Dogs are natural born chewers. It’s in their blood. From wolves to dingos and domestic dogs, their wild cousins are known to chew on bones and other hard-to-chew objects. For dogs, chewing is a way of soothing themselves, as well as a way to keep their teeth clean and their jaws strong. But why do dogs nibble on blankets?
Dogs have been domesticated for thousands of years but still have the same instinctual needs as their ancestors. They love to explore with their mouths and chew on different types of things to satisfy that need.
Blankets can be an attractive choice for dogs, so it’s important to understand the reasons why your dog nibbles on blankets and what you can do about it.
Some people might write this off as bad behavior, but it could be a sign of an underlying health issue. Your dog might either have stomach problems or need to be fed more frequently. Dogs sometimes pick up blankets and chew on them in order to relieve anxiety, or because they are istinctually trying to get some missing nutrients from it.
If your dog is chewing on blankets, there are ways that you can help him or her deal with the issues that drive this behavior.
Giving your dog a blanket of their own can help them feel less anxious, and stress relief toys often work well for dogs who are suffering from separation anxiety.
You may also want to consider switching to food that is easier for your dog to digest if you suspect digestive issues are causing your dog to chew on blankets.
If you need help getting your dog to stop chewing on blankets, you can take them to see a veterinary behaviorist who will be able to determine why the behavior is occurring and how best to treat it.
What does it mean when a dog nibbles on a blanket?
Dogs will nibble on a blanket for different reasons. Let’s take a look at some of the most common reasons dogs nibble on their blankets, and what you can do about it.
Anxiety.
If you have noticed that your dog does it more when you leave the house, she might have separation anxiety. This would be more likely if she also does other things such as urinate inside, follow you around the house or bark and whine when you leave. In this case, it would help to try to feed her before leaving so that she is tired, exercise her more and try to train her out of it with positive reinforcement training.
Playing.
It could also be the case that she is just doing it because she finds it enjoyable or because it is a natural instinctive behavior for dogs to do sometimes. This would be more likely if she seems happy and relaxed while doing it and if she does not seem anxious while doing it.
Pain.
It could also be the case that there is an underlying cause causing her to do it such as pain. This would be more likely if she has been doing it for a long time, if she does not do other things such as eat or drink properly and if she seems worried or anxious while doing it.
It’s comforting for the dog.
The blanket has the scent of its owner, which makes it feel safe and secure.
It self-soothes.
Just like lulling a baby to sleep with a soft blanket or a special toy, some dogs suck on their blankets as a way to help them calm down. Think of it as the equivalent of a child sucking their thumb. It is soothing to them and can even help them sleep.
It helps them focus.
Like a fidget spinner or a stress ball, something to hold onto can help your dog concentrate on other tasks and not get distracted by noises in the house or things going on outside (like squirrels).
They enjoy the smell.
Dogs have an incredibly keen sense of smell! They can also recognize the scent of their loved ones. And some dogs have a thing for the smell of laundry detergent. If your puppy is nibbling on your blanket, it might be because he enjoys the scent.
Dental issues.
Like humans, dogs can experience toothaches and other dental issues that may prompt them to chew or nibble on blankets in an attempt at soothing the pain.
Teething.
Just like babies, puppies go through a teething stage when they’re babies. During this time, they may start chewing on blankets as a means of relieving the pain associated with teething.
Digestive and Diet issues.
Dogs with digestive problems or who are in pain may attempt to soothe their discomfort by chewing blankets. If you think your dog is having probems of this kind, consider a Diet change, discover more about healthy dog foods.
How to get my dog to stop chewing on blankets
Getting a dog to stop nibbling on blankets may require some trial and error. Some dogs like the texture of blankets and will continue to do so until they are old enough not to want to anymore.
Some dogs do it out of boredom, anxiety or because they are teething.
Training is an option if you want your dog to stop nibbling on blankets. It can be done by teaching them to leave things alone, through verbal commands and rewards.
If your dog has a blanket-chewing habit, this could be a sign of anxiety or a way to expend excess energy.
In order to find the right solution for your dog’s blanket chewing, you’ll need to determine the underlying cause.
For example, if your dog is anxious or nervous, then you may want to try soothing music or aromatherapy or whatever can relax your dog.
Or, if they’re bored and in need of exercise, you may want to take them on more walks or schedule play time with other dogs.
If you feel that your dog’s blanket chewing is an attention-seeking behavior, then it’s best not to give them any attention when the behavior occurs. Instead, reward them for good behavior and ignore the bad. This reinforcement will help teach your dog which behaviors are acceptable.
If your dog is just chewing on the blanket to soothe its teeth, you need to get it a chew toy that is made for burring teeth, you can check some of our latest dog toys selections.
You can also rub a rawhide bone all over the blanket so that when your dog smells the blanket, it will remember the chew toy and not the blanket. Chew toys have a unique smell that dogs recognize and other fabrics do not have.
Another effective method to teach your dog not to do it is getting a large dog crate and place it in the family room or in the room where you spend most of your time.
Then put a comfy bed inside, along with a couple of treats and one of your old t-shirts. As soon as you see the dog chewing on a blanket, tell him “no” in a calm, firm tone of voice and put her in the crate with the door shut.
Do not talk to her while he is in there, but do give him a treat after he has been quiet for five minutes.
As soon as he is quiet, let her out and take her outside to potty. Give her plenty of attention and praise when she goes outside. Repeat this process every time she starts nibbling on blankets.
We already mentioned the importance of Positive Reinforcement for dogs many times!
If you have to leave your dog alone during the day, you can try confining him to one room where there are no blankets for her to chew on. You can also put her in an X-pen, if you have it, with some toys, again with no blankets within reach of course.
Teach your dog what is okay for him to chew on, such as chew toys and bones. Teach her that these are for chewing and only these are for chewing. To do this, when you see your dog start to chewing on something that is okay for him to chew, give him a treat and praise him.
Why is my Dog Chewing on Pillows
Dogs chew on pillows for the same reason they chew on everything else — because it feels good to them.
And why does it feel good? Because chewing helps relieve stress and anxiety, much in the same way that biting your nails or gnawing on the end of a pencil can help relieve stress.
It’s also worth noting that chewing is a natural behavior for dogs. The act of chewing helps clean their teeth and gums, strengthens their jaws and helps prevent boredom, just to name a few reasons.
If your dog is chewing on furniture and pillows, he could be bored. Providing him with more exercise, playtime or even another pet to keep him company may help.
You should also make sure there is plenty of kibble available for him to eat. This will discourage him from looking for food elsewhere.
If he’s teething, you can give him something safe and appropriate to chew on, such as a soft dog toy or a frozen washcloth.
Never punish your dog for chewing. He won’t understand you’re mad at him for eating a chair leg — your furniture is just an object that gets in the way of his chewing needs.
