Why does my dog lick my other dog's back until it gets sore?

The dog who is licking that spot is probably doing so because the skin there had a very small lump that smelled different or the skin itself had an infection. Take the dog with the affected spot to your vet to have this area examined. You can also put an E-collar (cone) on the dog who is licking it, to prevent him from being able to do so. Thank you for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

It would be hard to say. It is a good idea to bring the affected pup into your vet to rule out any health issues or irritation that could be causing the excessive licking by your other dog, such as urinary infections, inflammation, etc. If your pup checks out healthy, distraction with other toys and treats, placing an Elizabethan (cone) collar on the licker so they can't lick things, and separating if it does happen may help break the habit.

I would recommend using a product called Grannick Bitter Apple spray and apply this to the other dogs' hair coat to prevent the chewing. I hope this helps! You can find this product online or at your local PetCo quite easily. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

It would be a little unusual for one dog to lick the same spot on another dog's back frequently enough to cause hair loss. If it's possible that there was some sort of lesion there before the licking started, or if the skin appears abnormal I'd recommend making an appointment with your veterinarian. If you're certain the hair loss is from licking alone you could try putting a T shirt on your dog as a barrier.

I hate to hear that Chika is having these problems. Based upon the location and the fact that two dogs are now showing signs, I am most concerned with something communal such as fleas, ringworm (which people can get) or mites. I recommend to rule out fleas by using a really good product such as Simaprica once a month. If the signs go away within 2 months, then you know it's fleas. Treat all pets for fleas once monthly. Diagnosing ringworm and mites require a vet visit for appropriate diagnostics. A visit would also be beneficial since the dogs are chewing themselves raw. The doctor can provide medications to stop the itching, heal and secondary bacterial infections and likely a medicated shampoo. I hope this helps to point you in the right direction. Please feel free to post any further questions!

Hi and thank you for posting your question on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Ear licking between dogs is a normal grooming behavior dogs who are within the same family or pack do to one another. However, if you notice Charlie is doing this to one of your other dogs in the household more frequently to the point where it is starting to become obsessive, this can be a sign of a behavioral problem. It is possible Charlie wishes to lick the other dog's eat due to an ear infection in the dog, so you might want to have ears examined by a veterinarian to rule this out. However, next time you notice Charlie doing this to another dog in the house, get his attention immediately with another activity like an interactive toy or a session of play time. Try and do this consistently for best results. If however behavioral intervention is not working well and ear infections have been ruled out, it is possible Charlie may have an obsessive compulsive disorder that may require Rx medications from your veterinarian. Best of luck to you and Charlie and thanks again so much for posting your question!

I’m wondering if the other dogs are intact (not spayed/neutered) as well and if some of this licking is related to hormones. Licking can also be a sign of submission. If the other dogs don’t seem bothered I’d let them sort it out themselves. If the other dogs snap and you’re worried about a fight I think unfortunately the only thing to do is to monitor them closely and continue to call and distract Pickles as you’ve been doing.