Why Does My Goldendoodle Lick Their Paws? (Vet Explained!)
Is your dog constantly licking their paw pad? They may be sitting and licking their paws for many different reasons. If you can figure out what is causing them to lick their paws will help you get them to stop licking their paws.
Why Does My Goldendoodle Lick Their Paws
There are many different reasons that your Goldendoodle may lick their paw pad. The most common reasons are their feet itch, their feet are infected, they are bored or something is stuck in their paw.
No matter the reason that your Goldendoodle is licking their paws, you need to get them to stop licking their paws. If their paws continue to stay wet, an infection can easily set in, causing even more issues for your Goldendoodle’s paws.
Five Most Common Reasons that My Goldendoodle licks their feet
There are a few of the most common reasons that your Goldendoodle may be licking their paw.
Common Reasons for linking their paws:
Their feet are very itchy
If your Goldendoodle has allergies, their feet will commonly itch. Most dogs with allergies are because of things in their environment, such as the grass in your back yard. When your dog goes out in the back yard to play, their feet will come in contact with many of the allergens on their feet. This causes their feet to be very itchy. When your dog comes back inside, they will commonly lick their feet to itch them.
Their Feet are Infected
If your dog has an infection in their paws, they will lick them. Many times, your dog may have gotten a cut or scrape on their paws, causing bacteria and yeast to easily get into your Goldendoodle’s paws. Once these feet become infected, your Goldendoodle will want to sit and lick their paws to help keep them clean.
They are Bored
Some dogs will easily get bored and will just sit and lick their paws. This is very commonly seen in younger Goldendoodle’s as they have a lot of extra energy that needs to be let out. If your Goldendoodle is left alone with nothing to do, they will commonly lay in their bed and lick their paws. This will keep their paws wet, which can lead to infected paws.
There is Something Stuck in the paw pads
Your Goldendoodle can cat Something stuck in their paw pad. Stickers from the yard or even a piece of metal or wood that is in your yard can get suck in their paws. Your Goldendoodle will be licking their paws to try to get this out by licking their paws.
They have injured their paw
If your Goldendoodle has injured their paw or has fractured a small bone in their paw, they may lick their paw. Usually, these dogs will also be limping or not putting any weight on a paw. Your vet can take x rays of your Goldendoodle’s paws and make sure that there are not any broken bones.
How can I get my dog to stop licking his paws?
If your dog is licking their paws, there are many different things that you can try to help keep them from licking their paws. These are just a few different things you can try to help keep your dog from licking their paws
- Wash their paws when they come inside. Every time your Goldendoodle comes back inside, wash their paws. This will help remove any allergens that they came into contact with while outside. There are wipes such as Pet Grooming Wipes that you can use every time that your Goldendoodle comes back inside.
- Examine their paws. If your Goldendoodle is constantly licking their paws, look at their paws, and see if you can find anything that is stuck. You may commonly find a sticker or piece of a stick stuck in their paw. You would be able to easily remove this and help stop your Goldendoodle from licking their paw.
- Take them out to play. If your Goldendoodle seems to be licking their paws due to being bored, take them outside for a walk around the block or go outside and let them chase a ball. By keeping your dog entertained, they will not spend time bored licking their paws.
- Take them to the vet. If you notice that your Goldendoodle is constantly licking their paws and you cannot figure out what is causing them to lick their paw, it may be time to see your vet. They can examine these paws and start them on medication to help decrease their itchy paws and start them on antibiotics to clear up any infection that they may have.
- Put Dog Shoes on them. There are shoes made for dogs. You can put these on your dog to prevent them from licking their feet and keep allergens away.
- Put a Cone of Shame on them. Sometimes you may need to put a cone of shame on your dog for a few days to stop them from licking their paws. This is especially true if they are only licking due to boredom. A few days of wearing a cone of shame will break the itch – lick cycles that can commonly occur.
- Apply Steroid Spray to their paws if your dog is constantly licking due to allergies. Things such as steroid spray or cream can be applied to your Goldendoodle’s paw to help decrease the inflammation.
- Apply Triple antibiotic cream to your dog paws: If it looks like your dog’s paws are infected, you can apply triple antibiotic cream such as Neosporin to their paws such
What is your dog trying to warn about when they lick their paws?
Many times, your dog may be licking their paws to tell you that there is Something wrong with them. If they are constantly licking their paws, fully look in between their toe and under their paw to make sure that there is nothing stuck. You can usually see a very red and inflamed area that is causing their paw to hurt.
How do I know if my dog has a yeast infection on his paws?
It is usually very easy to tell if your dog has a yeast infection. If your Goldendoodle has a yeast infection, their feet will have a very distinct smell of corn chips.
Dr. Sara Redding Ochoa, DVM
Your vet can take a small sample of the skin on your dog’s feet and look at it under the microscope to see if there is a yeast infection. This is a very easy and non-painful procedure. Your vet will take a piece of clear tape and press it on your dog’s feet. They will put a special stain on this tape and put it on a microscope slide to look for any yeast or bacteria that may be growing on your Goldendoodle’s paws.
If your Goldendoodle does have a yeast infection, your dog may need antifungal medication and shampoo to help clear the infection.
Final Thoughts
Goldendoodle’s licking their paws can be due to many different issues. If you notice that your Goldendoodle has been licking their paws, examine their paws, and see if you can find a reason why. If you do not notice anything stuck in your Goldendoodle’s paws, try to apply steroid spray or cream to your dog paws to help stop the itching.
If you cannot get your Goldendoodle to stop licking their paws, it may be best to let your vet look at their paws to make sure that there is nothing wrong. They can also start your Goldendoodle on medication to help treat any infection.