Dogs

Over the last few months, we’ve seen a significant rise in the amount of individuals contacting out and asking questions like “Why does my dog lick my ears?” We’ve chosen to dedicate a whole post to answering this issue for any of our readers who have a dog who likes to lick their ears. Although there are a variety of reasons why your dog may end up licking your ears, they are all harmless and there is no need to be concerned, with some of the causes being very charming.

Depending on your scenario, you can frequently educate your dog to stop licking his ears with a little patience if he has developed the habit. On the other hand, some of the reasons your dog will lick your ears are transitory, and after the cause has passed, your dog should stop the behavior and return to its usual routine without difficulty or the need to try to teach the behavior out of your dog.

#1 Because You Taste Or Smell Good

Although this is debatable, we believe that the number one reason your dog may wind up licking your ears is because you either taste or smell nice. Humans have fragrance and oil glands in their ears as well as in other places around their bodies. These oils may taste appealing to certain dogs, causing them to lick your ears; moreover, humans have a high number of sweat glands on their ears. If you let your perspiration to dry, the salt can frequently remain on your ears and draw your dog’s interest owing to the sodium in sweat offering a pleasant flavor to many dogs.

You would assume that this is a quick and easy remedy, and that all you have to do is bathe or shower twice a day, but it isn’t quite that straightforward. Not only do most people’s oil glands generate the oils they use all day, but many modern soaps and shower gels contain foods like coconut or other fruits. This can also catch your dog’s attention, placing you between a rock and a hard place in terms of correcting the behavior.

Although there are several anti-lick lotions on the market that are scentless to humans but taste horrible to dogs, we believe their usefulness is overstated, with many of them being little more than a waste of time and money. Switching to a citrus-based shower gel, in our opinion, is one of the quickest and easiest strategies to prevent this behavior. Because the great majority of dogs dislike the strong scent and taste of citrus-based fruits, this simple action might frequently be sufficient to prevent your dog from licking your ears owing to your smell or taste.

#2 Because They Love You

Although this one may sound a little obvious, one of the main reasons that your dog will lick your ears is due to the fact that licking is one of the primary reasons that your dog can show affection to you. The vast majority of dog owners tend to have a great bond with their dogs that just keeps on getting stronger with the more time you spend together over the years. Due to most dogs associating their owner with being a provider of food and treats, they often love you but have a limited number of ways that they are able to display it to you.

This is where the licking comes in, although the ears are a common spot that your dog may lick, other common places can also include your arms, feet, legs, and hands. Although many dog owners are fine with their dog licking their ears if it wants to, some do see it as an undesired behavior and would prefer it if their dog did not lick their ears even if it is only to show affection. With regular training methods and consistency you can usually train the behavior out of your dog quickly and actions as simple as saying “No!” in a loud authoritative voice, standing up, and turning away from your dog has been known to work.

#3 To Groom You

Because dogs are primarily pack animals, they retain many of their ancient impulses, and grooming other members of their pack is a very powerful instinct that many dogs will allow to shine through. Domestication has resulted in most dogs viewing their human family as their pack in contemporary society, and they may feel compelled to groom you at times when their instincts kick in. Licking is the primary method by which dogs groom each other, and as we said earlier in the article, they can frequently lick different regions of your body while grooming, including your ears.

Because some dogs are the only pet in the family, their interaction and experiences with other dogs may be restricted, causing them to be unfamiliar with the grooming procedure. When they start licking your ears to attempt to groom you, something as easy as a pat or some attention will help to reinforce the habit and teach your dog that this is an acceptable activity. As previously said, if this is not the desired habit in your dog, you can generally stop it from establishing by yelling “No!” loudly and moving your dog away from you or looking away from your dog to dissociate the group link with the action.

However, because the instinct in some dog breeds is so strong, some dogs may just substitute the grooming you habit with licking their bedding or a carpet instead. This is one of the more difficult reasons that a dog may groom you and may need some somewhat more complex tactics to discourage the behavior.

#3 To Show You Respect

As previously said, dogs are pack animals at heart, and each pack has its own hierarchy of leadership, with subordinates required to demonstrate obedience or respect to the dominant members of the pack.

Many dog breeds have had their more aggressive characteristics bred out of them over generations, resulting in immediate obedience and seeing you as their alpha and leader of the pack.
Licking may be utilized on a frequent basis due to their inclination to show you respect and demonstrate that they do not aim to hurt you or pose a threat to you.

However, as previously stated, this will be more dependent on the breed that you have, while many great breeds, such as herding and guarding types, will usually always submit to their owner as the pack leader, they often do not feel the need to express their submission by licking their owners.
This is typically one of the most difficult reasons for your dog licking your ears to train out of your dog because it is primarily based on instinct and their submission, as well as their need to communicate that they regard you as their leader or alpha.

Despite the fact that we have seen a great number of reports on various methods that dog owners have claimed to have tried to prevent this behavior.
Many of it may be coincidental, and we are unaware of any long-term study that gives any actual reliable advise on the measures you should be doing. As a result, we are hesitant to report on any suggested training to discourage the behavior.
We would advise against using a strategy that needs you to establish authority since you may unintentionally encourage the behavior and make your dog want to lick your ears even more.

#4 Due To A Wound

This is one of the most common reasons why your dog may start licking your ears at random. You may be unaware that you have a minor cut or wound on your ear, but your dog’s strong nose will likely detect the blood or scab and its urge to lick it better will kick in.
Fortunately, if this is the reason your dog has started licking your ears, it is most likely only temporary and will cease once the wound has healed.
To reduce the likelihood of a habit forming, it is critical that you do not offer any positive reinforcement for the behavior while the wound is healing.

Although this is debatable, it appears that most dogs’ saliva includes strong enzymes capable of damaging the cell walls of potentially contagious bacteria.
According to scientific investigations, dogs’ saliva includes Lactoferrin, a strong antibacterial and antiviral molecule.
It is thought that your dog’s inclination to lick a wound evolved through time as a consequence of licking a wound resulting in it not growing as severe, and that this instinct was then entrenched into their behavior over hundreds of years.

Although in trace levels, one research found that the saliva of some dog breeds contained Opiorphin, which may be used as a point pain reliever in considerably greater dosages for humans.
Because many dog breeds are considerably smaller in size, this may be adequate to relieve the pain of a wound on them and may have helped to cement the licking of a wound into canines that still exist today.

#5 Out Of Sheer Boredom

Although it is rare, some dogs may end up licking your ears out of nothing more than boredom. That said though, it is very rare for a dog to do something out of boredom like this where it has no previous experience of being rewarded. If your dog has licked your ears previously only for your to interact with your dog then it is likely that this had developed a positive feedback loop of licking your ears equating to play time.

Thankfully, this type of habit is relatively easy to break by simply removing the reward response so if your dog does start to randomly lick your ear, pay it no attention and leave it to lick to its heart’s content. It is very likely that without the positive response that the habit relies on to be actioned that your dog will wander off within a week and find something new to entertain itself with.

Should I Be Worried About the Licking?

Some individuals contact us with concerns about their dog licking them and wonder if they should be concerned. There is no need to worry or be concerned in our opinion, and as we have discussed above, there are a variety of reasons why licking has been ingrained in your dog’s instinct for a variety of reasons and is completely acceptable.
Although licking your ears might be irritating, the bulk of the primary reasons that dogs do it can be countered by swiftly and effectively training it out of your dog.

Nothing is more frustrating than feeling helpless as our furry little family members — our pets – suffer from a severe yeast infection.

Most of the time, our dogs are happy and healthy, running around and playing without a care in the world, until yeast infection signs appear.
Our dogs begin to stink, discharges and mucus buildup begin, and our dogs experience excruciating itching and agony all over their skin.

Fortunately, there are a few of things you can do right now to get ahead of yeast infection concerns before they become greater problems.

Obviously, you’ll want to discover the best anti yeast dog meals on the market today to help your dogs overcome this illness as soon as possible – but finding food that’s excellent for yeast infections may be difficult.

But that is why we have put together this brief tutorial.

By the time you’ve finished reading the exclusive information below, you’ll be able to discover terrific yeast-free dog chow — 100 percent yeast-free, in fact – without a pain or difficulty.

You’ll also discover how to select anti yeast dog diets, which help the canine immune system in a variety of different ways.
We discuss alternatives that work for young and old dogs, as well as dogs in good health and those with various sorts of allergies, and we make every attempt to cover all of your bases.

Let’s get started!

Comparison Between Tailor Made And Off The Shelf Dog Food

The first problem you will face when looking for a new anti yeast dog food is deciding whether to use commercial dog food recipes that do not include a yeast culture in dog food formulae or to make your own DIY dog food.

If you go the DIY route, you’ll want to stick to a very restricted ingredient list in order to eliminate as many of the yeast infection issues that your dog would have otherwise had to deal with.

As a general guideline, make things as basic and easy as possible, beginning with a high quality protein (boneless and skinless chicken thighs work well) that will serve as the foundation for your grain-free dry dog food diet moving forward.

Make sure your restricted ingredient feed incorporates some veggies for additional vitamins and minerals that a 100% protein alone diet would not have given.
In this case, a bag of frozen veggies would typically enough.

Add a couple of garlic cloves, coarsely chopped, to your limited ingredient recipe.
2 Finish with a splash of water or chicken broth – low or no sodium always – and you’re set to go.

This type of honest kitchen DIY approach to feeding your dog will always result in considerably fewer yeast problems in the future.

Of course, if you want to take the commercial way, you could buy a bag of Honest Kitchen grain-free dog food.

This dog food is specifically designed with a limited ingredient formula that contains cage free chicken chunks (not chicken or turkey meal), fatty acids, all the vitamins and minerals your dog needs to support good health, as well as a slew of digestive enzymes and other ingredients designed to support their immune system.

Believe it or not, the DIY approach to making your own dog food to avoid yeast infections may be less expensive in the short and long run than something like this Honest Kitchen mix.
However, many people are not interested in having to meal prep for their dogs every day and prefer the ease of a commercial alternative that actually works.

At the end of the day, it’s just great to have alternatives when it comes to finding the best dog food for yeast control, whether you buy the raw ingredients yourself at the grocery store or rely on high quality dry dog food.

#1 – Grain-free option that contains the right vitamins and minerals for your dog

Of course, it’s also important to highlight the fact that handling all the heavy lifting of creating your own food for yeast control doesn’t have to fall squarely on your shoulders.

There are companies out there that offer tailor-made formulas specifically intended for your furry little family member exclusively. This kind of hybrid approach guarantees that you are going to get a grain-free option that contains the vitamins and minerals your dog needs with fresh limited ingredients included, all without you having to break out the cutting board or director grocery shopping just for your dog.

The beauty of these formulas is that they are truly personalized with your dog in mind.

These boutique services ask about the age of your animal, the breed, their overall activity level, the ideal weight that you are shooting for, as well as any and all allergies or specific diet and nutritional requirements their dog food needs to meet.

From there they come up with a meal plan that works to support the health and well-being of your animal through their daily diet, started entirely on the back of a high-quality protein source.

The protein source is almost always from whole animal tissue, not meal or scrap. This is the same kind of protein you’d buy at the grocery store as part of your diet – chicken thighs, turkey breast, etc. Most of the diet choices are going to revolve around poultry protein (the friendliest source on dog’s digestive systems), but it’s not unusual for more exotic protein ingredients like lamb to be introduced into these custom dog diet plans, either.

These limited ingredient diet options are further rounded out with fruits and veggies, a host of super foods 100% safe for your dog to eat, and guarantee that there are absolutely zero filler agents that worm their way into the dog food.

Best of all, these dog food deliveries are sent directly to your doorstep on a regular basis – ready to be refrigerated and then served without issue – on a schedule that you set.

It really doesn’t get any easier to feed your dog a high-quality meal that contains everything they need to boost their immune system and their wellness than this. You’ll have their entire daily diet plan mapped out, most of the time a full week or more in advance.

A lot of people find this approach to be the very best kind of dog food you can give your animal when you want to be sure that all of their diet needs are being met. It’s nice to find something that contains high quality ingredients you know you can trust to support your dog’s diet.

#2 – Alternative dry dog food options For Yeast Infections

Of course, you may wish to investigate alternative dry dog food options from a bag that might suit your animal’s daily diet and nutritional demands as well.

These alternatives are typically a bit more inexpensive and surely a lot more handy, as well as lasting a lot longer.

Something like this grain free chicken, for example, is worth investigating further.

This is an anti-yeast dog food choice that promotes immune system health, has a restricted ingredient diet, and is constructed on grain-free dry ingredients that will keep your dog happy and healthy for years to come.

Dogs adore everything about this recipe, which is made exclusively from human – quality components.
Rather of cramming in a lot of turkey meal or chicken meal (which is really nothing more than the cuttings and trimmings left over from human quality meals), you’ll get a formula with bite-sized pieces of genuine chicken that has been lightly processed.

The protein in this case is a critical component of the jigsaw for determining your animal’s health.
You want to make sure this protein can feed their daily diet, but you also want to make sure it isn’t merely protein scraps and trimmings, as is common in many low-quality animal food sources.

Other fruits and vegetables are put in (but no sweet potatoes) to help your animal’s energy level.
This formula comprises carefully obtained components that must fulfill demanding quality requirements and are so thoroughly prepared that you could eat a scoop of this dog chow yourself with no adverse effects.

Although it may not taste very appetizing to you, the chances are that your pet will go nuts over this dog food.
This firm has long been praised for its attention to detail, commitment to using only the greatest protein sources available, and a manufacturing method that ensures a quality and class of dog meals that you won’t find anywhere else.

This company’s goods are all manufactured at a human food facility in California.
Small batches of ingredients are cold-pressed together before being gently roasted and dried to seal in all of the fatty acids, minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients required by your dog.
They are then crushed into tiny bite-sized bits that are placed in each individual bag – and you are ready to go.

There is no meat meal, no chemicals or fillers, and this is one of the few grain-free dry alternatives that also works to combat yeast infections in dogs.

It’s difficult to find a better product for the price (which is more than that of standard dog meals).

#3 The Limited Ingredient Diets for combating Yeast infection

Natural Balance is another brand that is assisting dog owners in combating yeast infections in their canines.

The Limited Ingredient Diets (LIDS) formulas they offer are universally regarded as one of the best dry dog food options to combat yeast problems, being packed to the brim with high-quality sources of protein, fatty acids, and amino acids, as well as the vitamins and minerals your dogs require not only to combat yeast problems but also to live happy and healthy lives – and that’s just the beginning.

This formula also significantly reduces the carbohydrates and sugars that can create a slew of problems in terms of yeast infection in dogs.

After all, anti-yeast dog food does not need to be completely yeast-free; rather, it has to eliminate the sugars and starches that yeast infections are fed by.
There is no corn, wheat, or soy in these Natural Balance LIDS formulations, nor are there any fillers like sweet potatoes or chemicals.

These dog food alternatives also do not contain any artificial flavors or coloring ingredients, which have been linked to yeast infections.
This dog food choice has components that are nutritious and supportive, the types of nutrients that you know your dog will love eating without jeopardizing their health.

All of these restricted ingredient formulations are thoroughly examined using some of the industry’s best quality control methods.
You won’t discover any questionable components imported from China in these formulations.
You’ll be totally aware of what’s in your dog’s food.

Those who want to be certain that they are giving a dog food that is helpful for yeast infection symptoms should look into all Natural Balance has to offer.
They not only provide wonderful dry dog food alternatives, but also a variety of canned and wet dog food that has ingredients to combat yeast infections.

The Best Cheap Dog Food For Yeast Infections

Rachael Ray is a culinary superstar, but you might be shocked to find that she is also a great admirer of dogs – so much so that she has developed her own high-quality anti-yeast dog food line, which is the same anti-yeast dog food that she feeds her own furry little family members!

These anti yeast dog food options are part of the Rachel Ray Nourish product line and are part of the “Just Six” range of dog food.

All of these alternatives are 100 percent restricted ingredient options meant to battle yeast infections, and while they aren’t 100% yeast free dog food options, they do reduce the sugars and starches that cause yeast infections to run wild in dogs.

The Lamb Meal & Brown Rice recipe is not only constructed on a clean protein source (high grade lamb meat, not simply lamb protein trimmings or lamb meal), but it also contains brown rice to offer carbs for energy that won’t interfere with your dog’s digestive enzymes.

This allows this recipe to give lots of nutrition and aid in the battle against yeast infections without producing “bubbling intestines” in your dogs.
This restricted ingredient diet choice also contains a variety of different biochemicals, amino acids, fatty acids, and other nutrients that promote joint health, good skin, and better eyesight (as well as so much more).

Furthermore, there will be no poultry byproducts put in, no maize or wheat, no gluten or soy, and no addition of extra “fillers and additives” to bulk out the quantity of dog food you are paying for without providing any actual nutrients to their diet.

Many of the formulations are also free of dairy, egg, meat, and conventional potato components, which can be harmful to your dog’s health.

The Rachael Ray array of dog food alternatives is almost widely considered as one of the finest dog food options for people who wish to give a comprehensive variety of quality protein, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and nutrients for their dogs while also providing them as clean a diet as possible.

What Is The Best Food For Dogs With Yeast Infections?

At the end of the day, individuals looking for the best anti-yeast dog food on the market are likely to gravitate toward the tailor-made alternatives available from respected firms in the bespoke pet food sector right now.

When you choose this method for your anti yeast dog food requirements, you are certain to avoid any of the difficulties that mass-produced dog food formulations of any kind will eventually bring to the table.

You won’t have to worry about the grade or quality of the food you’re feeding your dog.

You’ll know without a doubt that the formulas you’ve chosen are going to work well for your furry little family member, that the macronutrient ratios have been dialed in to support your dog’s health in ways that off-the-shelf dog foods can’t, and you’ll be able to sleep a lot better at night knowing that these formulas are actively fighting yeast infections and other health issues.

This amount of control over the food you feed your dog is just not feasible with any other method other than purchasing raw materials at the grocery store and creating your own dog food.

Another significant benefit of using this method for anti-yeast dog formulas is that you are guaranteed to get a level of healthy protein, amino acids, fatty acids, essential minerals and vitamins, as well as extra digestive enzymes that you would not have been able to get even if you went to the grocery store to buy ingredients for your dog’s food.

You might be able to satisfy all of your dog’s dietary demands at your local supermarket, but buying all of these items quickly becomes prohibitively costly – and then you have to worry about dialing in the correct ratios for these foods to match your dog, too.

Choosing these tailored pet food services allows you to avoid all of that stress and trouble.
They do all of the heavy labor of determining just what to include in your daily delivery, mixing things up every now and then to ensure that you’re getting the greatest dog food your animal will like eating, all without you having to lift a finger.

How Can I Treat My Dogs Yeast Infection Naturally?

Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is just as powerful for dogs as it is for people when it comes to fighting yeast infections. It may help your dog get rid of the itchy skin and irritation that makes this condition so uncomfortable.

Furthermore, the appropriate apple cider vinegar – such as this combination – will hit straight at the heart of the yeast infection itself.
This apple cider vinegar is 100 percent natural and unfiltered, which means you can get all of its health-boosting advantages without having to worry about introducing any extra sugar, starch, or possible yeast germs onto the skin of your dog in the first place.

Simply said, you should be able to eradicate this bacterial illness with the help of a 100 percent natural supply of vinegar without having to worry about causing havoc on your animal’s immune system along the way.

Your dog’s coat may not smell great the first few times you apply apple cider vinegar to it, but luckily, a little bit goes a long way.

Just bear in mind that bathing your dog with shampoo too regularly destroys a lot of the natural oils on their skin that assist to keep yeast infection germs under control.
It also dries them out, which makes them itchy and unpleasant.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil will not only fight the bacteria that causes yeast infections in your pet, but it will also soothe their skin, reduce itching, and relieve a lot of the discomfort that our dogs are likely experiencing.

Apply a glob of coconut oil straight to the affected regions a couple of times each day, thoroughly rubbing it into their coat and down to their skin while being as gently as possible.

If you are applying coconut oil to regions of your dog’s body that they can reach with their mouth, you may want to apply it more often than you would normally.
The same goes for regions on their shoulders or back that they may want to scratch or itch.
The goal here is to get the coconut oil on them so that it may be absorbed into their skin and give the antibacterial qualities that this all-natural remedy provides.

The fatty acids in high-quality coconut oil (like this one) will swiftly attack the microorganisms causing yeast outbreaks.
Still, if you can get your dog to remain still for 10 or 15 minutes after applying a dab of coconut oil to their body, you’ll give these nutrients the best chance to work their way into your dog’s skin and begin producing significant effects right away.

An extra benefit of utilizing the fatty acids of high-quality coconut oil over something like apple cider vinegar, for example, is that coconut oil always has a more pleasant fragrance than vinegar could ever have.

With these sorts of skin diseases already causing unpleasant odors on your dog, it’s fantastic to be able to address the problem with something that smells so good!

What Do You Give A Dog For A Yeast Infection?

Aside from the apple cider vinegar and coconut oil alternatives listed above, as well as the wonderful restricted ingredient diet wet and dry dog food options stated at the start of this book, there are a few more substances you may employ to combat this skin problem.

There are a variety of medicated shampoo alternatives on the market now that you may need to consider if your dog’s skin problems are serious.

Almost all yeast infections can be controlled with the proper wet and dry dog food alternatives, but if the outbreak is severe – or if it has been allowed to fester for a lengthy period of time – you should definitely use medicated shampoos in conjunction with meals for yeast management.

Medicated shampoo choices, for obvious reasons, must be well examined and used sparingly. After all, the main goal of this book has been to assist you locate the appropriate foods for yeast management that may help you eradicate this problem without adding chemicals or poisons.

However, every now and then, you may need to call in the “big guns” to deal with skin disorders in dogs that cannot be adequately addressed by food alone. Just be sure that these medicinal shampoos for skin problems are otherwise extremely safe and well-regarded, particularly by the veterinary community.

Pay close attention to the chemicals in these shampoos to prevent triggering long-term health concerns that may be worse than the skin problems you’re attempting to cure in dogs in the first place.

If things are very out of control, your vet may opt to give a range of medicines to your animal.

Almost all of these drugs are topical in nature and will need to be applied diligently to the affected regions in order to work their magic. However, you should make certain that you are taking these drugs exactly as recommended and that you discontinue them as soon as feasible.

Can Foods Cause Yeast Infections In Dogs?

Food, particularly high-sugar foods, may undoubtedly cause these types of skin issues, which your dog will have to deal with until you get them under control.

In reality, the most majority of these illnesses in dogs are caused by the foods that they consume on a daily basis.

You’ll want to keep an eye out for foods that include sugar and starch, which are known to feed this sort of bacteria (candida).
If you discover that the food you are feeding your animal has these components, you should stop using it immediately and switch to something that does not contain these irritants.

If the food you’re feeding your dogs contains any of the following components, it’s a good idea to stop using it:

Rice, potatoes, wheat, corn, and oats

There are obviously additional food sources that you don’t want to make a large part of your dog’s daily diet because of their propensity to help these sorts of skin infections grow, but for the most part, as long as you stay away from the components mentioned above, you should be OK.

Heavy metals are another major disease cause to be on the watch for when dealing with yeast skin troubles.

Heavy metals may create oxidative stress throughout the body, and when they build up and accumulate over time, you’ll see a slew of health concerns emerge, not the least of which are yeast skin problems.

Dogs can get heavy metals into their bodies in a variety of ways, but the most common sources of heavy metals are vaccinations, pesticides sprayed in the lawn or garden, low quality water drank on a regular basis, being fed fish containing heavy metals or mercury, or commercially available low-grade pet food options.

Always study reviews about how dogs react to various sorts of dog food alternatives – tailor-made, wet, or dry dog food options – to avoid those with a reputation for including chemicals that might create heavy metal issues later in your pet’s life.

Conclusion

Overall, perhaps you now have a better notion of how to provide a high-quality daily diet for your dog.

When you’re in the midst of things, yeast issues might feel nearly difficult to deal with, especially when your dog is in pain.

As previously said, there is nothing sadder than watching your dog battle with a health condition that they did not create themselves.
It is a pity that so many low-quality food sources are publicly sold, with awful protein alternatives, low-grade components from top to bottom, and possible poisons and toxins.

Fortunately, with a little bit of study and due care, you should find it a lot easier to acquire quality foods for yeast management than you previously believed feasible.

We live in a world where high-quality food alternatives for our pets are more easily available than ever before, and far more convenient to take advantage of than ever before.

Best of all, the costs of these choices continue to fall year after year.
It won’t be long until these sorts of high-quality food sources are available at every price range, allowing responsible dog owners to provide their dogs food that will never jeopardize their health or welfare.