If you notice your dog licking or chewing his paws, it’s time to take action, and the sooner the better. While grooming is normal, excessive licking is a sign of a problem, usually allergies, irritation, or infection. Thankfully, a simple daily routine can offer relief and even prevent the need for oral medications.
Why Dogs Lick Their Paws
While there are several possible reasons, the most common cause is a reaction to environmental allergens. When a dog’s paws contact grass, pollen, dust mites, and mold spores, they often trigger an inflammatory response. And the fur on your pup’s feet can act like a Swiffer, collecting thousands of environmental irritants every time she goes outside. Over time, repeated exposures can trigger an immune response, leaving your dog with inflamed, itchy feet.
The immune system’s overreaction to everyday substances is what causes allergic symptoms, but other common triggers for excessive paw licking are environmental contaminants that directly irritate your pup’s skin, including lawn chemicals, fertilizers, and pesticides.
Some dogs experience mild itchiness, while others are visibly distressed. But the good news is that up to 50% of seasonal foot licking can be reduced simply by removing the allergens and irritants from your dog’s paws every day.
A Simple, Natural Solution: Foot Soaks
The most effective way to reduce the burden of environmental chemicals and allergens your dog comes in contact with is to regularly disinfect the point of contact: her feet. Soaking your dog’s paws is very different than simply wiping paws. Also, wiping with a cloth doesn’t reach deep between the toes or nailbeds where irritants hide – and it won’t actually reduce the level of irritants on the skin, just redistributes them.
There are many ways to do foot soaks depending on your dog’s size and temperament. For large or medium dogs, use a bucket to soak one paw at a time. For small dogs, a sink or shallow basin works well.
This paw soak recipe harnesses the antioxidant power of green tea, the disinfecting power of acetic acid (vinegar), the soothing benefits of magnesium salts (Epsom), plus the powerhouse natural disinfectant Betadine, if needed.t rinse. Repeat for the other 3 paws.
Detoxifying Paw Soak Recipe
- 4 organic green tea bags
- 1/2 cup organic, raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup Epsom salts
- 1 quart pure, filtered water
- Optional antimicrobial add-in: 1 tablespoon Povidone Iodine (Betadine™)
Directions:
Bring water to a boil, then remove from heat. Add tea bags and salt, then stir well until salt is dissolved. Let steep until cool. Remove tea bags and add apple cider vinegar and optional Betadine, stirring well. Pour solution into a bowl that allows you to submerge one paw at a time up to your dog’s wrist. Allow the solution to penetrate through your dog’s fur (for 30 seconds if possible). Remove paw and pat dry. Do not rinse. Repeat for the other 3 paws.
Povidone Iodine—Nature’s Antimicrobial Solution
If paws are bleeding, have sores, or trauma from licking, I recommend using povidone iodine (Betadine™)—a safe, nontoxic solution that’s antifungal (for yeast1 and dermatophytes2 ), antibacterial (even against resistant infections3 ), doesn’t sting, and promotes wound healing4. If the paws are inflamed or have open sores or abrasions, soak them longer, ideally 2 to 5 minutes. This helps effectively address potential sources of infection, reducing the need for oral antibiotics or other drugs.
To make things easier, keep a bucket or basin near the door and mix a fresh batch every 2–3 days. Many dogs enjoy the bonding time during soaks, especially with praise or treats. If your dog resists, start by soaking one paw at a time and gradually increase as they grow more comfortable to the process. Build trust by having everything ready to go before beginning the process, including a good supply of tiny, delicious tidbits that reinforce the benefits of cooperative participation in the new daily ritual.
Start Seasonal Support Before Symptoms Start
Ideally, your pet’s seasonal allergy or decontamination/detox plan should be in place before summer starts. Early intervention prevents symptoms from escalating and reduces the need for medications like steroids, which can have long-term side effects. The day you notice your dog focusing on their feet is the day you must begin a treatment protocol.
Research shows that the incidence of cancer (lymphoma) increases in dogs by 70% when professional lawn care companies are used5. If you can’t avoid walking on grass that’s been chemically treated, daily foot detox strategies are even more important.
Support your dog from the inside out with seasonal supportive protocols—including diet adjustments, detoxifying herbs (milk thistle, etc.), natural allergy supplements, or natural antihistamines6 , including quercetin7, bromelain8 and vitamin C9 —to reduce the body’s exaggerated inflammatory potential as triggers blossom.
Other Causes of Paw Irritation
If your dog continues to lick, bite, or chew at their feet, especially if symptoms persist year-round, they may have other underlying causes, such as food sensitivities or exposure to indoor allergens, triggering inflammation (the most common being dust mites), yeast or skin mites.
Identify potential food sensitivities with a simple and easy at-home saliva test (www.nutriscan.org) and remove inflammatory foods from your pup’s diet. Feeding a human-grade, fresher food diet provides more food-based antioxidants and polyphenols that support the body’s ability to regulate inflammation and detoxification.
When it comes to yeast overgrowth, you’ll know it because of its telltale odoriferous sign: “Frito Feet” (some pet parents also describe the smell of their dog’s yeasty paws as being reminiscent of cheese popcorn). Dogs naturally carry small amounts of yeast on their skin, including the paws. A balanced immune system keeps it in check, but an overactive or suppressed immune system can lead to overgrowth. Yeast thrives in warm, moist environments—especially between toes. In addition to daily paws soaks, yeast dogs also benefit from a low-carb, fresh food diet and dysbiosis support.
Mange (Demodectic or Sarcoptic) can also cause intense foot chewing and often presents with itching, hair loss, and secondary infections that aren’t symmetrical on all feet. Diagnosis involves a skin scraping at the vet’s office. Dogs must show both mites and visible skin lesions to confirm demodectic mange. Demodex is not contagious but does signal a weakened immune system. If diagnosed in an adult dog, it’s important to rule out underlying health conditions like Cushing’s disease, hypothyroidism, cancer, or immune deficiency.
Sarcoptic mange, on the other hand, is highly contagious and intensely itchy. It often also affects hairless areas like the elbows, around the eyes and ears, armpits, belly, or groin. As the mites spread, your dog may develop red pustules, crusty skin, and widespread hair loss. Sarcoptic mange requires immediate treatment to prevent transmission to other animals—or even people. Thoroughly clean all bedding, collars, and your home environment, including upholstered furniture, to prevent reinfestation.
Conclusions about Itchy Paws
Itchy paws may seem like a minor nuisance, but they’re a signal from your dog’s body that something’s not right. Whether it’s allergies, contact dermatitis from irritants, infection, or parasites, the key to lasting relief is identifying the root cause—and addressing it immediately, non-toxically, and consistently.
By proactively supporting your pet’s immune system, reducing exposure to environmental chemical triggers, and using safe, effective home remedies like foot soaks, you can help your dog live more comfortably—paw licking and all.
When to See the Vet
Anytime your dog’s licking is obsessive, causes redness, or is accompanied by a foul smell or sores, it’s best to consult your veterinarian. Accurate diagnosis is key to identifying whether your pet has allergies, yeast, mites, or something else entirely (like painful toe bones, wrists or ankles). An early and accurate diagnosis and treatment mean faster relief and fewer complications.
