Dogs are wonderful animals but you might be wondering why do dogs nibble on blankets? One of a dog’s natural instincts is to chew on things. Dog breeds that hunt are more likely to chew on things because it’s more of a natural instinct for them. Although any dog breed can nibble on blankets. They’re 4 main reasons why dogs nibble on blankets which we will be discussing.
- Instinctual behavior: The first reason why dogs nibble on blankets is because of their instinctual behavior. It’s natural for dogs to want to chew on things such as blankets. It can also help the dog relieve stress and anxiety. It’s natural for dogs to nibble on blankets.
- Soothing: The second reason dogs nibble on blankets is it can be a soothing activity for them. Dogs often find comfort in chewing and nibbling on things such as blankets. This is the same reason why dogs chew on dog toys.
- Play: Dogs will sometimes nibble on blankets as a form of play. Dogs love to play and if there is nothing else to play with they might find nibbling on a blanket entertaining. They are more likely to nibble on a blanket for play if the owner isn’t available to play with them.
- Affection: Lastly, sometimes dogs nibble on blankets as a sign of affection. Dogs are social creatures and this can be a way for them to form a stronger bond with their owner. Nibbling on a blanket can be their way of showing love and affection towards their owner.
Is it Harmful for a Dog to Nibble on Blankets?
Dogs nibbling on blankets is not harmful for dogs most of the time. It can be harmful for a dog to nibble on blankets if the dog swallows a piece of blanket. Swallowing a small piece of fabric can cause gastrointestinal blockages or other digestive issues. This can lead to serious health issues that would require veterinary attention. It can also be harmful for a dog to nibble on blankets if the blanket has been treated with chemicals. Most of the time it’s not harmful for a dog to nibble on blankets but you want to monitor your dog to make sure nothing bad happens.
How to Teach Your Dog to Stop Nibbling Blankets
You might want to teach your dog to stop nibbling blankets if your blankets are getting torn up or if you’re concerned for the dog’s help. We have 7 tips to help teach your dog to stop nibbling blankets.
- Redirect their attention: One way to stop your dog from blanket nibbling is to distract them. You can redirect their attention to something like a chew toy and get them off your blanket.
- Positive Reinforcement: Like most dog training using positive reinforcement techniques can steer your dog in the right direction and away from the blanket.
- Keep blankets out of reach: They can’t chew on the blanket if they can’t get to it!
- Sprays: There are multiple different sprays to spray on blankets to make them less appealing to your dog. We recommend bitter spray which will stop the dog from chewing on the blanket and it won’t harm them either.
- Exercise: Sometimes your dog just needs to let out some energy! Take them on walks, play with them, find ways to get their energy out of their system.
- Consistency: Your dog will respond better if you are consistent with it. Be consistent with your training methods and getting your dog to stop nibbling on your blankets.
- Professional help: If your dog won’t stop nibbling on blankets despite all of these methods it might be time to get some professional help.
Summary
Dogs nibble on blankets for 4 main reasons. Those reasons are instinctual behavior, soothing, play, and affection. Nibbling on blankets isn’t harmful for your dog as long as there isn’t any harmful chemicals on the blanket and your dog doesn’t swallow a piece of the blanket. If you want to stop your dog from nibbling on your blanket you can do so with redirecting their attention, positive reinforcement, keeping blankets out of reach, sprays, exercise, consistency, and professional help.
