Richard Cussons

Three Ways to Help Stop your Sharpei from Licking

Have you noticed your dog licking himself almost all the time? It's about time you find out the cause of licking and how to stop it...

If your sharpei seems to be licking himself almost all the time, then it is high time that you as owner tried to root out the reason and do something about it. Check out these three common reasons that may just explain why your dog is incessantly licking himself and the solutions to correct that behavior.

1. Your dog has not had a bath for a long time.

If your dog spends plenty of time outdoors (i.e. wooded areas, mud, grass), then he is bound to return dirty. The dirt is irritating the dirt, which is one likely explanation for his licking. All that outdoor adventure may have also resulted to insects hitching a ride on his coat.

Give your dog a bath using some approved flea and tick shampoo. It is important to also straighten out all the mats and tangles on his coat before bathing, otherwise you risk making worse these annoying problems.

2. It is also likely your sharpei has a skin disorder.

Common skin problems may be mange or dermatitis. Mange is a skin disease caused by certain types of mites, but which can still be remedied through treatment. The dermatitis could be an allergic reaction to certain insects in the coat, mold, or a certain type of food he is presently eating.

3. More difficult to miss is an injury that has led to open wound on the dog.

A sharpei with an injury plus an open wound will lick himself in an attempt to clean the wound and rid it of bacteria. Besides, dog saliva is capable of killing germs and when your dog licks an open wound, it is indeed helping the wound to be infection free.

If your dog appears to be in pain, then a vet's intervention is needed. A  vet will also need to be consulted if the wound contains a foreign object, is deep enough to need stitches, is letting out plenty of blood, or is already infected.

On the positive side however, your sharpei will have no time to lick himself if there is a good amount of of play, running and work to burn up all that excess energy. Indeed, a well exercised pet has no need to lick himself in order to  drive away stress or boredom.

With careful observation plus a little vigilance to the dog's grooming and appearance, along with timely visits to the dog's vet, there is a way to lick your dog's licking behavior.

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