It might look fun to you when your puppy is sucking his blankets in puppyhood. Later, as he reaches adulthood, the habit might get out of hand. Sitting on a sit full of your doggie’s drool is not funny at all. Before planning a visit to the vet or a behaviorist read this article to know why dogs suck on their blankets and what you can do about it.
Dogs suck on blankets because they are missing their mommy, are anxious, or the blanket has your smell. It can also be that the blanket has its unique taste, he is going through the teething phase, or you have unknowingly encouraged the behavior.
My Dog Sucks On Blankets, Should I Be Worried?
If your dog sucks on blankets, you should not worry at all. Many dog parents claim that their dogs have had similar issues at some time in life. You should be concerned only if it progresses to furniture sucking and chewing.
Reasons Why Dogs Suck On Their Blankets
Missing His Mommy
When you see your adult dog sucking on blankets, it means he is missing his mommy. When puppies are being breastfed, they are nourished and at the same time get comfort.
Your dog might be reviving those precious old memories when he was with his mother.
Anxiety
Dogs can get anxious from time to time, this can be triggered by different things. For example, a dog can be anxious when he is left alone for so long, has changed the environment, or is around other pets, etc.
To soothe himself, he can suck on objects or a blanket. As a caring parent, you must know what triggers his anxiety to know the best mechanism to cope with it.
The Blanket Has Your Smell
Dogs have a very strong sense of smell and they will sense your smell even when you have washed the blanket.
They also like company, whenever you are away he will suck the blanket that has traces of your smell for comfort. Your smell will make him feel like you are close and he will relax.
The Taste of the Blanket
Another reason why your dog like sucking on the blanket is because it has an appealing taste. You can know whether he likes the taste of the blanket by washing it. If he stops sucking it, he was mostly interested in the taste, not the blanket.
The blanket gets sweat, skin oils, and other dirt when your dog sleeps on it. The accumulation of all those substances can make him like the taste.
Teething
Your puppy can start sucking on blankets all of a sudden, this might be because of teething. Teething is painful making him suck and bite the blanket to alleviate the pain.
To prevent your dog from chewing and sucking on the blanket, give him chew toys. The toys will also offer comfort and distraction from pain. The behavior will cease once the teething phase is over.
You Have Encouraged The Behavior
You might have encouraged your dog to suck on blankets unknowingly. If you find him sucking on a blanket and you give him treats or attention. Your dog will learn that sucking on a blanket earns him a treat.
My Dog Sucks On Blankets, What Should I Do?
Replace the Blanket
If your dog likes to suck on a specific blanket, you should change. He might dislike the taste and smell of the new blanket bringing the habit to a stop.
Distract Him
Boredom can contribute to your dog sucking blankets. You should keep him entertained and engaged to curb this behavior. You can reduce boredom by giving him a variety of toys, exercising him, and taking him with you when you are going to friendly places.
Know Why He Is Anxious
When you know the reason why your dog is anxious, you will be able to deal with it. If your dog is anxious because of a new environment, try to familiarize him with it so he can be comfortable.
Also, try to train your dog how to handle difficult situations like stress and if you don’t know how to go about it, consult a behaviorist.
Discourage The Behavior
Use positive reinforcement to stop this behavior. You should not punish him because he might be more stressed and end up sucking on the blanket more.
If you give him treats and toys when he is not sucking on the blanket, he will eventually stop the habit completely. Give him attention and cuddles too.
Conclusion
Dogs sucking on blankets is not something that many paw parents have not dealt with, so you should not be worried.
The first step in deciding how to stop your dog’s bad habit is to understand why he has it. Just ensure that whenever they are sucking on the blanket, they don’t ingest a toxic substance in the process.
Sucking on the blanket should not bother you too much, you can let him be as there is no harm associated with it.
