Best Dog Socks to Stop Paw Licking and Chewing

Dog socks are a great option if your puppy often chews or licks his paws and legs. Generally, dogs have a tendency to chew their paws, and allowing them to do so may cause further irritation due to itchiness.

They are a great alternative to an Elizabethan collar if your dog is recovering from surgery or sutures or if they compulsively chew or lick their paws or legs. This will prevent hair loss and skin damage associated with chewing, giving your dog’s skin time to heal. Also, check our review of Healers dog boots.

Feet-chewing in dogs is one of those behaviors that can quickly get out of control. At first, your dog is chewing his feet perhaps once or twice per day, and before you know it, the sound of your dog munching on its paws will start waking you up in the middle of the night.

Dr. Ivana Crnec, DVM

Best Dog Socks to Prevent Paw Chewing and Licking

1. PUPTECK Dog Paw Protection Socks

2. Mihachi Dog Socks

3. Woodrow Wear Power Paws Advanced Dog Socks

4. FUAMEY Prevent Licking Dog Socks

Why Do Dogs Chew or Lick their Paws Excessively?

1. Clean Themselves

If your dog licks its paws occasionally, that is normal as a part of their self-grooming process, especially after walking on dirty or sandy ground.

2. Injury/Wound

Injuries such as bee stings, blisters, cuts, torn nails, or a stone or thorn getting wedged can irritate your dog’s paw. If you suddenly see that they are biting or excessively licking one foot in particular, check to ensure there’s no tiny injury-causing irritation.

3. Mental Issues

Paw-licking in puppies is equivalent to nail-biting in humans. Anxiety is a common problem among man’s best friends, stemming from being left on their own, meeting unfamiliar faces, hearing strange sounds, getting acquainted with new pets, changes in routine, adjusting to a new place, etc. Regardless of the reason, anxious dogs find relief in repetitive behaviors, and chewing or licking the paws is a soothing and efficient coping mechanism.

4. Pain

A dog experiencing pain due to arthritis or other leg conditions may lick their paws even if the pain is somewhere else in the body.

5. Allergy

It is very likely that your dog may be suffering from food allergies, as they are known to cause itchiness in their paws.

Steps to Stop Paw Chewing Using Dog Socks

1. Firstly, apply an anti-itch ointment to the pads of your dog’s paws. Always use a cream approved by your vet.
2. Next, slip the socks onto their feet, one at a time. Be careful not to wipe the ointment off the paw pads.
3. Finally, let your dog wear them for at least two hours. While some tolerate the socks better, being able to wear them all day, if your dog doesn’t take to them well, two hours will give the ointment enough absorption time to start soothing their paws.