I have a daschund who is 1 year and about 7 months. He is very eager and friendly and in really good shape. I switched him from Iams to Nutro a while ago, and the dandruff he used to have has completely gone away because his skin is of course better moistened. But just recently, I have begun to notice little bald spots on his tail. I thought at first that it was just dirt stuck there, but when it wouldn't come off I looked closer to discover the balding. He is also experiencing some balding on the backs of his ears. But everywhere else is fine. We live in Utah which is extremely dry, and for that reason we do not have any fleas. I use people shampoo on him from time to time, but I am very careful to wash it off entirely, I have also used it on my English pointer who hasn't had any reaction whatsoever, and in the past I used it on ferrets who were fine. One experienced balding, but she had a very serious thyroid disorder and the balding was evident everywhere. Otherwise than the balding, he is acting fine. I was just wondering if anyone could tell me what might be going on.

Hair loss and new foods spells out allergies possibly, your best bet is to talk to a vet about it.

No fleas in Utah? Must be heaven... LOL...
I agree it's probably allergy related. Sometimes dogs do not develop allergies until they reach adulthood, whereas puppies with allergies can grow out of them.
Think about the things you may have changed recently such as household cleaners, deodorizers, etc. Think about any treatments your yard may have had. It's a process of elimination...
Smaller dogs can be given children's Benadryl, and "hot spot" cream will soothe the itching and help heal the sores if any exist.
Consulting your vet is always recommended considering it could be health related like your ferrets thyroid disorder.
Keep us posted...

What does your Doxie look like? Baldness can also be genetic in some lines. Some folks just think it's allergies but not always. I have a blue Doxie who is losing his hair because it's a genetic thing with blues. Some lines just breed the hair right out of the dog with too many smooth coats. Just a thought.

Try not to bathe your dog too often and always use the recommended shampoo. I never use people shampoo on my dogs.

Could it be Mange? Apparently there is one type of Mange that is present in the dog from birth and another that can be transmitted from one dog to another. If the Vet suspects this condition, they have to scrape the skin and do lab tests. In some of the web sites I have visited, they have indicated a controversy as to the proper course of treatment. I hope it is not Mange.

Red mange is the one that animals are born with! It doesn't have a cure, but it flares up depending on the immune system of the animal, so it can be treated but not cured. It causes something similar to what you are describing!

I wouldn't rule out the possibility of another thyroid issue. It's quite common. Have you ever noticed him chewing his tail? Or does he slap things with it? How large are the patches? Or is it in a long pattern? You can find information on different causes sometimes by identifying the patterns left from the hair falling out.

Demodectic mange also called red mange usually shows up before the dog reaches adulthood. Try switching to an oatmeal shampoo made for dogs. You should never use human shampoo on dogs. It will dry out their skin and in some cases cause hair loss. If the hair loss started after switching foods it may be a food allergy.

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I switched him from Iams to Nutro a while ago, and the dandruff he used to have has completely gone away because his skin is of course better moistened.

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I don't know if the jury is in on this yet, but there's a lot of anecdotal evidence that there is a problem with Nutro. You might want to do a web search on that topic.

I also have a doxie he is 1 and a half yrs. Black/tan 12 lbs. happy, healthy, playful but balding! Took him to 2 vets for help and second vet brought out the doggie medical answer book and it said that he is suffering from pattern baldness. It's more common in female doxies but not limited to. Its similar to male pattern baldness in men, so its not hazardous to their health, just have to watch for sunburn. My Doxie is balding on his belly, temples, back of thighs, behind ears and chest, it started when he was 6 months. We feed him Solid Gold for small breed, wash him with baby puppy shampoo and it all makes no difference. Anyway I hope that helps. I have never met his parents, but the vet said they are likely to be balding in the same places.

I'm imagining that you're looking for any possible solution at this point, and something I've been hearing about came to mind. Now, I haven't used it on my puppy yet, but you might want to look into warren eckstein's 'hugs and kisses' supplements for skin and fur problems. He's the host of "the pet show," and he is usually really good about answering all kinds of questions like this one. You might even give him a call on his radio show, and he might even offer to send you some for free.

Well, you can check it out here:

Warren Eckstein - The Pet Show - www.worradionet.com - America's Most Trusted Pet Expert and Pet Humorist
Warren Eckstein's Hugs and Kisses Vitamin and Mineral Supplement and Treat for Pets - Cats and Dogs

Are you sure that he's not biting there on a regular basis? If so, I can give you another idea I heard about recently. If it's only a compulsive thing (not an underlying issue), you can even apply a little bitter yuck, which isn't made with alcohol so it won't irritate the skin, to the places that he's chewing. Let me know if any of this helped! We're thinking about you.