Winnie does not need to use her paws to make the itching worse.

The six-year-old Shih Tzu mix has found another way.

She stands beside the wall of her shelter kennel, turns her head, and presses the swollen side of her face against it.

Then she begins walking.

Slowly at first.

Her cheek drags along the wall.

So does the irritated skin around her muzzle.

Winnie reaches the end, stops, repositions herself, and tries again.

The same skin that is already inflamed, nearly hairless, and being treated for infection is being rubbed against a hard surface over and over.

Eventually, she has to be interrupted before she injures it further.

Winnie stops.

She sits beside the wall.

Her body trembles lightly.

For a few minutes, nothing happens.

Then her head turns.

Her swollen cheek moves toward the wall again.

Whatever sensation Winnie is trying to relieve has already returned.

One Side of Winnie's Face Looks Completely Different

The swelling is difficult to miss.

Around one eye and along part of her muzzle, the skin is visibly irritated.

Large patches have lost their normal coat.

The exposed skin looks inflamed and uncomfortable.

For a Shih Tzu, whose face would normally be surrounded by hair, the change is especially obvious.

But appearance is only the beginning of Winnie's problem.

The itching seems almost impossible for her to ignore.

She Can Be Sitting Quietly When It Starts

There is not always an obvious external trigger.

Winnie may be resting.

Watching the hallway.

Standing near her bed.

Then her head turns sharply toward the affected side.

She pauses.

A moment later, she walks toward the wall.

Her Cheek Makes Contact First

Winnie does not simply lean against it.

She pushes the side of her face into the surface.

Then she steps forward while maintaining pressure.

Her body moves.

Her face drags.

Sometimes she tilts her head slightly to change which part of the irritated area touches the wall.

It is a remarkably effective way to scratch somewhere she cannot easily reach with precision.

Unfortunately, it is also a way to damage already compromised skin.

The First Rub May Look Like Relief

For a moment, Winnie seems focused entirely on the sensation.

She keeps moving.

The pressure and friction may temporarily interrupt the itch.

Then she turns and attempts another pass.

That is where the behavior becomes dangerous.