Dog licking paws, and parents handling situation badly

Question
My family has a 3 year old chocolate lab.  There is a serious problem going on.  Our dog constantly licks and chews on his paws.  I've read that this is either due to allergies or boredom.  Well, my parents are doing absolutely nothing to help him.  My mom is annoyed by the sound he makes when licking his paws, and I am ashamed to say, she hits him a lot when he does it.  If she doesn't hit him she either just yells at him or walks over to him and shoves his paw with her foot.  None of these things stop him.  She and my dad will be in the living room watching TV and I constantly hear her yelling at him to stop, and sometimes I'll hear her slap him, and it makes me so angry.  Just a few hours ago she slapped him several times in a row because he wouldn't stop.  This has been going on for two years, and my mom doesn't even seem to realize that her hitting him has done NOTHING to solve the problem.  The dog has even bitten her a few times when she hits him or shoves his paw with her foot, and I'm afraid he'll become aggressive.  Of course, she just hits him even more when he bites her.  I just don't know what to do anymore.  I try to keep the dog in my room as much as possible, and we do have this spray to put on him if he's itching.  My mom never touches it (surprise surprise) but I keep it in my room and put it on his paws as much as possible.  Sometimes it seems to work and sometimes it doesn't.  How can I get my dog to permanently stop?  I'm worried that he'll get an infection in his foot, and I'm also sick of the way my mom is treating him and I want it to stop, because I love my dog and I can't stand to watch animals being treated like this.  I've talked to my mom about this before, and I've told her to take him to the vet to see if he has an allergy problem, but she thinks he just does it out of boredom and won't even take him to the vet to find out.  She also rolled her eyes and acted all offended that I thought she was "mistreating" him, so she obviously won't listen to anything I tell her.

Answer
Licking as you describe can be the result of anxiety, not merely boredom or food allergy.  This is an obsessive compulsive disorder and it requires medication and behavior modification; the dog also needs secure, calm structure and positive reinforcement training.  You're a young person with an awful lot on your plate; this shouldn't be your job.  I want you to:

1.  Think of a close relative, someone you trust, you can turn to for help in this situation (perhaps a grandparent, aunt, uncle, etc.)  Go there in person and explain what you have just told me.  This depends upon whether or not a family member is willing to get involved, the level of respect your mother has for this person, etc. and may not be doable.

2.  Look for listings for a Humane Society in your area (SPCA, no-kill shelter, NOT the municipal dog shelter.)  If you can't find one, look (online) for Lab rescue in your area.  Reach out to a professional for help.  Your dog is being abused and has learned to use aggression to defend himself.  He is going to escalate in his aggression and one day he will hurt your mother (or someone who innocently behaves in a manner that triggers this automatic defense response.)  If a professional advises your mother, she may realize what's going on.  The dog may not be the real problem, she may be having other, serious difficulties (things you don't know about); she may welcome a professional into the home to help her deal with this, or she may be willing to release the dog to a rescue organization or the humane society.  This situation is far too complex for a young person who is trying to get their feet on the ground in life.  You can't deal with this alone.

3.  Go to a school counselor and report the problem; ask for some assistance.  I'm concerned that this problem is affecting your relationship with your parents in a way that won't be able to be remedied (in your mind.)  You're upset and you feel betrayed by this behavior, this is a normal response, but you shouldn't have to deal with it alone.  Your school counselor may even be constrained by law from sharing your request for counseling with your parents.  In some states, sixteen is considered the age of consent.

I feel for you; I wish there was more I could do.  I encourage you, strongly urge you, to attempt to find someone to help you.  Please repost PRIVATELY if you need further encouragement.