Your dog’s leash could be causing that constant paw licking

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It never would have occurred to me that the type of leash I used to walk my dog could be the culprit of her excessive paw licking.

Something as simple as changing my dog’s leash stopped the paw licking. We went through tons of tests, elimination diets and antibiotics and it turns out that a $10 retractable leash was the issue. A quick trip to the pet store and problem solved!

Here are some questions to ask yourself to see if retractable leashes could be causing your dog’s paw licking:

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1. Does your dog use a collar attached to a retractable leash?

2. Does your dog tend to pull on the leash?

3. Does your dog lick his/her front paws?

If the answers is yes, then the leash could be the issue.

Video: Stop Dog Licking

According to the Integrative Veterinary Care Journal “the spring of the retractable leash causes a continuous pull that generates a degree of stress in the cervical region… And, when the dog gets to the end of the retractable leash, the sudden stop and jerk causes additional force… This causes spasms and inflammation in the inter-scapular region and nerve and energy meridian pathways are affected or impinged by tight muscles.”

The good news is that the solution is fast, cheap and easy.
1. Use a harness and a traditional leash.
2. Do not attach the leash directly onto the collar.

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