Strange Behavior

My dog Jack has a problem.
Each night when he goes down for the night to sleep he ends up attacking his own leg throughout the night. Needless to say it has become quite annoying and he has even went as far as chewing his foot raw. We have tried many differnt things to see if they would help.
Allergy medications
doggy seditives
music
sleeping by him
having him sleep with us
light on
light off
It seems as if it is a territorial thing that he seems to think that his leg is another animal creeping up on him.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to what we can do?

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Laura Cannon

• Last online: 10 hours ago
• Mother Hen
• Posts: 57
• Registered: 9 August 2006
• From: Winchester, UK

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I'm no expert in the behavioural issues here, but if you want to stop him chewing his leg, perhaps you could try what we did to stop our puppy chewing the furniture? We put tabasco sauce on his favourite chew places - just a drop or two, wiped on with a tissue. You'd have to put it on a bandage on his leg I think, as it might irritate the skin if put on directly, but perhaps worth a try?

Catty

• Last online: 22 Oct 2007
• Mother Hen
• Posts: 53
• Registered: 22 August 2006
• From: N. Yorkshire UK

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I have seen a dog do it to itself over a bone before he thought his leg was a threat of some sort but as he was a rescue dog it was put down to an anxiety disorder. Has he always done this? has anything changed at home to trigger it? such as a family member leaving home for work or college? Just a thought.