Got an itchy dog, but likely no fleas? If you suspect dog allergies, here’s what may be bothering your pup:
- Acute allergies to insect bites or pesticides
- Environmental allergies to dust or cigarette smoke
- Seasonal allergies aka allergic dermatitis to pollen from trees and grasses
- Food allergies to inflammatory fillers like grains and carbs
- Food intolerances/sensitivities to certain proteins (like chicken, beef, lamb, etc.)
A study of 6,230 dogs in Ukraine confirmed allergic dermatitis surges in summer, especially among younger pups (1–3 years old).
Disclaimer: This blog post was originally published in 2015 and was republished in 2025.
So yes, you may have to go down a few rabbit holes to figure out what exactly causes your dog’s itchiness. But it’ll be worth it once you figure it out.
And yes, if fleas are a problem in your area, the post also covers what to do about them naturally.
Been there, experienced that.
I was once you!
Thankfully I learned not only how to manage dog allergies over the years, but also how to treat and significantly reduce them – without any harsh medications like Apoquel.
I’m really not a fan of Apoquel – especially not long-term – because it negatively impacts your dog’s immune system and can cause all sorts of other skin problems in dogs.
So in this blog post, I’m sharing everything I’ve learned about dog allergies over the course of the last 10 years!
Dog Allergy Symptoms
If you’re wondering if your dog is truly having allergy issues, look for any or all of these symptoms:
- Licking
- Chewing, and
- Scratching at his skin, belly, ears, and paws.
As a result, you’ll see red, raw skin on your pup: a rash.
Side note: A chewing or licking dog could also try to get rid of external parasites like ticks. Or, they could try to alleviate the itching caused by fleas or lice.
To help dogs with flea allergies, you can give them baths with Vet’s Best Flea and Tick Shampoo.
Also, my favorite way to naturally prevent fleas and ticks on dogs in the first place is this:
Mix 2 drops of Cedarwood Essential Oil with a teaspoon olive oil or any different carrier oil – sweet almond oil works great too. Then put some on your finger tips and run them down your dog’s sides, belly, legs and tail.
I do this every (other) morning – sometimes I forget – in Spring, Summer and Fall. Besides that, avoid piles of leaves because fleas love hanging out and nesting in them.
Gya Labs Cedarwood Essential Oil
✅ Repels bugs
✅ Safe for dogs
✅ Effective
Itching Dogs But No Fleas: What Causes Allergies In Dogs?
Besides flea bites, dog allergies can be caused by external factors like pollen and by interior ones like mold.
But they can also be caused by internal factors, like a low immune system caused by a poor dog food diet.
1. Environmental Allergies in Dogs
Acute Allergies
My Boxer mix Missy once developed a bad case of hives that covered her entire body, to include her face. This happened after a walk where she had rolled around on some grass.
Here’s what happened: She started scratching at her skin over and over soon after we came home from the walk.
A few hours later, the hives formed.
Of course this happened on a Saturday afternoon.
I forced myself to stay calm and started looking up possible causes on the various search engines.
I found out fairly quickly that Benadryl is an excellent antihistamine that’s safe to administer to dogs.
How to Administer Benadryl to Dogs
Benadryl should be administered as follows: 1 mg of Benadryl per 1 lb of dog weight.
One pill usually contains 25 mgs, and Missy weighed around 50 lbs, so I gave her two 25 mg pills of Benadryl.
I just shoved the initial 2 pills down her throat, because I was so anxious for her to get better asap.
I wrapped the following ones in a piece of cheese to make the experience a little more enjoyable for my little girl.
It’s safe to give Bendaryl three times per day, which I did for 2 days. It cured Missy of her case of hives 100%!
I am not sure at all what may have caused her allergic reaction.
The grass she rolled around on may have been treated with a pesticide, or she may have been stung by an insect.
Either way, I learned my lesson not to let the pups roll around on any grass, unless it’s on a lawn I KNOW has not been treated with any chemicals.
Ever since this case of hives, I also have Benadryl readily available in our doggie first aid kits at home and in my car.
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Benadryl Allergy
✅ Antihistamine that works fast
✅ Safe for dogs
✅ 1 g / lb of body weight
Seasonal Allergies
My pups Missy & Buzz’s predominant Boxer genes made them particularly prone to developing seasonal allergies.
That’s because Boxers are among the high-risk breeds for those types of dog allergies.
They both reacted to pollen within their first year of living with me.
It made them sneeze whenever we were outside during the spring months. They’d even wake up with discharge in and around their eyes, especially Buzz.
I’d make it a habit of brewing up a cup of camomile tea, soaking some up with a clean dish towel, and then gently wiping out their eyes.
It would get rid of the gunk while soothing the area around their eyes.
Other breeds prone to developing seasonal allergies are:
- Cocker Spaniels
- German Shepherds
- Irish Setters
- Dalmatians
- Bichon Frisés, and
- Chinese Shar-Peis, but obviously any dog regardless of breed can develop seasonal allergies.
Twinings Camomile Tea
✅ Soothes itchy face
✅ Gets rid of eye gunk
✅ Herbal tea, no caffeine
Year-Round Allergies
Dogs can develop intolerances of dust mites and mold spores just as we can.
So keeping your dog’s home dust and mold free is the simple, easy solution to this problem.
Yep, and that means it’s best to avoid carpets and invest in hardwood (like) flooring, or laminate products.
Where carpets can’t be avoided, regular, daily vacuuming is necessary, as well as regular dusting of all surfaces.
I also wash my dog beds weekly on the hot cycle of the washing machine.
P.S. Inflammatory, chronic skin diseases are known as atopic conditions.
You can also invest in a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate) filter for your Air Conditioning System.
Those filters remove 99.97 % of all airborne particles like dust, pollens, tobacco smoke, and pet dander.
They are used in medical facilities as well as in planes to prevent the spread of diseases, by the way.
If you don’t have air conditioning, you can still get relief by investing in a portable air purifier featuring a HEPA filter.
Or try a TRUE Hepa filter vacuum cleaner (avoid those with “Like-HEPA” filters).
P.S. The use of HEPA filters also benefits any humans that suffer from allergies, to include pet dander!
2. Poor Quality Dog Food Causes Low Immune System
While the Boxer genes most likely contributed to Missy’s & Buzz’s allergic reaction to the pollen, their highly processed, dry dog food made things worse.
During the pups’ first year with me, I was feeding Hill’s Science Diet.
That’s a below average dog food that contains a high percentage of grains and lots of fillers that are known to increase inflammation in the body.
After that, I switched to Blue Buffalo.
That’s a much better choice than Science Diet because it’s grain-free, but unfortunately it still contains artificial food coloring.
I then made the switch to healthier dog food lines.
For example, grain-free kibbles Great Life and Annamaet, as well as the air-dried, raw dog food ZiwiPeak from New Zealand.
Once they were on ZiwiPeak, the pups were no longer bothered by the extent of their initial seasonal allergies as the food seemed to make their immune system stronger.
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Ziwipeak Dog Food
✅ Air-dried raw
✅ High protein
✅ Grain-free
They would still sneeze occasionally and develop some eye discharge, but it was nowhere as bad as it was when I fed low-quality dog food.
Unfortunately, the main downside of ZiwiPeak’s air-dried raw food is that it’s expensive af for larger dogs.
Enter (homemade) raw dog food.
The Best Dog Food for Dogs with Allergies
Once I started feeding raw dog food, the pups’ seasonal allergies completely stopped, AND my dog food budget was back on track, too.
That’s because making your own raw dog food at home only costs a fraction of the price of commercial raw or air-dried dog food.
In my experience, a species-appropriate, raw diet is by far the best dog food for dogs with allergies.
I’ve been feeding it since 2015 and keep getting asked if raw dog food really makes a difference in itchy dogs.
Yep, it does.
Once people switch their pups over from kibble to raw, their dogs are like completely new pups!
I’m so happy that I invested the time and energy into researching potential causes of dog allergies instead of just accepting the fact that genetic predispositions were the sole culprit.
A healthy dog food diet creates a strong immune system in dogs. And that in turn will allow your dog’s body to get rid of harmful substances.
So yeah, investing a bit more into the right kind of dog food will not only keep your dog healthier, it will also minimize trips to your vet’s office, and keep your wallet fuller!
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Raw Paws Pet Food
✅ Frozen raw easy to feed
✅ Best food for dogs with allergy
✅ Supports the immune system
3. Food Allergies or Sensitivities In (Raw-Fed) Dog
True allergies to specific ingredients of a dog’s diet are not very common, and only occur in about 10% of dogs.
If you suspect that your (raw-fed) pooch does suffer from food allergies, you can take matters in your own hands by doing an elimination diet for dogs.
As its name suggests, you eliminate certain foods from your dog’s (raw) diet.
Here’s how to properly use the elimination diet to determine dog food allergies and sensitivities.
You can also take him to your vet’s office for dog allergy testing, or try an environmental sensitivity test from brands like Pet Medella or Glacier Peak Holistics.
Missy took the Pet Medella test.
My dog Wally, a 38 lb Feist mix, tried the Glacier Peak Holistics test. See the results of his test here – it was worth taking it!
Chronic ear infections may also be the symptoms of a food allergy.
Side note: There is a difference between true food allergies and food intolerance.
If your pup has diarrhea or vomits after they eat a specific dog food ingredient, it’s likely that their digestive system doesn’t tolerate it.
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Glacier Peak Holistics Dog Allergy Test
✅ Dog allergy testing
✅ Faster than elimination diets
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4. Raw-Fed Dogs with Food Sensitivities
I created a blog entry that focuses on recipes for dogs with food sensitivities and allergies like Wally!
That said, I put on my novel protein hat and whipped up special recipes for him and dogs like him.
The recipes don’t feature any of the foods he’s sensitive to, and they also don’t feature any turkey, beef, lamb, or salmon!
That’s because many dogs don’t do well with them either.
You can find them in the blog entry Raw Dog Food Recipes and Tips for Dogs with Allergies here.
Can Dogs Outgrow Food Sensitivities?
While true food allergies in dogs are generally considered lifelong, many reactions are better described as food sensitivities or intolerances.
In those cases, long-term avoidance of a trigger protein can allow the body to settle, which makes it possible for a dog’s response to that food to change over time.
I’ve experienced this firsthand with my pup Wally. After reacting strongly to certain proteins for years, I avoided them in his food completely for over six years.
When he later encountered one of those foods again, he didn’t itch — a reminder that sensitivities aren’t always as permanent as they feel in the moment.
I share Wally’s full food recovery story here, along with important caveats and considerations.
Fast Relief For Dog Itchiness With These Natural Products
While you implement the options I mentioned earlier, there are several options for soothing and relieving itchy doggie skin in the meantime:
Silver Wound Spray for Pets helps with hot spots and soothes skin irritations.
Speaking of hot spots, as my pup Wally gets older, he has them every now and then on his paws after a stretch of windy nights. As he’s gotten older, he’s developed a real dislike for the sound of wind, and when it picks up outside, he gets stressed and starts licking that same spot until it flares up.
Here’s a home remedy for hot spots from one of my German healing herbal books for dogs by Alexandra Nadig: a walnut tree leaf rinse.
Walnut leaves are rich in tannins, which have long been used to calm inflamed, itchy skin. Here’s how to make it:
- Take a walk and collect a few handfuls of fresh walnut tree leaves
- Chop the leaves and place them in a food storage container or mixing bowl
- Cover the leaves with boiling hot water and put the lid on
- Let it sit for about 90 minutes, until the liquid cools to lukewarm
- Strain out the leaves, keeping the rinse
Now you can apply the cooled rinse directly to the hot spot. Do that twice per day for a few days until the hot spot gets better. If the hot spot is on a paw, I recommend you place a towel under it while the paw dries.
Make sure to supervise your pup to keep them from licking at the paw!
There’s also a really good blog entry on Dogs Naturally Magazine that explains how to use Apple Cider Vinegar in various ways on your itchy dog.
Reasons for Dog Allergies: Bottom Line
So there you have it:
- Many dogs react to seasonal pollen, dust, or certain foods
- Flare-ups often spike in summer (proven by 2023 study)
- Processed kibble can make allergies worse
- A fresh, balanced raw diet + natural support can ease symptoms
Remember, if your dog is bothered by allergies, my favorite two fast lane options are dog allergy tests. For example:
How do you deal with your dog’s and/or your own allergies? As always, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section below this blog post!
Content Related to Dog Allergies
- Dog seizures, symptoms & treatments – how I handle them
- Can dogs outgrow food allergies and intolerances?
- Raw dog food recipes & tips for dogs with allergies
- Dog car anxiety: How to travel with an anxious dog
- How I got rid of my Foster dog’s skin allergies
- How to make dog popsicles with handles
- How to do an elimination diet for dogs
- Is raw Beaver OK to feed to dogs?
- Kangaroo raw dog food
Barbara Rivers is the founder of K9sOverCoffee and a raw feeding educator with over a decade of hands-on experience.
She has fed raw in the US and Europe since 2015, after her Boxer mix Missy’s cancer diagnosis led her to move away from processed kibble and commit to species-appropriate nutrition.
As a former professional dog walker, she developed deep insight into canine behavior, conditioning, and the essential link between proper exercise and long-term health.
Barbara completed online training with veterinarian Dr. Marion Smart and Labrador breeder Dana Scott and works for one of Germany’s leading raw dog food brands, BARFER’S.
In 2026–2027, she is completing a year-long raw nutrition certification for dogs and cats at THP School, founded by raw feeding pioneer Swanie Simon.
Through her blog and weekly newsletter, she provides clear, experience-based guidance to help dog owners feed raw safely and confidently.
We definitely have the allergies! But Maddie’s has gotten much better!
Glad to hear Maddie’s suffering less! Did you use any ointments, baths, or meds (or different food?) to fight the allergies?
Having allergies myself, I know what a hassle they are. Jack is itchy in the summer – I think it’s mostly dry skin, although he’s also allergic to chicken, but we just don’t give him ANYTHING with chicken in it.
Ugh, same here, I’m allergic to the kind of pollen flying around here in NC, making spring somewhat less enjoyable than it could be.
Poor Jack ~ but I know he’s in great hands with the Slimdoggy pack ;-)
Mr. N has a flea allergy which drives him insane. And me. He gets lots of baths and I’m punctual about his flea treatments.
Oh goodness, I can see how that would drive you both insane and why you are so diligent about preventative measures!
Thankfully none of us pets have any allergies. Mom has had allergies her whole life. She had injections for five years as a kid which cured them for about twenty years but one year they came back out of the blue. She now takes 1000 mg Vitamin D every day and it has stopped the allergies dead.
Thank you for sharing the Vitamin D tip ~ I may have to try that one and see if it’ll get rid of my pollen allergies!
Mom read an article about some drs suggesting it for children with allergies and shortly after a dr. told her to take if because in MN one doesn’t get enough sun, but coincidentally the allergies stopped. Mom has grass and ragweed allergies mostly, and when it is real bad out, she does feel a very light itch in her eyes and a hint of a runny nose but prior to the vitamin D it would have had her in bed as they were so bad. Just 1000 mg a day every day and it is working for her.
I always assumed that I got plenty of vitamin D being outside quite a bit here in sunny NC, but maybe it’s not enough after all? I will be looking more into this Vitamin D option.
I think food allergies are some of the most difficult to deal with. I have a pal who has a dog with them, and it has been quite the process. Our Golden used to have a flea allergy so we made sure to use flea preventative on him.
Yes, it can be quite the long process trying to figure out if and what kind of food a dog is allergic to.
I am all for preventative measures!
Luckily Rocco doesn’t have any allergies. However we did use Benedryl once when Rocco got stung by a bee and it relieved his symptoms almost immediately.
Rocco is lucky indeed! Isn’t Benadryl amazing??
I feel so lucky that I’ve never dealt with my own allergies or my dogs. But my husband had bad allergies when I met them.
They’ve gotten less severe over the years. I tease him that he became less allergic when he moved away from his mother. But I’m not sure it was a joke. There may also be an emotional element to allergies, at least for humans.
I have never made a connection between emotions and allergies, but it actually sounds plausible now that you got me thinking about it. Very interesting!
Bentley has allergies and we keep him on a cool protein diet and it helps tremendously.
I remember you mentioning cool proteins in a blog post not too long ago ~ that was the first time I had heard about that classification of proteins! Very cool to hear that it helps! It’s really amazing what food can do.
Ace gets itchy skin and hot spots a few times per year, usually in the hotter months. We never really know what causes it. I suspected a food allergy for a long time but since it’s only in the summer it must be related to some sort of pollen or bug bites or even just hot weather. I don’t really know.
Benadryl seems to help him some, like you said. Also, giving him a bath with a natural, fragrance-free shampoo seems to help. He doesn’t enjoy the bath but I think it gives his skin some relief.
Sorry to hear that Ace gets itchy in the hotter months/it would make sense to assume that it’s likely related to some sort of summer wildlife.
One of my clients has a Bichon who has terrible skin allergies. She’s able to offer him a good amount of relief by rubbing him down with a cool, wet cloth, giving some some Benadryl, spraying a little Bactine on his hot spots, and putting him in a doggie t-shirt to avoid any scratching. It works amazingly well for several hours, but has to be repeated.
I will definitely try this as we have walnut trees/leaves readily available. I notice our field lab gets irritated elbow calluses in summer. Guessing its a combination of little bit of yeast from frequent swimming and also his desire to lay on cooler concrete or other hard surfaces in summer (vs a bed, etc). He then licks and scratches them. As an aside, he is totally raw-fed. Thanks for the great content!
Hi Karen, happy to help, and glad to hear your pup is raw-fed! I’ll be making sure to dry some walnut leaves to make sure I have some readily available in winter. Also, I just learned that you can grind dried walnut leaves and top your dog’s food off with them, which is supposed to help protect against intestinal parasites.