wolf's life is not an easy one. They must travel several miles a day to find food, and they must use their intelligence to catch that food and find shelter. Wolves have evolved to accomplish these goals. They have tremendous amounts of energy, and their ability to be insightful and solve problems is almost unparallelled in the animal kingdom. Its hard to picture your cute puppy bringing down an elk with those puppy eyes and hanging tongue, but his body and mind are designed to do just that. Those same attributes that help a wolf to survive in the wild, have been passed on through the generations to the dog sitting in your living room. These qualities are half the reason we love our dogs so much!

Like the wolf, your dog needs exercise, and lots of it. A dog's body stores energy for when it is most needed, like catching and tracking food. Your dog does not have that outlet. Fido merely has to walk across the room to it's food bowl and gorge itself. This sounds like a pretty good life for a dog, and it is. But, it's need to travel and run are still there. When your dog cannot satiate this urge, it will start to bite and scratch at itself, unaware that a little exercise would make it feel better. Without your help, this urge literally becomes an itch your dog can't scratch. The urge is so strong, that it clouds their mind, and even basic obedience can go out the window. A dog should be walked at least once a day, some breeds require more. There are always exceptions but, generally the larger the dog, the more exercise it needs. Sporting and hunting dogs do better with two walks a day.

One of the things we love most about our dog is it's ability to learn. They seem so smart and intuitive at times, you wonder if there's not an actual person under all that fur. Your dog's ancestors, needed this ability to become creative and work as a pack to catch food and find shelter. Your dog doesn't have to worry about any of these things, but it's smart mind is still there. Your puppy's brain is designed to run at full throttle, but in your home, it's got no where to go. Not much changes within your home on a day to day basis, and your dog has no problems to figure out! The joys of being domesticated! You must give your dog something to keep its mind entertained. Walking can help tremendously, but sometimes they need a little more. Many toys are designed with this in mind, some more complex then others. It's important to keep a healthy selection of toys for your dog to play with, and provide him with something new from time to time. Another great way to exercise your dog's mind is with training. Even basic obedience training can stretch your dog's brain and give him some relief. Without mental stimulation, your dog can frequently destroy things in your home, or even turn that anxiety on itself in the form of biting and scratching, anything to relieve the boredom.

Many dogs scratch for many reasons. It's important when trying to decide how to give your pet some relief, that we don't forget the most basic and obvious causes.  No flea treatment, itch cream, or food can stop your dog from itching if a few of it's most basic needs are not met. So walk your dog! Test your dog mentally! It will make you and your pet happier!


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