# Pup scratches and bites himself



## Jovian (Dec 1, 2011)

My standard poodle pup, who is almost five months old, seems to bite himself and scratch himself several times a day quite vigorously. His coat is getting long now but my dad refuses to allow him to get clipped until he is six months old and thinks clipping now will make him cold during the winter. I tried to convince my dad to get him clipped but he will not listen to me. Do you think it is his coat that is irritating him, or has it become a breeding ground for parasites, bacteria, mites, ticks and fleas because its been allowed to grow unchecked for months?

Edit: I just remembered Charlie has been wormed and was given protection against fleas and parasites, so could it be something else that's irritating his skin?


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## catsaqqara (May 20, 2011)

I would look for fleas first.
Bambi, hadn't been cut until she was 3 months, she should have been cut earlier because she was not able to drink freely when I got her. As soon as I cut the hair on her face she started drinking normal instead of tiny licks. Its this inability to drink normally that is likely the reason she came to me with a bladder infection.
Having been cut at 3 months, she has a great coat, she does not matt easily, her hair is a bit coarser and she has pretty loose curls when short and her hair stays straight when longer. But it wouldn't have changed her coat to cut her earlier or later. Any breeder here would tell you the same and their puppies usually have a haircut before they leave for their new homes.

I understand your frustration, but its just one more month left. As long as your spoo is brushed and able to drink, go to the bathroom, and doesn't have ear infections(Bambi did at 3 months) I would try and enjoy the puppy coat while its there.

Depending on the temperature spoos do well with 1-2in of coat in the winter. Bambi had a continental her first winter and some people said it was wrong and said she would be cold(they had no experience with spoos), but she loves the snow and would plop her naked hiney down like there was no snow beneath her.


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## dcyk (Nov 30, 2011)

My Pup also scratches himself quite often, i wonder if it's due to mites


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## Ladyscarletthawk (Dec 6, 2011)

Allergies is a possibility. If he has any matting that can cause irritation.. or dry skin perhaps. Yes keeping the coat clean and mat free helps if it is allergies and a shorter coat is easier to take care of


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Is he regularly brushed and combed all over, right down to the skin? If not, he could have mats and tangles that are constantly tugging at his skin, irritating it and making it sore, and causing him to scratch and bite in an attempt to relieve the pain.

Poodles really need to be clipped regularly from puppyhood, to get them relaxed about the whole business, but if has not been clipped for six months you can make life much easier for him and for his groomer by making sure he is kept well brushed out. And if you delegate the job to your father, he may quickly come around to more frequent clipping!


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## Rowan (May 27, 2011)

Jovian said:


> My standard poodle pup, who is almost five months old, seems to bite himself and scratch himself several times a day quite vigorously. His coat is getting long now but my dad refuses to allow him to get clipped until he is six months old and thinks clipping now will make him cold during the winter. I tried to convince my dad to get him clipped but he will not listen to me. *Do you think it is his coat that is irritating him, or has it become a breeding ground for parasites, bacteria, mites, ticks and fleas because its been allowed to grow unchecked for months?*
> 
> Edit: I just remembered Charlie has been wormed and was given protection against fleas and parasites, so could it be something else that's irritating his skin?


I'm not sure what this means. "Unchecked" as in unclipped, or unchecked as in no regular grooming? Ideally, you should be brushing your puppy daily or at least every other day to prevent mats _and _to get him used to life as a poodle. Also, I recommend that you bathe him at least every 2-3 weeks to keep him clean, etc. Does he go to a groomer?

This behaviour could be due to any number of things. As others have mentioned, fleas are an issue and even more so if you live in a warm climate (ie., the southern USA). Seasonal or food allergies are also something to consider. But I'd start with daily brushing and bathe him in a hypoallergenic or puppy shampoo and see if that helps. If you can't do this yourself, then get him to a groomer as soon as you can.

Some dogs are sensitive to perfumes or harsh chemicals in cleaning solutions. I use the unscented "green" cleaners and don't use fabric softener (etc.) on anything the MPOOS use or come in contact with.


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## phrannie (Jan 8, 2011)

*First off, I've never groomed a Poo...but....I do have a GSD, who...tho he may look perfectly groomed from the outside, has an under coat that mats under that smooth exterier. He is the thickest coated GSD I've ever had, and I found that every month or so, even after he's been brushed on a daily baisis, I have to go over him inch by inch...get all the way down to the skin. He started out like your pup...biting, chewing, itching...drove me crazy....we don't have fleas up here, but I flea'd him anyway, thinking maybe he brought some from Michigan (to no avail). THEN I started the "to the skin" grooming every month...the itching got less. Check the spots he goes for, by separating the hair...see if there isn't tiny snarls that pull and itch. I also put Moj on no-grain dog food, and the persistant itching pretty much ceased.*

_*This time of year is also drying to doggie skin....winter skin.....indoor heat is dry...and my dog (even with that sub zero coat), will lay 2 feet from the gas stove, and literally cook himself (I'm always watching to make sure he doesn't start smoking...LOL)...*_

_*p*_


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