Seeing your beloved puppy intently chewing on her own leg can be a disturbing discovery. Puppies bite themselves for a variety of reasons, including allergies, pain and boredom. Identifying the cause of abnormal biting behavior is essential to curing the problem. Most biting habits can be eliminated through the process of careful observation and teaching the puppy to chew appropriate toys instead.
Things You'll Need
- Oatmeal shampoo
- Towel
- Cortizone cream
- Bitter apple spray
- Elizabethan collar
- Toys
- Treats
Instructions
Take the puppy to a veterinarian for a complete physical. The vet will examine the affected leg and run blood work to rule out illnesses or allergies that might be the cause of the biting. He'll prescribe medication and instruct you on how to administer it if necessary.
Wash the leg with oatmeal shampoo. Oatmeal shampoo is nontoxic and helps reduce itching and inflammation. Wet the leg with warm water, massaging a small handful of shampoo through the coat and down to the skin. Rinse with clean water and towel dry.
Apply a thin layer of cortisone cream to the itchy spot. Cortizone is an anti-inflammatory and will reduce swelling and itching in the affected limb. The cream can be applied twice a day to combat itching and inflammation.
Fit the dog with an Elizabethan collar. An Elizabethan collar is a plastic cone that fits around the dog's head, preventing her mouth from reaching her legs. Make sure to observe her closely while wearing the collar to keep her from getting caught and hurting herself. These collars are available through your vet, at local pet stores or online.
Spray the leg with a light coating of bitter apple spray. Bitter apple spray is an all-natural spray that deters chewing with its extremely bitter flavor. Coat the entire leg with the spray as often as necessary to prevent chewing.
Offer the puppy an appropriate chew toy when she begins to bite her leg. Tell her firmly "no bite" and place the toy on top of her leg to encourage her to chew the toy. Reward her with a treat when she bites on the toy instead of her leg.