Licking paws as though cleaning himself

[Samuel-Samy]

Hello All! I have noticed something that Samy does now almost every day - He licks his paws underneath and the hair on top as though he is cleaning himself... he also does this for his back paws and sometimes sticking the whole paw into his mouth. It does not seem to be allergies as I know when he was showing allergy symptoms he was scratching himself but not licking his paws and now he has started eating grain free knibble... or maybe it is allergies, who knows?

Is it normal for dogs to clean themselves, other than licking their private area??

[margaritaville]

Maybe he has a grass allergy. Try wiping his feet with a damp rag when he comes in. maybe he thinks he's a cat!

[lwilliams]

My little one licks his paws and legs all the time (like he's cleaning himself). My husband calls him a cat!

[zekie's mom]

Usually when dogs lick their paws, it is a food allergy. Maybe that does not hold true with Yorkies, but I would ask a vet and see what they have to say.

[Samuel-Samy]

Originally Posted by margaritaville

Maybe he has a grass allergy. Try wiping his feet with a damp rag when he comes in. maybe he thinks he's a cat!

I clean his paws with water every time we come back from a walk outside... he does not go outside every day though as it has been raining for awhile and cold wind.... im starting to believe he does think he is a cat!

[Samuel-Samy]

Originally Posted by zekie's mom

Usually when dogs lick their paws, it is a food allergy. Maybe that does not hold true with Yorkies, but I would ask a vet and see what they have to say.

I read an entire article suggested in one of the YT threads and thought it might be an allergy but maybe it is a different allergy than the one making him scratch.. i will definitely bring this up next time I am at the vet's - should be soon... thanks

[ReesiesDad]

Are his nails clipped properly? They could be bothering him.

I don't see that in Reesie, but Cindy does it and we use that as a cue that her nails are getting to the point of trimming. She also licks her right front paw now, and we know that her break in that foot is bothering her. She's starting to limp, but 11 years as a bolt of lightning is catching up with her.

[Samuel-Samy]

Originally Posted by ReesiesDad

Are his nails clipped properly? They could be bothering him.

I don't see that in Reesie, but Cindy does it and we use that as a cue that her nails are getting to the point of trimming. She also licks her right front paw now, and we know that her break in that foot is bothering her. She's starting to limp, but 11 years as a bolt of lightning is catching up with her.

Hi I really don't know if it is the nails.. might be the nails or the hair growing under his paws? I have never clipped them but they are not too long.. I have seen much longer.. although the next thing we go to the vet for would be nail clipping FOR SURE! thanks for the reminder.

[Britster]

The only time Jackson licks his paws are when there's something stuck up in there. We have this tree out back that drops these sappy little helicopter looking things and they get all stuck in between his pads and in his fur and he will sit there licking and pulling them out. Other than that, he never does, so I'm not sure if it's normal or not!

[capt_noonie]

Katie was going at her front paws like crazy, so I had to go see what it was. She has very furry paws and thick cottony coat, so i really had to spread the pads and see what was in there. Well I found a lot of really matted hair and black gunk stuck in way down deep, and I had to use small blunt nose scissors to cut it all out. that was her problem.