Stepping on glass or a thorn, breaking a claw, being stung by a bee or getting burned on hot asphalt are just a few things that may be causing this behavior.
It may not be intuitive, but food allergies are also known to cause itchy paws in dogs.
Chronic pain conditions like arthritis can sometimes cause a dog to repeatedly lick the affected joint as a sort of self-soothing. Acute pain can also prompt excessive licking.
For some dogs, paw-licking is a behavioral issue: They're bored and don't know what else to do with themselves! "Certain dogs require a lot of exercise," says Dr. Bar.
Dogs with anxiety issues sometimes lick their paws as a way of comforting themselves when they're stressed—like when their favorite humans are not around or there are major changes to their daily routine.
Fleas, ticks and other parasites can irritate and itch like crazy anywhere on your dog's body, including his feet.
When the skin on their paws itches, dogs will often lick their feet so much that the skin breaks down and they develop bacterial and fungal infections.
It may seem obvious, but the reason dogs might lick and bite their paws is because they're itchy! Dermatitis, which is the technical term for a contact allergy.