Why does my dog teeth on blankets?

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Why your dog chews blankets
Things to consider
What to do about your dog chewing blankets

If your dog has been chewing on your blankets, you might be wondering why and what you can do about it. This post will show you a number of possible causes and what you can do to get your dog to stop doing it.

So, why does my dog chew blankets? Possible reasons why your dog chews on your blankets are that it is teething, it has anxiety, it smells your scent on the blanket or that it likes the taste.

Since there are a number of possible causes, it would help to consider what would make each of them more likely. Once you have a good idea of the main cause, it should become a lot easier to get your dog to stop doing it.

Why your dog chews blankets

Below are a number of possible causes and what would make each of them more likely to be one of the main reasons.

Teething

The reason why your dog has started doing it could be that it is teething. This would be more likely if it is young, it has started doing it suddenly and it if has been chewing on other things a lot as well. In this case, it would help to give it other things to chew on and to give it lots of positive reinforcement training and “leave it” training.

Anxiety

Anxiety could be what has been causing it to do it. This would be more likely if it has started doing it after something happened that could make it anxious or if it does it more at a time where it is likely to be anxious. Examples could be if it does it more when a certain person is around, when you are about to leave home or when there are loud noises coming from outside.

If it tends to do it more when you are not home, it would be more likely that it is due to separation anxiety. This would be more likely if your dog tends to become anxious when you are leaving home and if it chews the blankets that you use yourself since they likely have a strong scent from you on them. It would help to try to limit reasons why it might be anxious by doing things such as exercising and feeding it before leaving it so that it is more likely to sleep while you are away.

Encouraging the behavior

The reason why it chews on blankets could be that you have been inadvertently training it to do so. This would be more likely to be the reason if you tend to give it things that it wants such as attention, treats or toys when it chews your blankets. Instead, it would help to reward your dog when it does not do it and to try to redirect its focus when it seems likely to start doing it.

Compulsive behavior

The reason might be that it is due to an obsessive-compulsive disorder. This is where it has an irresistible urge to chew on blankets so it keeps doing it. This would be more likely if it has been chewing on blankets constantly for a few weeks now. In this case, the best option would be to get help from a vet.

It smells your scent

It is likely that the blanket has a strong scent on it. The reason why it tends to chew on the blanket could be that it smells your scent on it and that the scent causes it to feel calmer. This would be more likely if it tends to do it more when you are not around.

It likes the taste

Sweat and dead skin cells will gather on the blankets that you use which taste salty to your dog. The reason why it chews blankets could be that it likes the way that they taste. This would be more likely if it tends to chew blankets that you have been using and if it does not chew them as much after you wash them.

If it does seem to be doing it due to liking the taste, it could be a sign that there is something wrong with its diet. This would be more likely if it started doing it after a change in its diet.

Things to consider

Below are some things to consider when figuring out the main reason why your dog has been doing it.

What else happened when it first started doing it

If your dog did not always chew on blankets, it would help to consider what else happened when it first started doing it since it might be the case that there was an event that caused it to start.

If it started doing it suddenly, it could be due to things such as if you started leaving it for longer periods causing it to get anxious, food or drink getting stuck to the blanket or it might have learned that it gets rewarded for doing it.

What is different when your dog chews blankets

If there is a certian time that your dog tends to chew on blankets, it would also help to consider what is different at that time. For example, if it tends to do it more when you are not home, it would be more likely to be the case that it does it due to separation anxiety.

What to do about your dog chewing blankets

Below are some options you have when getting your dog to stop chewing on blankets.

Avoid encouraging it

As mentioned above, it might be the case that you have inadvertently encouraged the behavior by giving your dog rewards when it does it. Instead, it would help to reward your dog when it does not do it, to wait for it to stop before giving it any rewards and to try to redirect its focus when it seems likely to start doing it.

Ensure it is getting the right diet

It would also help to make sure that it is getting the right diet. You can look here to see what you should and should not be feeding your dog.

Give it other things to chew on

In addition to the above, you could also give it things to be distracted with so that it is less likely to want to chew on blankets. Things that you could give it could be toys, puzzle games or bones.

Reduce reasons why it might be anxious

If it has been doing it while you are away, it would also help to try to limit reasons why it might be anxious when you are gone. Ways to do this would include, letting it pee, eat and get exercise before leaving it and to try to periodically checkup on it if possible.

Get help from a vet

If your dog has been doing it excessively, the best option would be to take your dog to a vet. By doing so, you should be able to get expert advice tailored towards your particular dog and to rule out more serious causes.

“Leave it” training

You could also do lots of leave it training with your dog. To do this you would:

Get some treats that it likes and the blanket
Tell it to leave it
Reward it for not chewing the blanket
Take the blanket away whenever it tries to chew the blanket
Repeat the above until it learns not to chew it

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You want your dog to be comfortable and happy when he is sleeping, so you fashion him a bed. Unfortunately, not all dogs appreciate your kind gestures. It is not uncommon for dogs to chew up their blankets and bedding. Destructive chewing can be an expensive, annoying and even hazardous behavior that, as a pet owner, you will want to put a stop to as quickly as possible.

Dogs are naturally inclined to chew. Chewing helps keep your dog's teeth healthy, helps your dog relieve tension and entertains him. Unfortunately, problems can occur when your dog begins chewing excessively or chewing on inappropriate items, such as his bedding. You will most likely not be able to stop your dog from chewing altogether, but you should be able to redirect his chewing behavior onto more acceptable items.

Age can be a big factor in a dog's inappropriate chewing behavior. If your dog is under 6 months old, chances are he's teething. A young dog may very well outgrow his destructive chewing behavior as he ages. If your dog is already an adult, his chewing possibly signifies that he suffers from boredom or separation anxiety. Some dogs, especially those who have recently had their food intake intentionally reduced or changed, may begin chewing because they are hungry. It is also possible that your dog is performing a compulsive behavior known as fabric sucking, which the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says may be caused by being weaned too early as a puppy. Dogs who are fabric suckers may lick, suck or chew fabrics compulsively.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals recommends giving your dog plenty of exercise and playtime daily to help lower his energy level and decrease the likelihood that he will be bored or hyper enough to want to shred his bedding during downtime. You can also give him dog-safe toys that were created to be chewed. If your dog has plenty of dog toys, rawhide and other items that are meant to be chewed, he may be less likely to chew stuff you don't want him to chew. The ASPCA recommends giving your dog puzzle toys that require him to manipulate the toy in a certain way in order for the toy to release a treat. Dog puzzles can help keep a bored dog mentally engaged.

You can buy bitter-tasting sprays designed specifically to keep dogs from mouthing things. You apply such sprays to the objects you don't want chewed. Always supervise your dog when he is loose in your home. Verbally reprimand him for chewing and remove the item he is chewing on. Give him an item that is okay to chew, like a toy, instead. If all else fails, remove the bedding -- your dog does not physically need blankets and bedding. Removing the items in question will most likely be preferable to risking him actually eating the bedding and developing medical problems as a result. Some arthritic or crippled dogs, however, may need some form of support. See your vet to ensure that your dog doesn't require pain-alleviating bedding.