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Expert: Patti - 11/2/2009


Question
my mom  has a dog and he has been pulling out his hair by his back leg , can you tell me  why and what can i do for him to stop ? thank you

Answer

Hi Lori,

Sometimes dogs can harm themselves with excessive licking, chewing or hair pulling, so it is important for your mom to determine the cause of the behavior first, and then take steps to correct it.

Your mom's dog may be reacting to stress, boredom, separation anxiety or a medical condition, so the first step is to have the dog diagnosed by her veterinarian.

If he can't find a medical reason for the hair pulling, then you have to consider emotional issues. But like I said, the first thing that needs to be done is the vet exam.

Best of luck,

Patti

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Patti

Expertise

To date, I've owned 7 dogs, all of which have lived into old age. Having cared for them in all stages of life, I feel I can offer sound advice to other pet owners, and people considering getting a dog. I am knowledgeable about the AKC (American Kennel Club) dog breeds, training and exercise, caring for sick and elderly pets, feeding, as well as many holistic treatments pets can benefit from. My only request is that you write me using standard English and punctuation.

Experience

My life experience in this field is more like "on the job training" rather than an actual degree in animal welfare. You may benefit from my experiences over the past 30 years. Aside from the dogs I've owned, I'm also involved in "breed rescue" and have fostered several dogs, all of which have been adopted to wonderful "forever homes". I find helping people who want a dog very rewarding.

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Real life experience, based on over 30 years of dog ownership.

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