Robert Belobrajdic has over 30 years experience with dogs, including breeding and showing South African Boerboel. In  2012, he co-founded Stay Loyal Dog Food with the mission to “Help you improve your dog’s health, increase life span and better your relationship with your dog!”. All of Stay Loyal’s food is tasty, highly nutritious and Grain Free and has been developed over a 30 year period of trial-and-error. An expert in dog care and nutrition, Robert appears on our blog each month with advice and tips around dog nutrition and health. 

Obsessive paw licking is always a sign of trouble. There are four common reasons that your dog may be doing this – all of which require your attention. The first two are behavioural, while the second two are environmental.

Injuries & Infections

If you see your dog suddenly licking or chewing one foot in particular, check for injuries or signs of infection. There are many injuries of the pad that may cause your dog to lick and chew it, including:

* Puncture wounds

* Cuts and scrapes

* Burns (from hot asphalt for example)

* Corns

* Foreign bodies stuck in the pads, fur, or between toes. Things like burrs, seeds, thorns, and ticks are common.

* Cysts

* Bone fractures in the toes or nails

* Torn toenail

If you notice anything unusual, use your best judgement as to whether you need to take your dog to the vet. Some of these you can treat at home, others need veterinary attention.

A cut or wound that is left untreated can become infected, which can also cause licking and chewing, even if your dog wasn’t doing it before. Small objects can get lodged inside your dog’s skin, causing infections as well. Seeds can even work themselves into your dog’s bone (foxtail is a big culprit), so it’s important see a vet if you suspect something is lodged where you cannot see.

Allergies

Paw licking and chewing from allergies seems to be the most common cause, with food and grass allergies being the biggest culprits of inflamed feet. Then, your dog’s constant licking and chewing causes a secondary yeast infection, furthering his discomfort.

If your dog has light fur or paw pads, then you can easily see the inflammation – they will have bright pink to rusty red discolouration on the paws and fur. Your dog will obsessively lick and chew, mostly likely all his feet (whereas with an injury it will just be the one affected foot). If he has been doing it for a while, he will lose the hair around his mouth and nose. If it gets really bad, your dog may even limp from the discomfort they are feeling.

If you suspect allergies (your dog may also be itchy all over and constantly scratching themselves), a good thing to cut out first is grains. Grains are notorious for causing allergy responses in dogs. It’s why we don’t put them in our Stay Loyal dog foods. Switching to Stay Loyal Grain Free has helped many dogs stop foot chewing and licking.

Stress & Anxiety

Some dogs start licking and chewing on their pads out of stress or anxiety. Many dogs in shelters will exhibit this behaviour. If you have already ruled out injuries, infection, and allergies, it’s time to think about whether or not your dog is stressed.

Pay attention to when your dog is licking. This may give you a clue as to what is causing the stress so you can change the situation. If you get stuck, consult a dog trainer.

Boredom & OCD

If your dog is not stressed, they could be bored – another reason paw licking and chewing is exhibited, often in shelter dogs. Sometimes, paw licking that started out as an injury or infection, becomes an obsessive compulsive disorder. Like chasing their tail, dogs begin to lick and chew and just can’t stop themselves.

Giving your dog something to do, such as a bone to chew on or a food toy can help stop this behaviour if it’s due to boredom and sometimes help with OCD. Also make sure they are getting plenty of exercise. Again, if you get stuck, consult a dog trainer.

Looking for a healthy food for your dogs with all natural ingredients and no nasty additives? Check out Stay Loyal! 

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Robert Belobrajdic has over 30 years experience with dogs, including breeding and showing South African Boerboel. In  2012, he co-founded Stay Loyal Dog Food with the mission to “Help you improve your dog’s health, increase life span and better your relationship with your dog!”. All of Stay Loyal’s food is tasty, highly nutritious and Grain Free and has been developed over a 30 year period of trial-and-error. An expert in dog care and nutrition, Robert appears on our blog each month with advice and tips around dog nutrition and health. 

​You may think that “doggie breath” is just part of a dog being a dog. But that bad breath is probably a sign that your dog’s teeth need some attention. Letting bad breath go is a good way to end up with a very expensive veterinary bill. Did you know your best friend can actually die from untreated dental issues? Periodontal Disease (which affects eighty percent of dogs over the age of three-years-old) can lead to infections. Infections in the teeth can then spread through the blood stream to the kidneys, liver, heart and other organs. In the heart, it causes Bacterial Endocarditis – a blood infection in the heart valves – that can be fatal. As you can see, good dental health is very important. The following are a few tips to help keep your dog’s teeth pearly white and infection free.

1. Let Them Chew

Yup, you read that right. We want your dog to chew on things! Chewing is a dog’s natural way of cleaning those teeth. What your dog is chewing on does matter, however. Choose toys that floss (rope bones), massage the gums (rubber toys with nubs or rounded edges), or break up tarter (harder plastic than rubber, but not so hard there is a risk of teeth breaking). Edible dental chews can be good, but read the ingredient list first – a lot of them are full of fillers and junk that your dog should not be getting. For edible chews, we recommend meaty bones. All-natural (unlike those processed chews), they clean the dog’s teeth while providing a healthy supplement to their meal. Meaty, fatty, frozen bones are best. I recommend chicken necks for small dogs and frozen beef brisket for large dogs. With anything your dog is chewing, be sure to supervise as things can get stuck, but dogs must chew. It’s how nature intended your dog to clean their teeth.

2. Feed Good Food

How do we get cavities? By eating sugary junk food. Well, your dog is the same way. Feeding junk kibble that is full of sugars and starches will cause the same damage in your own dog’s mouth. Feeding a natural, high quality food will help keep those teeth healthier. Adding in fresh vegetables like carrots give you two benefits – they give your dog essential vitamins and are a wonderful hard, healthy chew for their teeth. You can freeze the carrots for bigger dogs or those with powerful jaws, or as a cool treat when it’s hot outside.

3. Give Him Herbs

There are a few herbs that help with different dental problems, including bad breath. These are not a substitute for going to the veterinarian, but a compliment that can help prevent or treat issues along with your vet prescribed treatment. For fresh breath, try peppermint, parsley, fennel and dill. These are easy to feed, just sprinkle a teaspoon on your dog’s food once a day every day.

What should you do if your dog’s breath really does stink?

In the case that you notice, even with the good food and the routine chewing, that your dog’s breath is really bad, you may already be dealing with an infection. If your dog lets you, check their teeth and see if you can see any obvious problems – tartar build-up, bleeding, swollen gums, cracked teeth – the same things you would look for in your own mouth. If you see anything or suspect there may be something going on that you can’t see, a vet visit is the best course of action.

Head to the Stay Loyal website, browse their high quality, nutritionally balanced dog food and receive $10 off any product with code MADPAWS10. Valid until 31/07/17. 

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