Dog Licking Paws: Should You Be Worried?

Lisa Mason's picture

Dog licking paws is a common action that can often be frustrating for dog owners. The sound they make when licking their paws can be very disturbing especially during the night when you're trying to sleep. However, it's important to know that dogs lick their paws for many different reasons. That's why it's so important for you to find out why they're licking their paws especially, if it's something new they just started doing.

The first thing that you should do is check your pets paws to see if there is any cuts, sores, or foreign objects in the pad or between the toes. Dog licking paws often occurs when they have some type of injury and they're trying to help heal it.
If you can't find any injury and your pet is licking both his paws, then it could be a sign of allergies. It would be a good idea to take your pet in for a check-up to find out if there is an injury that you missed or if allergies or parasites are present. It's possible for a splinter or throne to get imbedded so deep into the paw that you can can't see it.

If there is nothing physically wrong with your pet making him lick his paws, then it could simply be a habit that he picked up from being bored. If he only does it for a few minutes after being outside, then it's probably nothing to worry about. He may simply be cleaning his paws. However, dog licking paws excessively could be a serious problem or cause a problem such as dermatitis.

For this reason, it's recommended that you take your pet to the vet to look for any medical problems that may be causing the licking. If it turns out to be a behavior problem that's out of hand, then you can consider seeking professional help to teach your dog how to break this habit.