Pity the poor dog that constantly chews and bites its paws. At best this is a dog that has a serious need for some sort of entertainment; at worst, it is a dog with a serious medical problem. The responsibility of the owner is to determine what the problem is before he can solve it. It can take the owner and veterinarian working together to solve the chewing and biting issue, but given that this behavior leads to other issues, a solution needs to be found as quickly as possible.
There are a number of reasons why a dog may be chewing on its paws. Numerous health issues could be responsible, such as dry skin, allergies, and hormone imbalance. There are general issues such as fleas and ticks, grooming problems, or even that the animal is in pain. Some psychological issues can even be what may be responsible, such as fear, age, or even just plain boredom. Again, it can be relatively easy to determine the problem, and it is a problem that needs to be solved as quickly as possible for the continued health of the animal before it becomes a greater problem.
How Can I Get My Dog to Stop Licking Its Paws?
Getting a dog to stop chewing, biting, or licking its paws is actually relatively simple: figure out what the problem is and solve it. Once the problem has been determined, the behavior itself can then be dealt with to the benefit of the animal. By working with the veterinarian, it can be easy to determine the reason and effect a solution to the problem, be it adjusting grooming habits, finding something to entertain the animal, or just dealing with its health issues.
What To Do If Your Dog Licks His Paws Everyday?
If you notice that the dog is licking his paws every day, then start looking at the dog a little closer.
Start by checking the dog’s bed; you are looking for fleas and ticks. If you find some, then just give the dog a good flea bath.
Did you find that your pet has no bugs? Consider what kind of activities the dog does throughout the day. If the dog does nothing, then it may be time to play with the dog a bit more.
If you do not see any obvious problems, then it may be time to take the animal to the veterinarian.
Generally speaking, most of the issues are generally going to involve hygiene or activity. A good bath will take care of a lot of grooming problems; a good flea bath should eliminate any pests that could cause the issue. Also, consider the shampoo being used, because it is possible that the shampoo itself may be activating an allergy.
Changing the dog’s activities may also be worth pursuing. There is a certain psychology at work based on the age and boredom of the dog. Increasing your pet’s activity, such as taking the dog out for more walks and or even just playing with the dog more, may solve the problem.
Lastly, if those do not work then there may be a health issue behind the behavior. If that seems to be the case then it may be time to set up an appointment with the veterinarian. The veterinarian will look at the dog’s paws and determine what the problem is or which tests need to be considered. By talking out the situation with the veterinarian, a possible solution can be determined and worked towards.
So if you are asking yourself, what to do if your dog licks his paws every day then you need to figure out why and implement a solution. While this may sound obvious, this is needed to make sure that your dog is healthy, mentally and physically.
The sooner you figure out the problem the better!
Why Do Dogs Lick Their Paws Before Bed?
Sometimes a dog chew its paws just to relax. Just as humans have a number of rituals that they engage in before falling asleep, a dog may chew its paws to relax before falling asleep itself, especially if he has had a particularly stressful day. In that regard, it is just the same as a human reading a book or watching a television show.
It is still a relatively unhealthy habit, but not as bad as other reasons to chew paws.
Why Does My Dog Chew His Paws at Night?
Some dogs may experience some additional stress at night, possibly due to being confined or due to something as basic as too many sounds. The dog deals with this stress by chewing his paws. The owner can either let the dog out or night or make sure that the place where the dog sleeps is silent, and the dog should relax enough to stop chewing its paws when it retires to its bed.
What Foods Cause Dogs to Lick Their Paws
In some cases the dog may be chewing its paws due to dietary concerns; specifically, the dog may have allergies it is dealing with by itching or chewing.
You should eliminate some basic trigger foods, such as beef or wheat to see if that makes a difference.
If that appears to solve the problem, then the veterinarian can suggest a special diet to help with the itching.
Additionally, fatty acid supplements can help deal with dry skin problems and ensure a healthy coat.
Is It Bad If My Dog Licks His Paws?
Just like if the dog is chewing its paws until they bleed or if the dog is biting its paws and legs, licking its paws can be a sign of a more interesting problem. It is just another sign of the dog having issues that it is licking its paws. However, at least it is not as damaging as biting or chewing its paws.
The paws should be inspected in order to make sure that they are okay; it is possible that the dog is licking the paw because there may be a thorn or other irritant lodged in the paw. It could just be itchy due to a stray hair or dust.
If your dog does frequent licking, to the point of injury, it’s time to see the vet.
Should I Stop My Dog From Licking His Paws?
Yes, you should, if the behavior is so frequent that it is worrying.
The dog is obviously suffering from a problem and you should help it as soon as possible if you care about your animal. The animal’s suffering will only be alleviated when you figure out the problem and deal with it.
It may require a good bath, changing out the shampoo, playing with the animal, or even just a quick trip to the veterinarian, but the solution must be found and implemented.
So, if you are curious about what is your dog trying to tell you if they lick their paws, it is asking you to help it figure it out and resolve the problem.
How Can I Get My Dog To Stop Chewing His Paws?
If you ask yourself why does my dog keeps biting his paws, the reason is as simple as hygiene, stress, or health.
All you need to do to get the dog from chewing his paws is to figure out what the problem is and solve it. Once the solution has been implemented, the dog should stop chewing his paws in relatively short order.
It does not matter if the solution was to improve his hygiene, make him more relaxed, or deal with his medical issues. Dealing with the problem and solving it should stop him from chewing his paws.
Solving The Many Problems
There are a number of fixes to solve the problem of a dog giving its paws undue attention. With that in mind, it is just a matter of figuring out the problems and then charging into the solution. Fortunately, most of the problems have easy solutions. Again, careful observation, listening to the veterinarian, and spending more time with the dog in question may be sufficient to deal with most problems.
Here are some of the possible and most common reasons for a dog licking and chewing its paws:
- Dry Skin/Dermatitis: The dog’s skin needs to be better moisturized. This means that the dog is not getting enough bath time, or should be playing in water more. Another solution is to increase the number of fatty supplements in the dog’s food so as to provide more moisturized skin.
- Allergy: The first step should be to remove beef, wheat, or other dog allergens from the diet to see if that helps the problem. If that works then the owner should work with the veterinarian to work out a special diet. Also, fatty supplements in the food should help.
- Fear or Age-Related Problems: If there is an obvious reason for the fear, removing that source will solve the problem. In some cases, just treating the dog with more respect may solve the problem as well, especially if the owner owns multiple dogs.
- Boredom: The dog is spending too much time doing nothing. The dog just needs to be exercised more, played with more, or even just given something to play with. Another option is obtaining another dog so that the dog has someone to play with.
- Hormone Imbalance: This requires tests from the veterinarian, but if it is determined that there is some sort of hormone imbalance, such as a thyroid imbalance, then proper hormone therapy should deal with the problem.
- Grooming: This can be a sort of interesting problem. It may require more than a bath and a good brushing. It should be noted this is a good way to deal with boredom as well. Grooming increases the attention the dog receives, and thus helps it feel a little more loved as well.
- Fleas and Ticks: The dog may need. a thorough bath. Their bed may need to be washed and vacuumed. Or the dog may need to wear a good flea collar or given other medications to treat these pests. Of course, the dog also may need to stay in a little bit more, but this may cause its own problems if the dog is not entertained. You should also treat all other animals in the household by the same measure. This is to make sure that the pest problem is actually taken care of.
- In Pain: This is another that requires a trip to the veterinarian. The paw receiving the attention needs to be x-rayed to see if there is anything broken or wrong internally. It may be necessary to find a way to feed the dog pain relievers as well. Of course, it is possible that it could just be a thorn that was missed somehow.
- Parasitic Infestation: The dog may have an interior problem, such as some version of worms. This is another one that starts with a trip to the veterinarian. The veterinarian will give the owner pills that will need to be given to the dog. Standard preventative measures can eliminate this measure.
- Lack of Companionship: The dog may just lack companionship. Obtaining another dog may solve the problem. Interestingly, a stuffed animal may be enough to solve the problem.
- Outside Dog Forced Inside: One of the more unusual situations. Sometimes a dog that is used to spending all of its time outside may be forced inside. It may be thus depressed as it misses the open skies. Merely taking the dog for long walks may be sufficient, but the owner should set up some sort of run for the dog to obtain the proper amount of exercise. In some cases, however, the dog may need to actually be given a free run, even if it is just for a little while.
In Closing
A dog giving its paws undue attention through biting, chewing, or even licking them is suffering from some sort of problem. It may be an issue with parasites, stress, or even health.
An owner that can figure out those problems and solve them will see the dog no longer biting, chewing, or licking itself. It is just a matter of making sure that the dog and his bed have been cleaned, that he is made to feel safe and relaxed, and that he has been checked by a veterinarian.
Do these things, and you should see those problems disappear.
