Lumps on your dog's paw or between their toes have many causes, including infections, irritation, allergies, friction, injury, and cancer.

4 also found dogs housed on elevated cage or dog-run ... Figure 3: Interdigital cysts on the front paw of a 3-year-old pet German Shorthaired Pointer that had been licking its foot for 10 days.

And their paws come in contact with multiple irritants ... Acute pain can also prompt excessive licking. "Some dogs develop cysts in the hair follicles between their toes," says Dr. Tate.

Teaching your dog to give you its paw or “high-five” you, is one of the easiest tricks for them to grasp although you will need the right setting - and some treats at hand to reward them.