For dogs, itching is a very uncomfortable feeling, and it can have many causes, including allergies or parasites. It is always best to seek medical attention if it is continual or severe enough.

It can be very concerning to have an excessive itching behavior, especially when seeing it happen in a puppy. Compulsive behaviors can be common for a lot of dogs, but understanding the cause behind it is the best way to figure out a proper solution.

It’s important to confront these behaviors head on, right when you notice them, as compulsive behaviors in puppies can carry into bad lifelong habits for many adult dogs.

In this article, I’ll go in depth on the most common causes of itchiness in beagle puppies, and will provide some of the best solutions too.

Where Do Beagles Itch The Most?

The location of a dog’s itching can sometimes be a hint to the cause. For example, if a dog is constantly scratching his ears, it’s a good sign that there might be an infection or some other ear-related problem going on.

If a beagle is scratching their back feet more often, there might be an issue with their paws, or it could be a sign of a parasite or something else bothering them in their legs.

Other common areas where beagle puppies will commonly scratch include the tail, and the back. Tail scratching can indicate injury, infection, or even constipation. Whereas back scratching is usually either food related, or also due to a parasite or foreign entity.

Read on to learn about the most common causes of itchiness, so that you can easily distinguish what it is that could cause this behavior in your beagle puppies.

What Causes Itchiness In Beagle Puppies?

There are a number of reasons why beagles may scratch excessively. Itchiness is not uncommon in small animals. Beagles are often affected by inflammatory skin conditions more than other breeds, which can cause the skin to secrete oils that also cause irritation.

Some of the main causes of itchiness in beagle puppies include:

• Skin Allergies

Beagles are known to have very sensitive coats, and sensitive immune systems. They are more likely than many other dog breeds to develop skin allergies.

Skin allergies are caused by the immune system mistakenly believing that it is fighting an infection. The result is that the body produces large amounts of antibodies, and can cause severe itching (and in some cases inflammation) as the antibodies continue to circulate through the body.

Some of the most common triggers for skin allergies include over-bathing, fabric softeners, weather changes, and certain types of plants that they can encounter on walks or hikes.

• Fleas

Infestations of fleas are common in beagles, due, in part, to their thick coats. These small insects can bite the dog, which causes irritation that leads to itchiness.

Fleas are also particularly pesky, because they can stay on beagles for long periods of time, and can transfer to other dogs in your household, or even to humans.

For this reason, you’ll want to be especially thorough when checking for fleas on your beagle, and will want to make sure they are on a good free preventative (see below for recommendations).

• Food Allergies

As with humans, food allergies can be a cause of severe itching in beagles. Beagles prone to allergic reactions are more likely to have symptoms when they are young puppies, but symptoms may persist throughout their lives.

Beagles are most commonly allergic to grains, which contain proteins that cause the body’s immune system to go into overdrive. Other common foods that beagles can be allergic to include chicken, beef, lamb, soy, or dairy products.

• Boredom or Anxiety

Beagles are very social animals, and require lots of stimulation. If they don’t get enough attention, or if they are left alone for extended periods of time, they can become anxious or bored.

Anxiety-driven behaviors tend to be repetitive in nature (such as biting or scratching) and can cause excessive itching due to increased skin sensitivity.

• Hormonal Imbalance

Hormonal imbalances are a common cause of itchiness in female dogs, and can be a cause of itching in both male and female beagles.

The imbalance causes an increase in estrogen, which can cause the skin to become drier and more sensitive. Some affected dogs have excess amounts of testosterone as well, which also causes the skin to become inflamed.

These imbalances can be rare if they come on suddenly, but as your puppy grows and matures into puberty, they may be more likely. This is especially true if your female beagle puppy makes it past her second heat cycle, or if they get spayed too early or too late.

As always, consulting with a vet regarding any hormone issues is the safest step that you can take, as every beagle’s hormone levels will be different and unique to their own genetic background and environments.

How To Stop Beagle Puppies From Scratching Themselves

There are a lot of different reasons why beagles can scratch themselves excessively, but fortunately, there are also a number of solutions that you can implement.

Below I’ll go over the best treatment options based on the most common causes for excessive scratching in beagle puppies:

• Try A New Diet To Eliminate Food Allergies

If you’ve noticed that your beagle puppy is prone to scratching themselves after eating, it’s probably because of an allergy.

I recommend feeding your beagle puppy a high-quality diet, with limited ingredients (such as grain-free dog food).

By eliminating one common allergen at a time, you’ll be able to better determine what exactly it is that your puppy could be allergic to.

If you take grain/gluten out of their diet for a week or two and the itching persists, you’ll know that it’s likely not a grain allergy. Next from there I’d move onto eliminating chicken, and so on.

Fortunately, because food allergies are so common in breeds like beagles, there are a lot of great allergy-friendly dog foods on the market. For my beagles, who are sensitive to chicken and some types of grain, I use Purina’s Salmon & Wild Rice blend, and they absolutely love it.

• Check For Ticks Or Fleas

Infestations of ticks or fleas can cause your beagle puppy to have a severe reaction, which can result in scratching and biting.

Whenever you get back from any hike or outing where your beagle is in tall grass, I’d recommend always checking for ticks and fleas before going back inside. It’s also smart to consider giving them a bath right after to be safe too.

In order to keep these pests from making your beagle sick, I recommend using a monthly preventative that kills both ticks and fleas.

Some of my favorites include:

K9 Advantix II – Small Dogs, 4-10 Pounds

K9 Advantix is one of the leading brands when it comes to flea and tick prevention, and for good reason.

They have esteemed reviews online, great customer service, and clearly care about their products for dog health.

Some highlights include:

• Packages come with 6 month-long doses, making it a worthwhile investment you only need to re-up for twice a year
• The formula is topical, so you don’t have to worry about getting your puppy to eat anything they don’t want to
• Starts working almost instantly, and can kill fleas within 12 hours of the first application.

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Frontline Plus Flea And Tick Treatment – Small Dog (5-22 lbs)

Frontline is another leader of the flea and tick space when it comes to small dogs and puppies.

This Flea & Tick Treatment is vet recommended specifically for puppies as small as 5 pounds in size, but can still be used for dogs of any stage in life as long as they are between 5 and 22 pounds.

Some highlights include:

• Waterproof treatment, meaning you won’t have to worry about keeping your puppy dry for hours after the first application
• Their formula is fortified to kill both adult fleas and ticks as well as eggs and larvae, in order to prevent any new infestations from spreading after the first application
• Long lasting formula, covering over 30 days per dose, allowing you to not have to worry about fleas and ticks for a whole month after applying

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Seresto Flea and Tick Collar For Dogs – 8 Month Prevention

If you don’t mind going with a collar, the Seresto Flea and Tick Collar is a great way to keep fleas away from your beagle for their entire childhood. It lasts up to 8 months of protection, and is veterinarian-recommended for dogs up to 18 pounds.

Some highlights include:

– Works through contact, so fleas don’t even have to bite your dog to be killed by the collar
– The collar is odorless and non-greasy, which means it won’t be a hindrance to your beagle on a day to day basis
– As an added bonus, the collar also helps to treat and control sarcoptic mange, and even kills lice.

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• Keep Them Busy With Puzzle Toys

Puzzle toys are another great way to keep your beagle busy enough that they don’t spend all their time scratching at themselves.

Once you get a puzzle toy that is interesting enough to keep your pup occupied, it will give them something fun to do without needing to start biting themselves.

Some of my favorite options include:

• ShenZhen Dog Puzzle Toy Feeder
• Nita Ottosson Hound Dog Brick Interactive Treat Puzzle Toy
• Pet Zone IQ Treat Ball

Between these 3 types of toys, your beagle will be able to entertain themselves for hours while inside. 

• Consider Probiotics To Boost Immune System And Skin Health

One of the most overlooked health supplements for dogs is probiotics.

Using a daily dose can help improve your beagle’s immune system and digestive health, which can in turn improve their overall skin and coat quality.

This will allow your beagle to fight off any infections that could be causing scratching or biting, and overall you’ll end up with a happier and healthier dog in the end.

Some of the probiotics I’ve tried to improve my beagle’s itchiness and coat quality (that they also love) include:

• Zesty Paws Probiotics for Gut Flora
• Pet Naturals of Vermont – Digestive Health Supplement
• Synergy Labs – Chewable Probiotic with 8 Strains of Beneficial Bacteria

When it comes to probiotics, it can be a little tricky to dial in the exact amount that’s right for your beagle, it’s best to try a few and see how your beagle reacts to each respective serving.

• Visit A Vet To Get Bloodwork Done

If the itching and scratching still persists after implementing all of the steps above, your puppy may very well be suffering from a hormonal imbalance.

As I said before, it’s best to consult with a vet in those situations as soon as possible.
Vets will be able to look for physical signs of a hormonal imbalance, and can order a blood test to confirm what these issues are.

Hormonal imbalances aren’t always serious, but they sometimes can be. It’s important to catch them early, especially if they are severe, so that you and your vet can devise a plan to help balance them and get your beagle’s health back on track.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, it’s important you don’t ignore your puppy’s scratching and biting.

While it may be cute in the beginning when they are tiny, eventually it can get out of hand and prevent them from enjoying a normal lifestyle of a beagle.

The methods above should help to get the issue under control, but if all else fails you should always consult with a vet for more complex or severe cases.