Why is my dog licking his paws

We devote a lot of attention to our dogs because we love them so much. And that’s why it’s important for us to know which dog behaviours are completely natural and which can indicate serious problems. One of the habits that is quite controversial concerns licking and biting paws.

You’ve probably witnessed your dog washing his paws many times, and this is not surprising, because licking or gently biting them is a common behaviour for pets. Dogs and cats, to a greater or lesser extent, take care of hygiene and “clean themselves”. Grooming behaviour is easy to notice as your dog will lick each of their paws; not focusing specifically one paw.

However, if you have noticed that the next day in a row your dog licks his paws (or only one paw) with great commitment or bites them and does it persistently as if he wanted to eat them, it is a sign for you that it is worth taking a closer look at your pet. The dog licks its paws for several reasons, but not all of them must herald serious problems. I will try to explain when and why the dog licks its paws.

Let’s have a look at some of the reasons which keep your dog licking their paws!

1. Psychological issues — Anxiety and stress, OCB, Boredom

Dogs, like people, may have a depressed mood and feel sadness, loneliness, anxiety and even depression. Excessive licking can be a compulsive disorder related to stress caused by any changes in our lives (e.g. a new baby or animal at home, death in the family, moving to another home), stress that occurs with the age of the dog (some dogs develop anxiety as they get older due to a decline in thinking, learning and memory) or when the pet does not receive adequate attention from the owners of the form of play or petting (boredom).

In such situations licking paws brings them relief and reduces stress hormone (cortisol) levels In the dog’s body — this activity is reassuring for them. Unfortunately, excessive compulsive licking can irritate the skin and lead to the formation of aching wounds and bacterial infections.

2. Bacterial infections

As mentioned above, regardless of whether your Doggy licks his paws because of itching, pain, or simply feels like it, it can eventually lead to skin problems or infections.

Bacteria accumulate on everyone, even the cleanest quadruped. And all thanks to the hair, which is located in the spaces between the toes.

Due to poor ventilation, they are a place where bacteria have a real paradise. From here, unfortunately, it’s a short way to various infections. Therefore, if with the excessive licking of the interdigital spaces, in addition to an unpleasant smell, you notice purulent changes on the dog’s paws, be sure to contact a veterinarian who can write an antibiotic, or suggest ways to prevent their recurrence in the future.

3. Allergies and fungal infection

Allergy is one of the most common causes of licking paws in dogs. Allergies can be seasonal or food-related, and can also be a reaction to the cleaning products we use at home. Dogs that suffer from food or environmental allergies will often lick themselves, especially in areas of the body that come in contact with the ground, such as the paws. These areas will often become red and inflamed, requiring immediate medical intervention to reduce the build-up of moisture-loving yeast or infection.

Seasonal allergies can be recognized by the fact that they manifest themselves at a certain time of year (usually in summer and autumn) and are the result of contact with an external allergen. If you notice your dog excessively licking his paws after going for a walk, it can be an allergy to something in his environment, because our dogs’ feet may itch or be irritated by allergies to grass, pollen, various plants or even mold.

Unlike people who have symptoms of this type of allergy affect the respiratory system, allergy in dogs occurs in the form of skin irritation or inflammation. Completely eliminating allergens is not always possible, but let’s do our best to prevent the consequences or mitigate the effects.

4. Pain and discomfort

One of the easily missed signs of pain is paw licking. Dogs tend to devote more attention to places on their bodies that are hurt or painful. Scratching, licking and biting sore paws can give them temporary relief. 

In this situation, you should carefully look at the entire paws with the pads, whether there are no wounds, cuts, abrasions, stuck foreign objects that should not be there (e.g. splinters, a blade of grass, glass, shards of grass and even insect stings) and look if the dog is not limping. Even if you do not find any signs of a wound, you should never ignore it. Paw licking can also be a sign of pain further up the leg.

It may happen that he is suffering from an internal injury like muscle sprain, arthritis or some type of inflammation or fracture. Dogs who overexert themselves can sprain their legs just like humans can.

5. Dry skin (Dermatitis)

During the winter or during the hot summer, the skin of dogs, like humans, may lose adequate moisture. And apparently the skin tends to dry, crack or irritate. Licking can be an attempt to moisturize dry places.

The causes of dry skin can be very different and affect you in different ways. The reason can be warm and dry air in our apartments during the heating season, cold, dry air outside, or some of the products we use. Dry skin in dogs is often caused by excessive bathing or grooming schedules, especially in products that contain strong chemicals and preservatives.

This strips their skin and hair of its natural oils — much like it does in humans if you wash your hair every day. It is worth applying strongly moisturizing, natural and organic balm once a day to very dry skin. Dry skin can also be a symptom of a fatty acid deficiency in the diet that helps maintain healthy skin and beautiful coat.

6. Salt, pesticides, chemicals used outdoors (especially during frosts)

Dog paws come into contact with many things and substrates with very different structures. If the feet after walks are itching, being licked, visibly irritated, … it’s very likely that they were in contact with the substance or irritant substrate — e.g. chemical fertilizers on lawns or even sand. The irritated delicate skin of the paws and their pillows can be the cause of their constant licking.

If your dog licks his paws only during the winters, then one of the possible causes can be his exposure to the deicing salts. Deicing salts are used to melt ice on driveways and roads, and when your dog gets exposed to these salts, it can lead to chemical burns on your dog’s feet.

7. Parasites

Invasion by external parasites can also cause this behaviour. Fleas, ticks and scabies are also a fairly common cause of skin itching. Flea saliva contains several potentially allergenic ingredients that can lead to so-called FAD (flea allergy dermatitis). This disease is seasonal and increases in the warm season. Lumps and pimples are formed on the skin, mainly in the lumbar-sacral region, head, sides of the body and abdomen.

8. Hormone Imbalance (Thyroid Related)

Hormonal imbalance in your dog can also be a reason for his excessive paw licking. When his body does not produce the required thyroid hormones in cases of hypothyroidism (too little) and hyperthyroidism (too much) it can result in hair thinning, shedding and loss of hair and can even lead to forming of red spots on these areas.

How to prevent/stop dog licking paws?

It is important to first establish the reason why your dog is licking their paws before trying to modify this behaviour. If your dog’s health is okay, try to distract you from licking, e.g. your favourite toy, chews, games or simply by a command (Do this whenever your pet wants to “consume” his paws).

An animal accustomed to licking will try to do so with every attention. Ensure you are meeting your dog daily exercise quota. Spend time working on training and play some brain games. Try to pay him more attention. Give more toys, teethers etc. Do not let him get bored.

Tips for reducing boredom:

• Work on simple obedience training,
• Play with your dog — e.g. tug of war
• Mix up the daily walk — change routes and allow your dog to sniff around
• Work on some brain and nose work games,
• Allow your dog plenty of space to roam within the home,
• Groom your dog,
• Massage your dog,
• Allocate boxes for toys and swap which boxes you have out every couple of days — dogs do get bored with the same toys,
• Feed their meal in a slow feeder or a stuffed toy or another food dispenser.
• If you have to leave your dog alone for short periods of times, allow them space to roam in the house and leave toys for them to play with.
• If paw licking is caused by an allergy, change your dog’s diet. Buy special food for allergy sufferers or exclude the most suspicious products from meals. The most allergic are: poultry, milk, eggs, cereals, rice, potatoes, tomatoes.

Do you want a complete guide on how to train your dog effectively? This guide will help you to train your dog fast & effectively. Click the button below to learn more.

Why is my dog panting and restless?

When you have a dog, you should always be observant to any symptom that makes it uncomfortable. In fact, if you ignore some symptoms, then you will find or realize that you have bigger problems to deal with than you expected. One major reason that you need to observe is Why Is the Dog Panting and Restless?

Than in itself, is a cause of alarm. But we should be aware that panting of dogs is a normal thing and there are many reasons that can make it to breathe hard at some point.

When you compare dogs and humans, you will realize that dogs don’t sweat as we do.

Why Is Your Dog Panting and Restless?

When a dog pants, it will help it a lot to quicken its pace of evaporation right from through the tongue.

But this is not the same as sweat as you might think. Dogs should ensure that they get rid of the excess moisture so that they are able to cool down faster.

A normal panting should be from 300 to 400 breaths per minute. So, when you encounter a dog that pants more than that, then you need to get worried a bit.

Reasons Why a Dog is Panting in Excess!!!

Here are some reasons that can explain why your dog is panting and restless in excess:

🐾 It Might Be Suffering From Pain

A painful condition is always a major reason that will make your dog pant excessively.

This is a bad situation for your canine friend and you need to seek advice from your vet.

You can realize that this panting is pain especially when you notice that it is whimpering when there is an irritation.

It can also show out some reluctance as it sleeps and will bite or lick in a constant manner.

🐾 Cushing Condition

This is a form of disease that comes in three forms, the worst of them all is that they are all chronic.

A dog that wonders aimlessly, pacing around or even panting around.

It has a medication of at all it suffers from such a condition that will minimize the effects.

What you need to remember is that you always have to be keen on your digs behavior so that in case of any weird condition or symptom, you are able to curb with it in a faster way. This is also referred to as hormonal imbalance.

It’s really important to feed your dog healthy and best foods for maintaining good health always.

Sometimes it’s become hard to find the healthy food for new dog parents.

But don’t worry my dear friend! here are some healthy food suggestions for your furry friend that contains high nutrition values and helps to dogs always be healthy.

🐾 Anxiety, Stress and Fear

If you have a dog that experiences phobias, then panting will just come instant.

But never be too worried because short come reactions to this kind of notions is very normal.

What is different is when you get it experiences such problems for a long period of time which might be chronic too.

That will make the dog to be uncomfortable. The result is the negative emotional and physical disorders.

If you don’t get to treat it in advance, then get worried because that might hinder its lifespan.

🐾 Lung Disease and Cardiac Disorders

Failure of the heart to work in a proper way means that your entire body parts will not have sufficient blood.

The problem with this is that there will occur an oxygen deficiency in body tissues.

To ensure that there is a balance of this problem, the dog’s respiration rate will try to increase so that the oxygen is tried to balance. This will automatically cause panting of the dog.

🐾 Suffering From Obesity

If you don’t participate in giving your dog the right kind of food, then you will allow it to get starved.

But at the same time, you need to ensure that it does not get too much because that is automatically overfeeding it.

At the same time, exercise for a dog is very important because if it just lies there, then obese will just develop in.

The problem with obesity will cause it to pant in an abnormal way because the weight that it has is big and it is making its breathing difficult. That is why you need to help it lose its weight.

🐾 Having a Brain Tumor

The growth of tumor will suppress the normal working of the brain in many ways.

A dog that has such an ailment will be forced to behave in a certain way that will include high panting or breathing.

The problem with this problem is that it can either appear in a gradual manner or even suddenly.

This is the hardest part because you will not easily identify if it’s a tumor or not and there are no clear symptoms.

🐾 Suffering From Anemia

The decrease in the amount of red blood cells in the body will automatically bring out this anemic condition to your dog.

This is because blood will not be in a capacity to be able to carry enough oxygen in an even manner throughout the body.

That is why a dog will pant more so that it is able to get more oxygen into its body system.

Anemia is brought by such symptoms like increased heartbeat, lethargy, mucous membranes being pale, pale tongue and gums, rapid breathing among others.

Some Remedies To This Problem | That Can Help You

🐾 The most obvious step that you can take is to see a vet for assistance. This is crucial when your dog is experiencing unusual panting that is not normal.

🐾 You can also subject your dog to calming techniques. For instance, if you might have had a long journey, then your dog will be tired and need to be calmed down.

🐾 Use sedative medications too so that they can put them into a state of rest and back to normal panting.

Final Verdict
Panting is normal to dogs but excessive panting is one danger factor that you need to look out for.

Always do checkups and keep a close eye on your dog so that you are able to learn its behavior well.

Remember that dogs don’t talk and it is up to you to realize that there is something wrong with them or they are sick.

Before it gets out of hand and you lose your little canine friend, be a step ahead of it so to keep it safe.

Do you want a complete guide on how to train your dog effectively? This guide will help you to train your dog fast & effectively. Click the button below to learn more.

The Importance of Keeping Your Dog Mentally Stimulated

Raise your hand if your dog has ever pestered you, following you from room to room with a bored face? If so, rest assured, you are not alone! Boredom and pent-up energy are the most common reasons dogs develop behavioral problems.

Most dogs living in urban settings spend a good chunk of their time alone, and the biggest perk of their day may be seeing their beloved owners coming home. This is a moment of great excitement and celebration and can often be too much to handle for a tired owner who has spent eight hours in the office.

Dogs Were Meant to Lead Active Lives

If we look at the many dog breeds that surround us, we will note that the majority were selectively bred to carry out certain tasks. We have the retrievers who retrieved downed birds for the hunter, the hounds who tracked prey with their powerful noses, the spaniels who flushed birds out of bushes, the herders who grouped cows and sheep, the livestock guardians who protected farm animals from predators and several other versatile breeds who specialized in a variety of tasks.

Today, most dogs are no longer used as workers but as loyal companions who are often relegated to the yard or left at home with not much to do all day. This leaves dogs with a void to fill up. The saying “an idle mind is the devil’s workshop” fits people and dogs as well. With little left to do all day, dogs become destructive and may engage in undesirable behaviors such as digging, chewing and barking.

Dogs Need Exercise and Mental Stimulation Too!

When we think of bored dogs, we often think of exercise, but dogs need a healthy dose of mental stimulation too. Despite the fact that most dogs in modern times no longer live in the wild and are no longer hunting all day in the fields with their masters, they still have a strong drive for mental stimulation. This, however, doesn’t mean that you will have to quit your 9 to 5 job, purchase a rifle and go on a rabbit hunting adventure with your dog! There many great ways you can enrich your dog’s life from the comfort of your home and yard to get your dog’s cognitive abilities going.

Simple games such as Hide ‘n’ Seek (included in the Brain Training For Dogs course) will encourage your dog to engage his brain while also allowing him to get in the much needed exercise he wouldn’t have got had he spent the day snoozing in front of the fireplace.

A Glimpse Back in Time

When dogs were in the wild, mealtime was quite different than what it is today. In order to eat, dogs had to hunt, which entailed sniffing, stalking, chasing and killing. Then, once the animal was killed, they had to work on separating the meat from the bones which involved lots of gnawing and scraping. Even when dogs were domesticated and no longer hunters at heart they were still scavenging for food and their life wasn’t easy.

They spent a good part of their days sniffing and walking around looking for little tid bits of food. Their diet mostly consisted of carcasses left over by other predators or food left behind by humans who discarded the less appetizing parts from the animals they hunted.

In any case dogs of the past, whether they were hunters or scavengers, all spent a good part of their day searching for food. This was surely a far cry from the way dogs are fed today! Nowadays, we do all the hunting for our dogs by visiting our local pet supply store.

Our dog’s food comes in bags or cans which we then pour into shiny bowls ready to be gulped down, often times without even chewing! Certain brain games can help to re-introduce “hunting” into your dog’s life such as the “Treasure Hunt” game from my Brain Training for Dogs course. Brain Training for Dogs will also show you how to teach the Bottle Game, which is the simplest way to create a suppertime challenge for your dog.

What Can You Do About It?

Problem-solving exercises, new tricks, or simply revamping a training session with some element of novelty are all simple ways you can keep your dog mentally stimulated.

My Brain Training for Dogs course offers 21 cool brain games you can play with your pooch to exercise his brain while adding a competitive edge to keep both you and your dog on your toes (or paws should I say)! Each section has a guide to help you succeed, troubleshooting tips, and plenty of pictures so you can see exactly how to train the games.

When a dog’s needs for exercise and mental stimulation are met, dogs make happier and healthier companions, so next time you think about exercising your dog, don’t forget to exercise that brain too!

Do you want a complete guide on how to train your dog effectively? This guide will help you to train your dog fast & effectively. Click the button below to learn more.

5 Simple Ways to Get Your Dog to Pay Attention

Do you find yourself trying hopelessly to get your dog’s attention? Does “in one ear and out the other” sound familiar? Or does your dog find it easy to listen to you until he sees the dreaded mail carrier? Whatever the case, it’s important that us owners are able to capture and hold our dog’s attention.

Just imagine the consequences if our dog ran onto a busy road and was not able to listen to us calling him back! In this article I will cover 5 simple tips you can apply immediately to help your dog become more attentive.

1. Brain Training

Brain training is a super effective way to increase your dog’s ability to pay attention to you!

Many of the games in my Brain Training for Dogs course are designed to improve your dog’s attentiveness. One of my favorites is “The Airplane Game,” which you can access for free. In this simple game your dog will learn the following important skills:

• How to pay attention to you on command.
• How to maintain focus on you despite distractions – unlocking the pathway to super obedience.
• How to use his hidden intelligence to figure out puzzles.

2. The “Smacking Sound”

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a noise we could make at any time to get our dog to immediately pay attention to us? Well, fortunately for us there is, and it’s called the “smacking sound”! But before we can harness its power, we need to teach our dog that this particular sound = food.

To do this, with your dog in a quiet room, make a smacking sound as though you were kissing the air, then immediately give him a treat. It doesn’t matter what he’s doing when you give him the treat (so long as he’s not doing anything bad like tearing up the sofa), the idea is simply to show him that whenever he hears the sound, he gets treats.

After doing this for a while, you should notice that your dog looks at you for his treat whenever you make the sound. With continued practice, you can start using the smacking sound in everyday life when you want to grab your dog’s attention!

Keep in mind, however, that the smacking sound may be less effective at times when your dog is too worked up. For example, if he has seen something outside that he reacts strongly to, your sound may go unnoticed. One remedy for this is the “Look at That” game found in my Brain Training for Dogs course. In “Look at That,” we will work specifically on teaching your dog to pay attention to the smacking sound despite strong distractions.

3. The Importance of Incentives

How would you feel about the idea of working without getting paid? This is exactly how our dogs may feel when we ask them to perform mundane tasks without rewarding them for their efforts! That is why incentives are so important in dog training.

There are many different types of incentive, but food rewards are the most common. These rewards are given to a dog whenever he successfully performs a certain action. So let’s say we just started teaching our dog to “sit” for the first time.

When he sits successfully, we would reward his effort by slipping him a doggy biscuit or piece of kibble. Now, the next time we ask him to sit, he will be eager to do so because he knows that he will get something tasty in return!

In the Brain Training for Dogs program I cover techniques which allow you to stop giving your dog a treat every time he successfully performs a certain action, and also introduce other forms of reward.

4. Reward Voluntary Check-ins

When you are out in the yard with your dog, how often does he pay attention to you? Most likely, not very much, as he’s far too busy exploring the world with his powerful sniffer. Maybe it’s time for a little change…

Make it a habit when you are out in the yard to bring along some high-value treats (e.g. plain cooked chicken slices). Keep these treats handy in a pocket or treat bag. Now every time your dog happens to walk within arm’s reach of you, praise him and extend your hand to offer him a treat.

If you do this often enough, positive reinforcement will work its magic and you’ll soon notice your dog checking in with you more and more. This is great news, because it means he is learning that you are worthy of his attention!

5. Right Place, Right Time

Choosing to begin training sessions at the right place and time can play a big role in whether or not your dog is able to pay attention.

It’s best to avoid training your dog when you first come home from work and he is all eager and excited to greet you, or when he’s all hyped up and bouncing off the walls after mealtime. Instead, wait until your dog is calmer and more capable of focusing, and use these times to your advantage.

You may also want to avoid training a new behavior in an environment where there are lots of distracting sights, sounds, and smells (e.g. the yard), as this makes it harder for your dog to stay focused on you. Instead, try training in a quiet room at first. It’s also a good idea to avoid rooms with windows if your dog is easily distracted by things he sees outside.

Do you want a complete guide on how to train your dog effectively? This guide will help you to train your dog fast & effectively. Click the button below to learn more.

6 Great Tips On How to Train Your Dog

Are you interested in adding a new dog to your life? Would you like your current dog to be better behaved? Would you like to train your dog to serve your needs instead of being trained to serve its needs?

These tips are a good start to training your canine companion. There are many philosophies and approaches to dog training, so do your research and learn what works for you and your dog.

Regardless on which approach to training your dog you take, building a good relationship with your dog is essential to being able to train effectively.

Number 1: Choose a dog that fits your lifestyle.

After centuries of breeding, the modern dog is one of the most varied species of animal on earth. While there’s probably a dog to suit every lifestyle, not all dogs will fit your specific needs. Instead, you might want a bulldog that would much prefer to cuddle on the couch all day.

Research the personalities and care requirements of various breeds. Ask dog owners about their breed’s personality. Mixed breeds are also great options as they can contain personalities of various breeds you may be interested in.

Since most dogs live for 10 – 15 years, getting a dog is a long-term commitment. Make sure the breed's temperament is a good match for your lifestyle.

If you haven't yet started a family, consider whether you'll have young children around the house in the next decade. Some breeds are not recommended for households with children.

Number 2: Don’t get an aspirational dog.

Be honest with yourself about the compatibility of the dog you want with your lifestyle. Don't get a dog that needs a lot of activity just because you want a reason to jumpstart a healthier lifestyle yourself. If you can’t follow through on exercising your high-energy dog, you and the dog will both end up frustrated.

Write down the needs and temperament of the breed, as well as how you will meet those needs.
If it is going to take significant effort to change your lifestyle, you need to choose a different dog.

Number 3: Give your dog a practical name.

He needs to be able to learn his name easily, so you can hold his attention during training. The name should also have clear, hard sounds the dog can recognize. Names such as “Buddy” or “Rover” or “Bee Bee” have distinct sounds that stand out from the regular flood of human speech your dog hears.

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Use your dog's name often when you are playing, petting him, training him, or need to get his attention. If your dog looks at you when you say his name, you know he’s learned it.
Create a positive association with his name so he’ll continue to focus on you when you say it. Praise him when he responds to his name, and give him treats.

Number 4: Schedule enough time for training.

Initially, you should start with several 5 minutes sessions spread out throughout the day and go no longer than 20 minutes. This is especially important with puppies as they have a short attention span and get bored easily, just like a toddler would.

Those sessions are not the only time you’ll train your dog, though. Training actually happens throughout the day when interacting with your pet. She is learning from you every time you interact.

Bad dog habits develop when owners let dogs get away with bad behavior outside of dedicated training sessions. So, always keep an eye on your dog outside of training sessions. If she knows it during training sessions, then make sure he remembers it outside of training.

Number 5: Prepare your mental state for training sessions.

When you are working with your dog, be calm and neutral. Any form of agitation and excitement on your part will negatively affect the outcome of training. You should be mindful of the fact that the goal of training is to be able to reinforce good dog behavior and to ignore or not reinforce bad ones. It may sound strict but producing a well trained dog requires the determination and conviction to see it through.

Number 6: Choose the proper equipment.

A 6-foot (1.82m) leash and flat collar or martingale collar may be all the you need to start, besides your treats. Consult a trainer for advice on other equipment like a “Promise Leader” head halter, a “No Pull” harness, a metal training collar, or other device. Puppies or small dogs generally do not need harsh equipment. Larger dogs may temporarily need specialized equipment (like the “Promise Leader”) to keep their focus.

Do you want a complete guide on how to train your dog effectively? This guide will help you to train your dog fast & effectively. Click the button below to learn more.