Hello rexraiford,
I understand that you are looking for a way to stop him from licking,
but I am first going to go over some causes of why the dog could be
doing this, which could lead to a solution. (For example if it was an
allergy, or stress there are different solutions).
I found the following page which you should read for information on
possibly why the dog is doing this. I realize that your situation
might be completely different, but the response from the vet does
cover many possibilities.
"An allergic dog will often lick at his own paws, rub his face, itch
at his red ears, and scratch at his skin. Your veterinarian can use
blood and skin testing procedures to help determine just what
allergies your dog has."
Source: "Dog Questions"
http://www.animalvetcenter.com/doglicking.htm
"Other dogs may lick their legs simply because they are bored; new
toys, more walks, or new activities may help to keep their mind on
things other than licking the leg. Attempting to cover the offending
area usually doesn't work and may actually result in increased
attention and licking at the area. Application of sprays to make the
area taste bad, such items as "Bitter Apple" or "Chewguard", may
temporarily slow the licking process, but seldom is successful at
totally stopping it."
Source: "Dog Questions"
http://www.animalvetcenter.com/doglicking.htm
The following page has even more possibilities, and goes through
several solutions for some of them:
"What brand of food is he currently eating? It sounds like a possible
dry skin condition (itchy, etc.), which is often caused by poor diet.
There are also a number of supplements you can give for this." Other
possibilities are gives are allergies and there is some information on
how to test this. Fortunately it appears that there are solutions for
either case.
Source: "Westy That Bites Paws"
http://www.wwptoday.com/dcforum/DCForumID18/171.html
Another possibility is stress: "Just like humans, animals can
experience stress, frustration and anxiety. The causes for those
emotions can be just as varied as the behavior that results. Our pets
might react to being separated from us for long periods, changes in
schedules, the introduction of a new pet or family member, moving to a
new location or even rearrangement of furniture and belongings." I do
recommend that you read through this article as well:
"Pets' Odd Behaviors Often Can Be Blamed On Stress"
http://www.htsanctuary.com/tips_behavior_stress.shtml
One of the articles above discusses the products bitter apple and
chewguard.
"Bitter Apple Spray leaves an unpleasant yet harmless taste on your
dog's fur to discourage licking, chewing and biting."
Source: Grannick's Bitter Apple Spray
http://www.petsmart.com/dog/shopping/repellants/products/product_140.shtml
You can probably find these two products in your local pet store.
Finally, Do you believe in aspects of astrology? I wouldn't put much
weight on this personally, but you might be interested in reading it:
"Virgo dogs are cleanliness hounds, patiently licking paws endlessly
until they are really clean."
Source: "Virgo Dog"
http://www.capedoggy.com/Horoscopes/Virgo.html
Search Strategy:
dog "licking paws"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&safe=off&q=dog+%22licking+paws%22&btnG=Google+Search
bitter apple licking
://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=bitter+apple+licking |
