One of the questions we are asked most often is:

“My Staffy has suddenly become itchy. What do you think it could be?”

We should begin by saying that the Wolfpack do not suffer with ongoing skin allergies. Over the years, however, we have dealt with occasional rashes, reactions, sore patches and irritated skin. Those experiences have taught us to look at the whole dog before assuming the problem must be a hereditary allergy.

We are not vets, and this article is not intended to replace professional veterinary advice. It is simply the practical approach we have developed after many years of living with and breeding Staffordshire Bull Terriers.

When one of our dogs develops itchy or irritated skin, we work through what we call The Wolfpack Big Five.

The Wolfpack Big Five

The five things we look at are:

1. Diet
2. Flea and tick treatments
3. Stress, happiness and stimulation
4. Walking and exercise areas
5. Household cleaning products

Rather than focusing only on the sore skin, we ask what may have changed in the dog’s life.

1. Diet

Food is one of the first places we look.

For us, chicken would be the first ingredient we removed while investigating a possible sensitivity.

Every dog is different, but we have seen one of our own dogs improve greatly after chicken was taken out of her diet.

Billie developed loose stools and irritated skin around her eyes, mouth, chest and armpits. At the same time, there had been quite a lot of change in her life.

Declan had moved from his flat in Manchester back to the family home before later moving into his new house. Billie had therefore experienced changes in her home, routine and surroundings.

We removed chicken from her diet and allowed her time to settle into a calmer routine.

Her skin is now perfect.

Was chicken the only cause?

We honestly do not know.

Stress may also have played a part. More than one thing may have been contributing at the same time.

That is why we encourage people to think like detectives rather than immediately blaming one ingredient or accepting that their dog must have a lifelong allergy.

What We Feed the Wolfpack

The adult Wolfpack are usually fed once a day, at around 4.30 pm.

Their main food is a salmon and sweet potato hypoallergenic working-dog kibble from Lancashire Pet Food.

We mix it with different fresh foods, including:

• Butcher’s meat offcuts
• Beef mince
• Pork mince
• Sardines
• Scrambled eggs from Ebo and our hens
• Occasional roast chicken for dogs that tolerate it

We also sometimes add grated cheese, natural yoghurt, salmon oil or Can9 supplement powder.

Growing puppies from around 16 weeks to one year are fed the puppy version twice daily. Very young puppies are fed four times a day and may also have goat’s milk or puppy milk powder.

The important thing is not that every owner should copy our exact routine. It is that diet should be considered carefully whenever skin irritation appears.

2. Flea and Tick Treatments

This can be a sensitive subject, but we would be doing readers a disservice if we ignored our own experiences.

We have had three young Wolfpack dogs react after parasite treatments.

Two reacted following spot-on treatments.

One reacted following an oral flea treatment.

Their skin settled after the treatments were stopped under veterinary guidance.

That does not mean every flea or tick treatment is unsuitable. These products protect many dogs from parasites and the diseases they can carry.

However, like any medication, they may not suit every individual dog.

If itching, redness or skin irritation begins soon after a flea or tick treatment, make a note of:

• The product used
• The date it was given
• When the symptoms began
• Where the irritation appeared
• Whether anything else changed at the same time

Take that information to your vet.

Do not stop prescribed treatment without speaking to your vet first, but do not be afraid to ask whether the timing could be relevant.

3. Is Your Dog Happy and Fulfilled?

This is a more difficult subject to raise, but we believe it matters.

Is the dog happy?

Is the dog settled?

Is it receiving enough exercise, stimulation and attention?

Staffies adore cuddling on the sofa, sleeping under blankets and being close to their people. That relaxed sofa time usually comes after a good walk, plenty of sniffing, play and the opportunity to use their brains.

They are affectionate family dogs, but they are also energetic terriers.

We sometimes see videos online of dogs repeatedly chasing their own tails or having frantic bursts of energy around a small room. It may look amusing, but persistent behaviour like that can sometimes indicate boredom, frustration, stress or a lack of suitable stimulation.

It can also have a medical cause, so repeated or obsessive behaviour should be discussed with a vet or qualified behaviourist.

When investigating skin problems, we look honestly at the dog’s whole routine.

Has something changed at home?

Has someone moved in or out?

Has the dog lost a companion?

Is it spending more time alone?

Has exercise been reduced?

Is the dog being allowed to sniff, explore and behave like a dog?

Stress may not always be the sole cause of sore skin, but it can be part of the picture.

4. Has Anything Changed on Your Walks?

The next thing we examine is where the dog has been walking.

Have you recently started using a new route?

Has the dog been running through long grass?

Has a field recently been cut or sprayed?

Has the dog been in crop fields, woodland, nettles or unfamiliar vegetation?

Has it been swimming somewhere new?

Sometimes we cannot know exactly what a dog has brushed against.

The Wolfpack charge through fields, hedges, brambles and nettles without giving much thought to the consequences. A red patch may be caused by simple contact irritation, scratches or nettle rash rather than an allergy.

If we suspect something from a particular area, we avoid that route for a while and rinse the dog after walks.

We have an outdoor warm-water mixer shower, which is extremely useful for washing off:

• Mud
• Beach sand
• Salt water
• Pollen
• Plant material
• Anything the dogs may have rolled in
• Anything we suspect may have been sprayed on the land

If your dog suddenly becomes itchy after visiting a new place, the walking area deserves closer attention.

5. Cleaning Products Around the Home

Household cleaning products are easy to overlook.

Dogs spend far more time lying on floors than people do. They walk across freshly cleaned surfaces and then lick their paws.

We personally avoid heavily fragranced disinfectants such as Zoflora around the Wolfpack.

Julie mainly uses white vinegar and diluted bleach where appropriate.

We do not rely on one particular brand. The most important part of our routine is making sure any cleaned area is completely dry before the dogs are allowed back into it.

If a dog suddenly develops irritated paws, a sore belly or redness on areas that regularly touch the floor, think about whether you have recently changed:

• Floor cleaner
• Laundry detergent
• Fabric spray
• Carpet cleaner
• Disinfectant
• Dog-bed cleaner
• Air freshener

Sometimes the simplest change is the easiest one to miss.

Our Big Five Reset

When we genuinely suspect that several things may be contributing, our instinct is to simplify everything at once.

That may mean:

• Removing chicken from the diet
• Discussing flea or tick treatment with the vet
• Increasing suitable exercise and mental stimulation
• Changing household cleaning products
• Avoiding a particular walking area

We then allow the dog time to settle and recover.

This may not immediately reveal which factor was responsible, but our first priority is getting the dog comfortable again.

Once the skin has settled, individual factors can be considered more carefully with veterinary guidance.

Living With a Tank

Anyone who owns a Staffy will understand this section.

Staffies are physically tough, mentally soft and often completely unaware of their own strength.

Tommy once ran headfirst into a bin hard enough to dent it.

The bin came off worse.

The Wolfpack run through nettles, crash through undergrowth, wrestle with each other and return home covered in little scratches and scabs.

Not every red mark is an allergy.

Sometimes it is simply evidence of another enthusiastic day being a Staffy.

War Wounds, Scratches and Nettle Rash

Small scratches and scrapes are part of life with active dogs.

Our routine is usually very simple:

• Clean the area with diluted Hibiscrub when needed
• Allow the wound to dry naturally
• Use a small amount of Sudocrem where appropriate
• Stop the dog and the rest of the pack from licking it constantly

We often find that minor wounds heal more quickly when they are clean, dry and left alone.

The difficulty in a multi-dog household is that every other Staffy immediately becomes a miniature doctor.

They all want to inspect the injury and lick it better.

Unfortunately, constant licking can keep the area damp and slow healing.

We only use recovery clothing or cones when absolutely necessary.

We prefer body suits to hard plastic cones whenever possible. We have also found soft cones that are much more comfortable and dog-friendly than the rigid plastic versions.

On occasion, we have had to separate an injured dog from the rest of the pack for a few days.

This also creates the perfect opportunity for someone to have a Staffy bed partner while they recover.

Bath Time

The Wolfpack are generally bathed around once a month.

They receive extra baths or rinses after:

• Rolling in fox poo
• Rolling on dead animals
• Muddy walks
• Beach trips
• Running through questionable farm water
• Contact with anything we suspect may irritate their skin

We usually use Johnson’s Baby Shampoo.

Hibiscrub is kept for specific irritated patches or minor wounds rather than routine full-body washing.

Over-bathing can strip natural oils from the skin, so we do not wash the dogs simply for the sake of it.

Sometimes a thorough rinse with clean warm water is all that is needed.

Could It Be More Than One Thing?

Billie’s experience taught us an important lesson.

It is tempting to search for one clear cause.

Sometimes there is not one.

A dog may have eaten something that does not agree with it while also experiencing stress, walking through sprayed grass and being exposed to a new cleaning product.

That is why timing matters.

Ask yourself:

• When did the itching begin?
• What changed in the previous days or weeks?
• Was a treatment recently given?
• Did the diet change?
• Did the dog visit somewhere new?
• Did anything change at home?
• Is the dog otherwise happy and well?

The answers may reveal a pattern.

When Should You Contact Your Vet?

Skin irritation is not always something to manage at home.

Contact your vet if your dog:

• Seems unwell
• Is in pain
• Has swelling around the eyes, mouth or face
• Develops open sores or widespread redness
• Is bleeding
• Has discharge, pus or a bad smell from the skin
• Is scratching or chewing continuously
• Develops symptoms soon after medication
• Has breathing difficulties
• Is not improving
• Has recurring skin problems

Sudden facial swelling, breathing difficulty or collapse should be treated as an emergency.

The Wolfpack View

We are not suggesting that hereditary allergies do not exist.

They do.

We simply believe that owners should look carefully at the dog’s diet, treatments, environment, happiness and daily routine before assuming that every itchy Staffy has a permanent condition.

Ask questions.

Keep notes.

Look at what changed.

Give the dog time to recover.

Most importantly, look at the whole dog rather than only the sore patch.

That is the thinking behind The Wolfpack Big Five.

Has Your Staffy Ever Had Itchy Skin?

We know how frustrating it can be trying to work out what is causing a dog’s irritated skin. We hope the Wolfpack Big Five gives you a useful place to begin and helps you look at the whole picture.

You can follow the Wolfpack on Youtube, Facebook and Instagram, where we regularly share our experiences of living with and raising Staffordshire Bull Terriers.

Ian, Julie & the Wolfpack ❤️🐾