My dog, Beast, developed a nervous habit of chewing her paws, while awaiting adoption at the pound.  At first I thought she might have something strange, like mites, allergies, or fleas, something that needed treatment; but, the animal behaviorist at the shelter explained that her paw chewing was only a psychological response to her previous confinement.  Harmless, much like nail biting, or eyelash picking, my dog’s paw chewing was just a nervous habit.  Now that I’ve had her a couple years, time has passed and so has her paw chewing.  Occasionally if it begins, she now understands the command, “No Chews.”  While she tends to huff after each reprimand, at least Beast is better.  Missy, however, is not.  I always wondered if it had something to do with where we grew up.  Amidst the suburbs of Northwest Austin, the majority of nature is represented by the potted plant. 

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