Well, your new aquirement minght have a couple of issues going on....The pup might have started licking his paws as a reaction to something in his diet, this "something" might still be there. My friends dog is allergic to wheat and he licks his paws because they itch due to the allergy.
Ask the vet about allergy testing and diets.
Now, this allergy may have developed into a compulsion for the dog, it might have been stressed out at some point in time and licking his paws made him feel better emotionally. Check with the vet about some bendryl and some rescue remedy. You are okay to correct the pup when he starts licking, but if his behavior is due to an allergy he really can not help himself. As far as the behavioral part, the rescue remedy should help, stay near him, correcting him, taking him on long walks and socializing him may all help with his behavior. good luck, please repost and let us know what the vet said.

I second discussing allergies with your vet. Also, his licking has kept the area moist and a yeast infection could have started. Yeast can be maddeningly itchy without you seeing many outward symptoms of the problem.

Aside from identifying any potential allergy issues, there are a couple things you can try. The goal is to break the habit, so you won't need to do these things long term. Keep in mind though that some dogs licking has escalated to a true OCD and may require the help of meds and a behaviorist. YOU CAN NOT PUNISH AWAY OCD.

First of all, make sure to never offer a treat, pat, walk, meal, etc. while he is licking. Some dogs build connections quickly and you do not want to inadvertently reinforce the licking.

Drastically increase his exercise and training sessions. A dog that is physically and mentally tired is less likely to lick. I'd suggest three miles a day, broken up over a couple walks. If he isn't tired increase it. Make the training short, frequent and fun and concentrate on exercises such as extended downs and sits that won't allow him to lick. These will give you a tool to redirect him in to a positive behavior at times when he would normally be licking. You may even want to start as Nothing in Life is Free program with him.

If the licking noise doesn't bother you, you can try offering a kong filled with peanut butter, frozen yogurt, etc. Feeding his kibble out of one of the treat balls will give his brain something besides licking to focus on.

Some vets suggest a basket muzzle or e-collar to restrict the dog's ability to lick their legs when they cannot be supervised.

Hope this helps.

I also think the cause is allergies. If it goes on all year, it could be a food allergy, but if it's seasonal, it is probably an inhaled allergy. Allergies tend to worsen as dogs age, so even if he didn't have it last year, it could occur this year.

I use Benadryl and cortisone spray for my dog's seasonal allergies. I also have medicated shampoo to prevent secondary infection from yeast. He had a yeast infection last year, and it had a weird, distinctive smell. Vets can also treat severe allergies with steroids, but they can cause other serious problems.

One other thing you can do is add fish oil to his food. The one my vet had was 600 mg, but I had some for humans on hand, so I poke a hole in it and divide it between my two small dogs.

Here's a good article I came across on treatment options.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dog allergies

I agree that the problem could be allergies.

That said, I've had three dogs with allergies, food mostly. Once so severe, it almost cost my dog her life because of a mis-diagnosis (it turned out to be corn).

You mention all that the dog has gone through. My latest addition was traumatized, not beaten (I don't think) before I got her at 4 months. This caused all sorts of issues, some I am still dealing with 2.5 years later.

One of her issues was anxiety. She was licking her foot/wrist area raw. Vet put her on Doxipin for a few months, and that cured it.

Correcting the dog when he licks is a huge mistake. It is going to exacerbate the problem, and is going to lead to other problems such as submissive peeing (been there, done that).

Consider contacting someone who knows how your breed of dog is wired. A rescue league should be able to put you in touch with someone. It is very important that you take your time with all of this and do things correctly if anxiety is the problem. Building on very small success which leads up to larger ones is critical. Your dog cannot be pushed to hard or you will get no where (been there, done that).

An allergy problem must be correctly diagnosed. If you used medication, put a time limit on them. Ask the vet how long it will be for you to see positive results. If the vet switches meds more than once or twice, he/she probably does not know what is going on.

Good luck!

SG

His entire under body was red and inflamed when he came here. It is looking much better on the good food.I also watch everything he eats such as treats. I read that his breed is very often allergic to red dye #40 so I make sure he never comes in contact with that. I noticed his "arm pits stay moist and a little reddened. He licks his front and back paws only. And yes , he has a distinct sour odor to him. Very flaky , waxy build up on some areas of his skin. He is 10 years old so I buy into the allergy probability however I just spent nearly $700 on him getting his teeth worked on as the vet said that alone would put him on the road to better health. He had a severe eye infection that is being treated. Tape worm that has been treated. Fleas, those are gone. His ears were full of yeasty waxy gunk. I work on those daily with a recommended solution. I know I will get slammed hard on here for even mentioning money but something has to give. I hear allergy testing is upwards of $800. I have to try some home remedies to resolve this before even considering more costly procedures.
I am willing to do the work but need to find a way to solve his problems on my own as frugal as possible. I walk him twice a day for about 20 minutes each. He has limited vision in one eye and the other eye is continually dilated so he is very light sensitive. He is ready to come home after a 20 minute walk. He is the sweetest dog ever and I want to do the very best for him for the years he has left which I hope are many. Thank you for all of your input and suggestions. I will speak with the vet again on Wednesday as he has a follow up for his tooth surgery and see what she can recommend. She listed on his record previously that he has seborrhea which I understand is a symptom of some other underlying problem from researching the internet. Thanks again and I will keep posted any results.

Jules, sounds like you are doing everything right. Try benedryl it may help alot, contact your vet to make ceretain he or she is on board with the therapy. There are some goggles you can get your dog called "doggles" they are made for dogs, especially those riding in side cars on motorcycles!!! Keep up the good work, it sounds like you are doing great.

Yes- I ordered him a pair of the doggles in hopes that we can take some longer walks- he does love to walk and gets all bouncy when he sees me grab the leash (or maybe he hears it - I am not sure) I make sure he calms down before we head out. I have the 2 nine month old pups also so we all walk together. I generally have to bring him on home before they are ready to quit. I can tell when he is ready because he will just stop in his tracks. I just tether him to my belt loop and he follows along. Very obedient and gentle as can be. He does anything I ask him to do. I will try the benadryl after speaking with the vet on Wednesday and make sure that is ok. Thank you for the encouragement- I worry for him a lot and hope that he continues to get better. I know it may take some time- Thanks again

I think money is a valid concern. Allergies can become a bottomless pit. And some of them are easy to identify and fix without spending a ton of money on an allergist. Corn is a common allergen for dogs and eliminating that from his diet is the first thing that I would do.

Much of what you describe ear funk, the red skin and itchy eyes could all be related to allergies. Benedryl and a quality food with minimal grains, though not cheap, is considerably less expensive than big vet bills.

Depending upon how bad it is and what your vet says, I might hold off on the benedryl, until I found the allergen(s). If you are switching foods trying to find one that is good for him, the benedryl could interfere with that...

And I wouldn't be surprised if the licking is a combination of both allergies and habit. But if you get the allergies under control, then the habit should be easier to disrupt with walks and correction.

There have been some good threads on this forum about what to feed your allergy prone pet. The consensus is to minimize ingredients, target the grains as a starting point.

I have been feeding him Canidae chicken and rice formula for all stages of life for about a month now. Even with his oral surgery I bought the canned version of the same that he eats in dry form. I watch ALL treats and only offer ones that are natural and contain no preservatives and especially red dye #40 which his breed is known for being allergic to. I even refused treats at the vet's office for him due to the unknown origin of them. His skin looks 80% better than it did when he came here. Although it still has some areas of the waxy , smelly , crusty stuff. Some of the hair on his under side is growing back where before it was bald , red , itchy skin. I am giving him a teaspoon of yogurt in his evening meal as I read that it helps with yeast not only in humans but in dogs also. In speaking with my son today , who previously owned the dog, he indicated that the dog has been licking like this for at least 5 years. I am just wondering if the allergy gets under control how long it should take to see results that makes me say "aha" - we got it. Immediately? Or is it a slow progression over a period of time? I know with myself in dealing with allergies once I found the right combo of medications it was immediate relief- Like I said - he does seem to have some improvement but I just don't know if I am expecting to much to soon or should be more patient.
He is very lethargic most of the time but I attributed that to his age (10). Although I read on here all the time of people having senior dogs that act like puppies and run around. The only things he seems to enjoy are eating and walking -

I completely agree that dealing with allergies can be a bottomless pit money wise. I also think dealing with lots of other issues can be also (unfortunately).

After spending TONS of money getting nowhere with TONS of mis-diagnosis, from numerous vets now fired, I discovered to put a time limit on any meds my vet wants to use. I always ask for a date when I should start to see positive results. This narrows things down and does not leave the issue open ended.

If things do not start to improve by said date, my vet and I have a very serious talk about what is going on. I may agree to try another medication, but it is with extreme caution. I research everything the vet says, along with what the medication is supposed to do. I want to know everything.

If the cost is extreme (last year I was told my dog needed a $2,500.00 procedure), red flags go up all over the place. I was extremely worried and disturbed by what one vet suggested for correcting a UTI problem. I stated that this was simply not going to happen until I researched the subject thoroughly and consulted other vets. Well guess what, I discovered that diet and proper cleaning could get things under control. Dog has been clean from UTI for a year now (thank you dog god Sirius).

My experience is if a vet switches meds more than once, then he/she probably does not know what is going on.

SG

I STRONGLY recommend you do a true food allergy trial with your dog. This probably won't cost any additional $ and will likely save you $ in the long run. You need to get a limited ingredient diet with a protein source your dog hasn't had before. Natural Balance Venison and Sweet Potato is a great choice. Feed only venison or sweet potato treats and do not add anything else (no yogurt, flavored meds, supplements, etc.) You will need to switch to unflavored heartworm preventative. Keep your dog on this strict diet for a minimum of one month (two or three is better.)

justusbarkers- I went today and purchased the Wellness brand of the Super 5 which contains whitefish, sweet potatoes, flaxseed etc... From the description of the Natural balance it was very similar in ingredients with none of the preservatives, artificial colors etc...I also purchased him some sweet potato treats which I will give him in lieu of any other. I need to go pick up his heartworm meds for next month so I will ask for unflavored.
How soon could I expect to see some significant improvements?
What do I do if this doesn't work?
Thank you for your help-
Julie, Gus , Greta and Mackenzie

Food trials used to be recommended for three weeks, but now studies show that they should be done for 12 weeks. The dog should only get that food and nothing else for that period of time.

But you've already eliminated fleas and improved the food, I would think you would see some improvement fairly quickly.

If you don't see improvements, then you switch to another food that doesn't have the same ingredients of food that he was fed before...

If you do see improvements, you are supposed verify the allergy by feeding the old food to see if you can recreate the reaction. Thats a pretty good confirmation of a food allergy.

And I would also be aware of the soaps that you are using to bathe him with, some of those can be allergens also. During the trial, I would stay away from baths or soaps and just use water and a thorough brushing if you need to clean him, until you can get his skin healthy again.

If a couple food switches don't make a difference, then I probably would open up the wallet and go back to a vet, perhaps one that specializes in dermatology.

Barley and tomato were in the Canidae, so the Wellness food would not be a good candidate for a true food trial. Also, fishmeal is a very common ingredient in foods, so it isn't my first choice for a "clean" food trial. If you haven't opened the bag I would suggest returning it for a true allergy diet.

Your vet may not have the unflavored HW preventative in stock. You may want to call ahead to give them time to order it or write you a script to get it online.

You shouldn't feel bad at all about not wanting to do the allergy testing. It is really only useful if you are going to put your dog on allergy shots. The tests are not reliable for testing for food allergies (by the labs' own admission), so they would likely only tell you which varieties of trees and grasses your dog is allergic to. I do suggest that you consider a thyroid test though. Hypothyroidism can trigger allergies. Trying to solve allergies without treating an underlying thyroid problem will be like beating your head against the wall. The testing can cost ~ $100, but the treatment is easy, cheap and might just cure his itching, ear problems, and low energy.

I disagree with joepyeweed about cutting down on baths to avoid soaps. Baths are a great tool to decrease the amount of pollen on your dogs fur. The best shampoo to use would one provided by your vet that is designed to help with allergy symptoms. You just want to make sure to rinse well and get him well dried afterwards.

If you are going to do the food test, you really should get a hypo-allergic food from your vet. Venison and potato or duck and potato is best.

Use only the food for treats for at least three months.

If this is your problem, you should start to see results quickly. Be sure you switch foods gradually, maybe over the course of a week or two.

In your original post you mentioned the licking on the front paws, I believe (but stand corrected) this is mostly due to anxiety. I also believe (but stand corrected) that obsessive scratching on and around the face and ears is a first indication of a food allergy. But, food allergies take many forms such as what you are experiencing.

Is your dog injuring himself to the point of drawing blood? Does he have a "off" odor or oily fur? If so, this could indicate an alternate problem that needs to be dealt with.

Good luck! Keep us posted.

SG

I agree with justbarkers. I didn't mean to imply that you shouldn't bathe the dog, just that she shouldn't use soap. A bath and brushing with just plain water should suffice...at least until they get the allergies figured out...

Eventually once you figure out the allergy problem, then you could start a soap, just keep it a natural soap without fragrances and dyes.

Ok- so the vet is right on board with the food trial and complimented me for doing my research. She said that the Natural Balance is an excellent choice so I will be picking up a bag of that tomorrow. She said that a good way to offer treats is to pick up a few cans of the canned formula of the same and bake them off for treats for him. She also said once he has been on the food trial for 3 months or so that he can have marshmallows as treats? Hmmm. That sounded a little weird to me since marshmallows have cornstarch on them and isn't cornstarch from corn? I don't know , but you can see that I am going to very cautious about everything. I really need for this to work. This dog has suffered with whatever this is for long enough. She stressed the importance of no other foods except the one being given for the food trial-thank you for taking the time to educate me on this- I will keep posting how things are going
Julie, Gus, Greta and Mackenzie

I have been feeding him the Natural Balance Duck and Potato for a couple of days now. I baked off some of the canned variety by dropping a tiny baby spoon full onto a cookie sheet and baked at 350 degrees for 15 minutes and then let them sit in the oven for another 30 minutes to really dry them out. That made wonderful treats for him - he really likes the food. I will continue to post on his progress-
Julie, Gus, Greta and McKenzie

Sounds like you have a good vet.
Keep us posted...

Hello....I also have a new dog that has started licking excessively on his paws and legs. I was wondering if the diet you put your dog on worked? This is so sad to watch. I am fostering him from the humane society, maybe its anxiety or an allergy? He has peed a few times in his crate and I bathed him both times with doggy shampoo, perhaps I didn't dry him thoroughly enough?? I do not have any history on this little guy! Looks like this might take some time to figure out!