Is it actually normal for dogs to scratch?

Watch any cartoon or movie with a dog and they’ll be scratching away. It’s almost accepted that dogs just…scratch. But is scratching actually normal? Or is it trying to tell you something…

So here’s your answer. As well as the top 3 reasons why they’ll get those collar tags rattling…

At this time of year, there’s one sentence I hear above all others. It’s ‘my dog is scratching but I can’t find any fleas’. And it’s little wonder. With modern flea treatments, fleas have become a rare cause of scratching.

Instead, some other culprits have become wayyy more common. With one accounting for 90% of all scratching…

The 3 big causes of scratching

1. Boredom: Normal daily grooming can be an occasional cause of a scratch and a shake. It rearranges their layers of fur, tugs at knots and helps with shedding. How common? RARE

So how much is too much? Seeing any more than one big scratch a day indicates something significant.

2. Food: A sensitivity to the protein in their food (like chicken, beef, pork, soy) can make for an itchy and scratchy dog. While the itch is everywhere, the ears are especially irritated. How common? RARE

3. Allergies: In the vet clinic, this is almost always the cause. The level of allergies to grasses, weeds and pollens is remarkably high at around 50% of dogs. Especially in spring, summer and autumn. How common? EXTREME.

Yep, allergies to their environment are the runaway number one cause of pet scratching.

If you’re seeing more than the occasional shake, allergies are probably playing a part.

Here are the tell-tale signs of allergies

• Foot licking
• Head shaking
• Red, irritated belly
• Scratching anywhere on the body
  
  

So what can you do?

You can ease their itching and scratching in two relatively simple ways.

First of all, STOP allergies touching the skin.

Grass coming into contact with feet and bellies is the biggest factor. So, use my 2 minute hack when they get home from the park to not only rinse off allergens but also provide relief.

Then, SOOTHE those irritated, itchy areas.

I developed my Soothe My Skin Wash with colloidal oatmeal, chamomile and aloe vera to provide that comfort they need. Leaving the foam on the skin for 2 minutes before rinsing really helps.

Using the soothing Super Useful Skin Cream as a calming barrier cream is also a game changer.

The final word...Scratching doesn’t have to be an accepted part of their day. Knowing the cause and then giving them that relief will mean everyone sleeps better…