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Nail Biter?


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Hi!

I know I'm starting a lot of posts, but Blaze has started doing something that is concerning me. When she is in her crate, she starts biting and chewing at her paws and nails. I'm worried she is going to end up hurting herself. I play fetch with her twice a day for about ten minutes (by that time she is panting quite a bit and I don't want to push her since she's just five months) and do a lot of trick training with her. It is true that she spends a fair time in her crate, but it's only when I want her to rest after being out running and playing fetch so she can recuperate (and trying to set in that "off switch" from an early age) or when I know it is time for her to sleep. I also give her frozen carrots, Kongs with some pumpkin/ sweet potato or some fruit or other in there so she can chew, she has a toy bone that she sometimes chews on and very seldomly I give her pig ears (which I am not planning to buy for her again, they make me a bit uneasy.) So I shouldn't think it's out of boredom. I went to the vet last week and she sad Blaze was perfectly healthy.

Have you had any similar experiences? I just don't want her to hurt herself :mellow::mellow:

Thanks again for all your help

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Could her feet be itching her? When it started, had you just given her any food that was new to her?

 

Does she do it when she has a toy/Kong? If she doesn't have anything it could be boredom.

 

Where do you live? If you are snow covered like we are, it wouldn't be a contact allergy. But are you in a warmer climate with grass in your yard?

 

Just thinking of the possibilities.

 

Kathy Robbins

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The paw licking started a while back, but I wasn't too concerned about it because it wasn't frequent. I have been switching foods, so I guess it might be that (but the vet claims she has no allergies). The nail biting however... it started when she got them clipped by the vet. Could it be that they were clipped wrong and she's uncomfortable? The vet claims that she's in perfect health. I live in a warmer climate with grass, yes.

I tried cleaning her paws yesterday especially carefully around the nails, but she still continued biting. When she has a kong she doesn't chew on her nails, and I 'm trying to praise her as often as I can when she turns to her toy for chewing rather than herself (in case it's her teething bugging her and she has discovered that her hard nails are the perfect soothing tool for her aching gums).

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Sounds like a yeast problem to me, if I had to make a guess. Biting and licking at paws IME has been yeast related. Is she itching anywhere else? Are the nail beds reddish, or are there reddish rust colors between the pads on the hairs? Also have you inspected her pads for cracking? Chuck licks at the tops of his paws when he has cracks on the bottom occasionally.

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Teething???? Ice Cubes! One of my dogs was given ice cubes while teething at the advice of our vet. During her entire life, she ran to the kitchen whenever the freezer door opened. I guess ice cubes were such a pleasure for her that she never forgot them! Some dogs do like to chew on hard things when teething.

 

Kathy Robbins

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I give her icecubes all the time!

Yesterday morning I wake up to her left eye all red and swollen. Turns out she had conjuctivitis :unsure: I've been feeling lately that we have come to the point that she is becoming very bonded to me, but the eyedrop thing is breaking it. She hates it and I get frustrated. I raised my voice at her today, and you should have seen her face. I feel so guilty and don't want her to ruin what we have been building so solidly :(

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My last puppy had a real issue with eye drops at first. Like you I worried that it was going to be a real problem. But I paired them with yummy treats and lots of praise and before long he was happily sitting still and wagging his tail just waiting for me to put the drops in.

 

How you handle situations like this makes all the difference in how it affects your relationship. ;)

 

One thing that can really help with eye drops is making sure you're coming at the dog's eyes with the dropper from the back of the head instead of from the front where they can see it coming and is much scarier for them.

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I think it's partly my fault because I keep getting the drop caught on her eyelash as she pushes back. I am using a lot of reinforcement, but she still yawns, looks away... which I know are calming signals telling me to back off. I never force her and let her get away when she wants to, but it can become quite trying.

Thanks for the advice, I'll certainly try that next time! :)

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Check with your vet and see if you can put a warm, moist compress on her eye a couple times a day. Soothing, and gets her used to you messing with her eye. You have to hold it there for a minute or so, but it might help.

 

I don't know what it is about eye pain, but for me it's the worst. I'd rather have another cracked rib than another eye injury. I probably project that onto my dogs when they have anything wrong with their eyes.

 

The thing about any medication is to take care of it quickly with no fuss. The more matter-of-fact you are the calmer the dog is. Makes a big difference.

 

Hope it heals quickly and well,

 

 

Ruth and Gibbs

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I didn't let my puppy get away with fighting me. I held him firmly and did what I needed to do. He wasn't allowed to get away. If he was fighting me I'd just tighten my grip and wait till the fit was over, then I'd start again.

 

The once or twice he did squirm away, he was caught and we did it over again. He got no punishment for resisting, but no reward of any kind either (being allowed to get away is self rewarding). But he got lots of soothing talk when he relaxed even a little and lots of good treats and praise when the deed was done. He was sitting quietly and willingly for his drops before the infection was gone.

 

ETA: Having a second person to help makes it easier. I didn't have that option, but was still able to teach him to be cooperative by myself. . . . and this was a pup who tried to bite me the first couple times I put drops in.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I did as suggested, praising when she was doing good but not letting her self reward, and although she still doesn't like it, she settles down enough for me to place the drops on. Thank you all for your help!!

There is another issue I would like to ask about, lately I've noticed that she is starting to smell like blood, that metallic-like smell. I'll be taking her to the vet tomorrow, but have any of you ever experiences something like this before?

Thanks again!

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