Why does my dog seem to be always licking and scratching himself? He has sore, red patches of skin and bald spots too!

Constant licking and/or scratching and red, itchy skin or hair loss are all signs of dog allergies.


I think it's important to point out in this Puppy FAQs page that dogs suffer from allergies just as people do! There are many different causes and triggers for canine allergies, but most result in skin problems and symptoms.


Causes of dog allergies include:

• Flea allergy
• Inhalant allergy
• Dog food allergy
• Contact allergy

A good flea preventative will stop your pup from suffering flea allergies (many dogs are allergic to flea saliva), and if he's already had problems there are many shampoos and products available to soothe his skin.


Inhalant allergies are basically seasonal allergies, and contact allergies often occur when your pooch is exposed to something in his environment that reacts badly with his skin. For example, if you wash his dog bed with a new, scented laundry detergent and he starts scratching all over... there's a clue he's allergic (or at least sensitive) to something in the detergent.


Dog food allergies can be more difficult to diagnose, and are more likely to occur with a familiar food than an new one. However, if your pooch is suffering from chronic allergy symptoms that don't seem to fluctuate (ie seasonal), you can't think of anything he's been in contact with that could have caused the reaction, and he doesn't have fleas, a dog food allergy should definitely be suspected.