What Does It Mean When Your Dog Licks Their Paws

Licking one paw may indicate a sudden injury.

There can be several reasons as to why your pet is suddenly licking his paws. Not only does excessive licking cause discomfort for your dog but it is often due to an underlying medical problem. And licking or chewing their paws can be their temporary drug to calm themselves or when they do not receive enough affection stimulation or play. If this is happening read on.

Even dogs that don t do a lot of self grooming will occasionally clean their paws. If your dog suddenly starts licking their paws then it is usually indicative of pain or irritation especially if they are licking only one paw. A limited ingredient diet is simply a type of dog food that contains a lower number of main ingredients than standard dog food which reduces the number of potential allergens. Maybe it s just water they re licking off or i live in california so my dogs sometimes get foxtail stuck in their paws says lucas.

If your dog s paw licking behavior is caused by food allergies switch your dog to a limited ingredient diet for about 12 weeks until all signs of the infection go away. Often times excessive licking of the paws is due to one of three underlying causes. It s normal behavior for dogs to lick their paws occasionally. However when a dog licks their paws constantly or concentrates on licking just the paw area it may be a sign that something is.

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If your dog is persistently licking his paws it clearly indicates that something is really bothering your furry friend. One common cause is allergies which means your pet may be allergic to pollen grass cleaning solutions or food that can cause intense itching on the paws. Allergies and parasites can cause itchy paws and aggressive licking. Dogs typically lick their paws as a part of self grooming.

If you find your dog licking excessively more frequently after trips to the park or a walk around the block it s likely they have an environmental allergy. If your dog is a fastidious groomer you may notice him licking his paws after meals while settling down for a nap or after coming in from outdoors after meals. Some dogs tend to be naturally anxious particularly rescue dogs who experienced abuse or neglect and will do anything like licking or chewing their limbs too much to alleviate their stress fear or anxiety. If the licking is limited to one paw then this often suggests that the source of trouble is right there on the paw.

Cheri wulff lucas a dog behavior specialist and rescuer suggests that the most common reason for dogs to lick their paws is because something is on or in them.