Why Do Dogs Pant And Scratch?

It is common to observe that dogs pant and scratch, one would definitely wants to know why they do that. One cannot imagine a dog that does not pant and they have a charming way of doing it. This is what they do if they don't sniff or bark. When dogs scratch, it must be the itch and while it is the single cause of scratching which is common in both humans and dogs but there are many reasons why dogs itch.

Too much importance is not given to dog's panting since it is the most natural thing in the world. Whether one likes it or not but there are certain episodes of panting that may not give a good feeling. There are various reasons because of which dogs pant.

Dogs mostly pant to regulate temperature. They pant because they do not sweat and they cannot regulate their body temperature in any other way so panting it a natural way of cooling themselves.

Dogs also pant as a response to anxiety because of being a sensitive animal; they easily get disturbed by noises and most unnatural movements in their surroundings. Lung infection is also a sign of dog's panting because they also get respiratory diseases. A dog may also pant if it has anemia. It can't breathe smoothly it lacks enough red blood cells.


A dog scratches because of several reasons. It can be because of fleas and other parasites because they live off the dog's skin. It can be due to its immediate environment. If the dog loves to play under the sun in the grass, ground or sand, it can come home scratching excitedly. These are the causes of a great deal of itching for many dogs. Diet can also be one of the reason and sometimes pet dogs get skin rashes even with commercial dog food if it is not of good quality. Itchy surfaces can definitely provoke the dogs to scratch, some textile like rugs and mats cause itching to many dogs. Dogs scratch that part of their body which is wet after a bath. Allergy is also the cause because some dogs don't get adapted to their environment so they get allergic to the wind, carpet, sofa and other surfaces. Besides this, bacterial Infection is also the reason as most dogs are prone to it especially if they are not healthy.

Dogs won't pant and scratch if they are given good care like giving them bath with special dog shampoo, using cool water in bathing the dog and giving them fatty acid supplements. There is no way that a dog can be stopped from panting and scratching but it can be of course lessened.