Expert: Georgia - 3/19/2001

Question
Our bichon Frise has a terrible problem with licking and biting herself - especially her front paws and the back legs.  We have tried EVERYTHING!!!!!!  From allergy theories to prozac to spraying her paws with nasty tasting potions.  Nothing has worked.  Our dog spends her life in an elizabethan collar.  Is there anything that we can do to break her of this compulsive habit?

Answer
Well, this is a difficult problem as the "chewing" sounds like it is very much habit by now. Does it stop her chewing if you spray her with a stream of water? This helps to distract them, but I would always follow with a treat and a pat as this reinforces to her that not chewing makes you happy and she gets a treat and lots of praise. I would also be treating her allergies along with a vet, and if this has not worked try a natural therapy. I would also be bathing her regularly to see if that relieves some itchiness. This may have to be done once to twice a week in some very soothing shampoo. If you have tried all of this, then the problem is mental and habits are very difficult to break. I would seek the advise of a good dog trainer with experience working with dogs with obsessive-compulsive disorders, as it is not nice to have an Elizabethan collar around her neck all the time.I would try to have the collar off when she is supervised but always put it on when she is alone. Does she only chew when you are not there? A  behaviouralist is also a person you can get some hints from. If she is only chewing when you are away, it is obviously an emotional problem and a behavioralist will quickly sort that out. Due to the many factors inclusive within this question, this is all I can help you with unless you give me much more detail about her behaviour.
I hope this has helped and let me know how you go.