Is it normal for young dogs to chew their paws out of boredam or does it mean that there's an underlying problem?  Our retriever seems to nibble at her paws ALOT and we aren't sure why as she doesn't seem to have anything 'stuck' and we have her trimmed and checked regularly!  I'm starting to to think she does it for attention as she does provoke a reaction from us should we notice her doing it!

Not used to seeing it in puppies.  Could be growing pains.

Usually dog chew if they have hot spots on the feet, because they are bored or they have something stuck (this could be a seed gone in already, but unlikely in both paws)

I would see if you can discourage her from doing it, if no matter how much you try to distract she still does it they maybe get her checked out at the vet.
I have also seen a dog that had walked in a puddle containing petrol and they had nibbly feet for a few weeks after.

Emma

Blocked anal glands can cause their feet to itch. If your dog chews its paws it's worth having the anal glands checked to see if they need emptying.

If her glands are clear how about a chew toy to keep her occupied - like a nice fresh knuckle bone from the butcher, a nylabone, hoof or even a kong.

> I have also seen a dog that had walked in a puddle containing petrol and they had nibbly feet for a few weeks after

Have a look at your regular walks.  We have a lot of cattle round here and seepage from the muck heap causes my dogs to have hot paws, as does walking through fresh cow manure (if we follow the herd along the tracks and lanes).  The first time we experienced it the vet told me it's quite common as the urine is quite acid.

Here are the other causes we've experienced:
Nettles and thistles - thistles in particular cause a persistant irritation
Mud - some types worse than others but it's irritating as it dries and again can be a bit acid dependant on source
General allergies

I think it may affect puppies as they still have puppy fur and softer skin on their paws and fairly soft naked skin on their tummies - my now 13th month old used to get sore armpits but all these symptoms have improved now he has more adult hair to give him some extra protection.  I also slosh off both dogs paws after walks and make sure to wash off or brush out any mud on tummies.  Should't really be a problem in summer should it!!

Lori has taken the words right out of my mouth..

It could be one from all the above, food allergy can also cause this. Personaly I would visit the vet and get a check up.