Dog Licking Paws Uncontrollably? Here’s What To Do About It

- July 15, 2022
- Bill DAlessandro
- 21 Comments
Is the sound of a dog licking paws becoming the norm in your house? Are you being woken up at night by that jarring toe-slurping noise? Does your dog chew their paws and generally obsess over their feet? Don’t worry, we’ve got solutions for excessive paw licking! Read on to find out why your dog keeps licking their paws, and how to stop this common behavior.
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When Should I Worry About My Dog’s Paw Licking?
It’s totally normal for your dog to lick their paws occasionally as normal self-grooming, especially after a muddy walk or whenever their paws might be dirty. However, licking paws excessively is cause for concern and can indicate a number of health issues which should be addressed quickly, before the licking behavior causes a hot spot or skin infection between the toes.
Look out for these signs of harmful paw licking:
- Lick granulomas or hot spots — extreme licking can cause these painful lesions, which often result in a secondary infection
- Limping — can indicate a wound or foreign object in the affected paw
- Paw chewing — chewing feet beyond normal grooming habits
- Red and irritated skin — particularly paws red between toes
- Bleeding paws — licking paws until they bleed is a red flag
Any of these symptoms require further attention and possibly a vet visit!

Bailey was licking her paws all the time, making them red and inflamed, until her mom tried Paw Soother. @bluestaffybailey
Why Do Dogs Lick Their Paws Raw?
Paw licking can be caused by something as simple as a foreign object stuck between the toes or a cut paw pad. If the licking is persistent and neither of these simple issues are to blame, here are five common causes of paw irritation:

Salts and de-icing chemicals are not friendly to dogs’ paw pads.
Allergies and irritants:
Depending on where you live, your dog may be exposed to dozens of various pollens, mites, spores and other allergens which can trigger environmental allergies. Since your dog’s paws are constantly in contact with surfaces where these allergens can land, itchy paws are a common indicator of environmental sensitivities. Food allergies can also cause itchy allergic reactions in the skin and paws.
Winter ground hazards such as salt and de-icing chemicals can further irritate a dog’s sensitive paws, leading to excessive licking as they attempt to clean their painful paws. On warm summer days, hot pavement can burn a dog’s paw pads, causing pain and potentially a bacterial infection if not treated promptly. Also, some household cleaning products can cause your pets paw irritation, so take note if you’ve recently used anything new on your floors or laundry.
Yeast infections:
Yeast dermatitis is a common inflammatory fungal infection that can occur in warm, moist areas, including between the paw pads. A yeast infection happens when the skin overproduces certain types of normally-harmless yeast cells and becomes extremely itchy. Licking itchy paws can cause a secondary bacterial infection which makes skin even more irritated—a vicious cycle that often requires antifungal medication to control.
Besides itchiness and inflammation, one of the key symptoms of a yeast infection is rancid, rotten-smelling skin—it smells really bad. Dogs with a lot of skin folds, like Bulldogs and Pugs, are predisposed to this type of infection.
Yeast infections often indicate a compromised immune system, so it’s important to investigate their root cause. If you think your dog’s itchy skin may be caused by a yeast, head to your vet for a skin scrape and prescription anti-fungal to combat it.

Dry paw pads are very uncomfortable and can cause excessive paw licking.
Dry skin and related conditions:
In winter months, humidity is low both in our homes and outdoors, which can cause dry skin in dogs and humans alike. Dog with dry paw pads may lick them to relieve the itching.
Paw pad hyperkeratosis is a common skin condition in dogs that results in thickened skin on dog paws; it will usually become evident in the first few years of their life. The excess keratin on these dogs’ paws makes their paw pads extremely thick and dry to the point that even walking can be painful.

Older dogs may lick their paws in an attempt to relieve pains caused by arthritis.
Pain and arthritis:
Dogs have a strong instinct to lick and clean their wounds, even if there isn’t an actual wound to clean. A dog with painful paws may lick them to try and soothe the pain. If you notice that your dog is also stiff, reluctant to play, losing weight, or generally more grumpy than normal, take a trip to the vet to determine the underlying cause.
Anxiety:
Licking is a self-soothing act for dogs, so a dog who feels anxious or nervous may obsessively lick their feet to try and relieve these stressful feelings. Other signs of anxiety include compulsive behaviors like pacing, excessive panting or drooling, avoiding interaction, and unusual vocalizations. Separation anxiety in particular can result in self-destructive behaviors like obsessive-compulsive paw-licking, so consult with a behaviorist if you think your dog is dealing with anxiety.
How To Stop Your Dog From Licking Paws
Before you can truly help your dog, you need to figure out what’s causing all the licking. Here are a few steps that will help you identify the underlying issue and determine if you should call you your vet.
Check for injuries, debris, and bites.

Checking between your dogs’ paw pads is a good habit to get into, especially in winter.
The first thing you should do is inspect your dog’s feet. Do you see any foreign objects like glass, pebbles, seeds, or ice balls? Is a burr stuck between its toes? If the paw pad is cut or bleeding, then your dog is probably licking to clean the wound. If the paw pad is cracked or skin is inflamed, it’s likely your pup is suffering from either dry skin, allergies, or an insect bite. Rinse dirty paws with cool, clean water and follow up with a grooming wipe to be sure all irritants are eliminated.
Treat symptoms with an all-natural balm.
Chewing on irritated paws can make the problem worse, so it’s important to help your dog manage the symptoms while you investigate the root issue.
A high quality soothing balm is one of the best ways to reduce itchiness and start the healing process. Once applied, try brushing or distracting your dog for about five to ten minutes so that most of the balm soaks into the skin. Natural Dog Company’s Paw Soother is a great solution for itchy paws caused by allergies, environmental irritations, paw pad hyperkeratosis, and more.
Snickers has had an obsession with paw licking ever since he was a youngster. As a result, he often gets nasty fungal infections on his paws and his pads had become severely dried out. We have tried multiple other ointments but nothing helped. However, after applying Paw Soother and Skin Soother twice a day for a week, the results were amazing! Snickers’ fungal infection is gone and his pads look better and feel softer than ever before. — Rachel; Bethlehem, PA
When To See Your Vet About Itchy Dog Paws
If the paw licking hasn’t lessened after a week or so, or if your dog is showing other concerning symptoms, consult with your veterinarian. Some conditions, like allergies or hyperkeratosis, can be easily managed with good habits, soothing balms, and limited ingredient dog foods. But others, like arthritis or chronic yeast infections, require more intensive care and can be far more uncomfortable for your canine friend.
Real Results With Paw Soother
Natural Dog Company Paw Soother is an ideal all-natural solution for itchy paws, and the reviews speak for themselves! If you’re dealing with constant paw-licking due to dry paws, paw pad hyperkeratosis, allergies, minor wounds, extreme weather, or other common paw issues, try our Pawdicure Pack for the best deal on all-around paw health.
I am very particular when it comes to products that I use on my dog because Frenchies are prone to being pretty sensitive and can have a lot of allergies. I wanted something that was as natural as possible and wasn’t going to cause further issues with his problems areas. Since the weather has gotten a little colder and wetter, in between the pads on Winston’s paws were becoming raw and irritated.
Within 4 days of using the Paw Soother, the raw and irritated skin on his paws completely cleared up! I absolutely LOVE these products and will definitely be buying more! — Blake; Cleveland, OH
My dog is licking the tops of her front paws and her legs above them. She doesn’t want to play frisbee anymore but has shown no limping while walking and running.
The article above has some great tips on what to do once your realize your pup is an excessive licker! Our Paw Soother balm is one of the best ways to reduce itchiness and start the healing process. Let the balm do the soothing for them so they don’t feel the need to lick themselves!
Hi
My dog isn’t licking her paws, she’s licking the top of her back paws. Would the balm help her?
Yep! Paw Soother can help with relieving irritation on top of the paw as well as the pads. It’s also great for moisturizing your pup’s elbows!
https://shop.naturaldogcompany.com/products/paw-soother-tin
My dog has itchy paws and I’m going to order this balm. It looks very useful indeed. Thank you.
Hi, Wendy! Thanks for giving our balm a chance to help your pup feel better. Please keep us posted on the results, and let us know if you have questions! Our email is [email protected]
Paws crossed for success!! 🐾💜
Do you have anywhere in Canada where I can buy direct? I go onto the website for .ca and I am on a US site, so just kind of confused. I am looking to purchase the Skin Soother (awesome) and the Skin & Coat vitamins. Skin soother I bought on Amazon a while ago, and it’s a miracle worker. Even my fur baby’s dermatologist was intrigued, and took a picture for reference….yeah. So, that’s my question.
Thanks for such awesome pawsome products!
JoAnn & Snoops
Hi, JoAnn! We’re happy to hear Skin Soother is helping your pup! Check out our store locator page to see if there’s a store near you. If not, we can ship directly to you from our US facility. If you have other questions, please feel free to email [email protected] for a quicker reply.
https://shop.naturaldogcompany.com/pages/store-locator
My dog has a circle spot on the top part of her paw she licks it and now his naw looking now she’s doing the other paw the same way she licks it alot and it hurts her
We’re sorry to hear that your pup’s paws are hurting! Give Paw Soother a try and we’re confident she’ll feel better.
https://shop.naturaldogcompany.com/products/paw-soother-tin
Where are your products made?
Hello, Jane! Our products are manufactured here in the US, and ship from our facility in Charlotte, NC.
Hi, I’m very curious about my dog . She is a 5month old chihuahua and has started to lick her paws and fur every evening, could it be that she feels dirty?(even though she takes a bath 2-3 time a week) should I be concerned?😣
And! Sorry I forgot to add this but I checked her paws and fur and everything she doesn’t seem to have any sort of irritation or anything.
Hi Stacey, thanks so much for reaching out. Pups can sometimes lick paws that are not irritated or hurt simply as a habit, to self soothe. Try to apply our Paw Soother 2-3 times a day- we’ll do the soothing for them! She shouldn’t feel the need to lick as often that way.
I have a Rhodesian Ridgeback mix who is almost 2 years old. We adopted him when he was 6 months old after being abandoned and found in an empty field. We recently moved into a bigger house with a huge yard and my poor boy is constantly licking and biting his paws to the point where he bleeds. He’s been on antibiotics and antihistamines to help with any infections but he only licks them since he can’t sleep in our room anymore. I purchased paw soother to help with his allergies and dry paws but he has giant open sores now and he loves the taste of paw soother! Help!
Thanks for reaching out, Jessica! Our balms are 100% all-natural, and no harm will come to your pup if it is ingested from licking. The key to deterring any excessive licking after the application is a positive distraction. A tasty gnawer, a kong filled with peanut butter, a favorite toy, or even waiting until your pup falls asleep can all keep their mind off the balm. It takes only about 10-15 minutes for full absorption, so you won’t need to distract for too long!
My boxer has really bad allergies food and other. His paws and toes are horrible? What to do?
Applying our soothing balm is one of the best ways to reduce itchiness and start the healing process. We suggest our Paw Soother, which is perfect for relieving irritation, reducing inflammation, and eliminating cysts between the digits that can be caused by allergies. Once applied, try distracting your dog for about five to ten minutes so that most of the balm soaks into their paws. We hope this helps!
Hi,
My dog has black toenails and even the vet can’t cut them. I think that is why my poodle licks and chews them. It doesn’t look like there is anything else wrong with his paws. How can I help him with his long toenails. I can’t cut them either but do you think your paw soother could possibly help with his long toenails. Thank you. Heather ([email protected])
Hi, Heather! Our balms are not formulated to reduce the length of your pup’s nails. However, if his licking and gnawing is due to irritation, the Paw Soother might provide relief, which might make him a little less anxious when it comes time to trim the nails.