Hello -

A. If your poodle is white, generally white dogs have a lot of skin allergies as they are not really a color – they are a diluted color. It doesn’t matter the breed, just in general – white dogs have more sensitivity to allergies.

B. Your dog is now 10 and is a Senior dog. Generally if nothing has changed in his environment – ie: you haven’t changed your laundry detergent of stuff he sleeps on, you haven’t had your carpets cleaned recently, you don’t put anything on your carpets (Febreeze, carpet cleaner, carpet flea powder, etc.) – in other words none of his environment has changed then the problem is internal.

Internal can mean one of two things:

1. Your dog has some injury on his backside – spinal, disk, hips, etc.. that is causing him to chew at the pain inside of him. Animals respond to pain by chewing on the outside of their body to try to relieve the pain.

2. Your dog is allergic to something he is eating. He could have just recently developed this allergy now that he is a senior, or it could have been coming on for the last few years. Try feeding him a food that is free of corn, wheat or soy and free of any animal by-products. Visit a local pet food supplier in your area (not PetCo or PetSmart or any major store such as Wal-Mart, Target, etc.) and get some free samples for food such as:

Artemis
California Natural
Innova
Pinnacle
Solid Gold

(Each of these have websites where you can look up a local retailer near you)

If your poodle is white I would recommend Solid Gold Holistic (green bag) which is a fish based (better for white dogs), and only has 18% protien which is what you should be feeding a senior dog. If your poodle is any other color – stick to a chicken based food (lamb is harder for seniors to digest).

Regardless his body is changing, and as long as you have ruled out all external factors, and rule out an injury of his spine/back – then diet is your only logical next step.

Good Luck.

i have a snoodles that is part poodle and snouzer that has the same problem and i give her vitamins called Nutri-Vet Nutritionals Healthy Coat and After Bath Conditioner for dogs and cats and that helped alot she doesn’t chew or scratch herself to death any more i could only find these products at a pet store