It is so exciting to have a puppy in your home due to its histrionic actions. It is normal for a puppy to bite its leg. However, at times, excessive biting can cause alarm, especially when you notice bloody bumps on their paws. As a concerned puppy owner, you may find it worrisome that your puppy is biting its leg. Thus leading to the question, Why is my puppy biting its leg? 

Here are some of the reasons your puppy bites its leg:

1. Skin Infection 

Skin infections such as yeast infections can cause hell to your puppy, as it will be biting and chewing the affected area to ease the itching. Upon observing red bumps on the paws of your puppy, it is good to seek a vet’s intervention to avoid the problem persisting. 

2. Hormonal Imbalance

The presence of bald spots on the skin of your puppy is an indication of an imbalance in the hormone distribution in your puppy’s system. For instance, your puppy having an excess of the hormone cortisol or a deficiency of thyroid hormone can make it bite its legs, causing bald spots. 

3. Parasites 

When parasites and pests such as ticks, mites, and fleas invade the skin of your puppy, they cause serious discomfort. To get rid of these disturbing parasites, the puppy will be biting its legs. 

4. Dry Skin 

Lack of fatty acids in the puppy’s body system can lead to dry skin, which causes immense itching on the legs of the puppy. Dandruff flakes and cracks are common signs of a puppy having dry skin. Moreover, dry skin is experienced during the winter season. Therefore, to counter the itchiness, your puppy will be biting its leg.  

5. Anxiety 

Puppies are among the most social pets one can ever have. Being social makes them subject to anxiety and boredom when away from the company. Therefore, the puppy can be biting its body as a form of amusement. Other than biting, you can tell that your puppy is anxious if it has an increased heart rate, odd posture, and excessive drooling. 

6. Allergies 

When your dog is exposed to a given environment, they may develop allergies. Additionally, a significant portion of puppy allergies can be associated with food that is outside its regular diet. 

7. Pain

While in pain, a puppy can employ various methods, including scratching and biting, to relieve the itching.

How Do I Get My Dog to Stop Chewing His Leg? 

Are you a proud parent of a puppy? Are you worried about its abnormal biting behavior? It can be so disturbing to see your dear puppy injuring itself with bites. You can be asking yourself how to stop your dog from biting its leg. And what to do when the puppy is biting its legs? 

After assessing the possible reasons why your puppy bites its leg, it will be easier to determine the best way possible to stop it from excessively biting.

So, the following are strategies to get your dog to stop chewing his leg:

1. In case of a health problem like a hormonal imbalance, it is good to give your puppy the prescribed medications from your puppy’s vet.

2. You need to determine foods and environments that may cause allergies in your puppy and shun it from exposing itself to them.

3. Supply your puppy with enough toys to suppress anxiety. 

4. If the biting becomes extreme, you can apply the physical deterrents to the legs.

5. Since the puppies can learn to hear human voices, you can stop them by telling them to stop whenever they bite their legs. 

6. You need to address the possible reasons for making your puppy make an anxiety-like noise. You need to be doing physical exercises to reduce boredom and taking some walks with your puppy.

7. During the summer, you are supposed to provide foot socks to prevent the summer heat from affecting your puppy’s legs. 

Dog Chewing on Leg Home Remedy

Controlling the chewing habit of your puppy can be possible at home by using natural resources to make deterrents. These deterrents will cause the area where the puppy likes licking to be unfavorable for it to bite. 

One of the natural deterrents is the bitter apple spray. This solution is made with a mixture of apples and cinders. Moreover, it works by introducing a bitter, unpleasant taste to the legs when the puppy tries to bite them. Also, citrus solutions can be used as deterrents, as dogs don’t like the smell and bitter taste of citrus fruits like lemon. 

Secondly, you can employ foot wear and covers to reduce the dog’s contact with the legs. Also, provide homemade toys for your dog to curb anxiety and boredom. 

Why Do Dogs Bite Back Legs when Playing 

Puppies biting their legs and tails make them one of the categories of pets that love fun. You will find them playing and having fun with their caregivers or even other puppies.

Moreover, it is normal for them to be biting each other’s back legs when playing in pairs to send a signal that they are enjoying the moment. 

However, at times, it may not be fun at all. That is why you need to assess both dogs to ascertain if they are enjoying the fun. Thus, what are the possible motives for dogs biting their legs when playing?

The following are the reasons why your dogs may engage in biting each other’s legs:

1. Amusement 

Puppies can only use their mouths or paws to play. There are two types of dogs in a play session: wrestlers and chasers. Therefore, for dogs to initiate a play session, they may start by biting each other’s hind legs. Notably, play bites do not leave any marks on either dog. 

2. Teething 

When puppies are developing teeth, they need things to bite since the teething process comes with some pain. Therefore, they might be using each other’s hind legs as bones or even playing toys. Biting legs due to the teething process should not cause alarm because it happens in a short time and ends suddenly. 

3. Groom 

Grooming is one of the ways that puppies use to communicate with each other, a process called canine communication. In the process of grooming, the dogs may bite each other’s legs. Notably, grooming is not limited to legs alone; it can happen on other puppies’ ears, paws, or faces. 

4. Fondness 

Being social beings, dogs can be affectionate and loving. As a way of showing affection, dogs bite each other’s hind legs. Also, biting each other’s legs is a sign that your puppies are comfortable with each other and trust each other. 

5. Aggression 

Dogs can have a type of aggression called possessive aggression, which happens when one dog approaches another dog as they are playing with a toy. Also, when one dog feels intimidated while playing, it can be scared. To counter the intimidation, it can bite the hind leg of the other dog. 

6. Lack of Bite Inhibition 

Dogs learn bite reservations from an early age, but if they are separated from other dogs at tender ages, they will not develop this trait. When a puppy bites the mother with its sharp teeth, the mother will send feedback, and it will stop. But if a dog lacks this inhibition, it will keep on biting other dogs. 

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