Shiba Inu over-grooming & bald patches advice

Bald patches on the flanks from over-grooming are a sign that something behavioural or stress-related is driving this — not a dietary deficiency — so I want to be straight with you upfront: a skin and coat supplement alone won't stop the grooming. That said, supporting skin resilience while you address the underlying anxiety can genuinely help the affected areas recover more quickly. To give you the most useful steer, can you tell me: what's your Shiba currently eating, have there been any recent changes at home (new pet, move, schedule shift), and has a vet confirmed this is behavioural rather than ruled out a skin condition like ringworm or allergies?

That's a really clear picture, and it's helpful that your vet has already ruled out the physical causes. Orijen is excellent nutrition, so dietary deficiency isn't a factor here — the coat loss is purely down to the mechanical damage from licking. The question is twofold: can you calm the anxiety driving the behaviour, and can you support the skin barrier so the patches recover once the licking reduces? Given that combination, I'd suggest looking at a product that addresses both angles rather than a straight omega supplement.

I'd go with YuCALM Dog by Lintbells. It's a calming supplement — not a sedative — that uses a blend of L-theanine, lemon balm, and fish-derived protein to take the edge off anxiety without making your dog dopey. It won't fix the social dynamic with the new dog on its own, but for situational stress like a household change it has a solid evidence base and is widely used by vets. Critically for your situation, it also contains omega-3s from fish oil, so you're getting the skin-barrier support built in. Give it a full 4-week trial at the loading dose before judging results — the calming effect builds gradually. Alongside it, a behaviourist referral or even a structured reintroduction routine with the two dogs will be the thing that actually resolves the root cause long-term.

Yes — if the skin isn't broken or inflamed, a small amount of pure coconut oil rubbed in can help maintain moisture in the exposed skin and makes the area slightly less satisfying to lick due to the texture change. It's not a treatment, but it's harmless and practical. If the patches do become red, flaky, or start to look irritated at any point, go back to your vet — repeated licking can eventually break down the skin barrier and create a secondary hot spot even if it starts out clean. For now though, with intact non-inflamed skin and a confirmed behavioural cause, YuCALM plus the reintroduction work is your clearest path forward.

That's exactly the right call — the supplement handles the symptom support while the behaviourist work addresses what's actually driving it. Most Shibas respond well once the household tension settles; they're sensitive dogs but they do adapt. Give the YuCALM the full month and keep an eye on whether the licking frequency drops in weeks two and three — that's usually the first sign it's working, before the hair visibly recovers. Good luck with both of them.