Dogs nibble for a variety of reasons. It’s their way of showing affection to their near and dear ones. Nibbling alongside licking is a way in which dogs groom themselves and their mates. Your dog may even chew on his skin to relieve himself from itchiness.
Your canine may nibble on a lot of things. These include their bodies, their owner’s hands and faces, furniture, and other objects around the room, and so on.
Now, have you seen your dog nibbling on blankets a lot? Perhaps he finds comfort this way. Or he is trying to ease the stress or anxiety that is bothering him. The reasons could be endless. Let us check out the different reasons why your dog nibbles on blankets. Also, know about the different solutions to prevent your dog from nibbling.
Why Do Dogs Nibble On Blankets? 9 Possible Reasons
When your dog is nibbling on blankets, you need to find out the root cause behind his behavior. If the nibbling is once in a while, you don’t need to worry. However, if it has turned into a regular habit, you need to find out the cause and address the same at the earliest.
1. Your Dog Is Trying To Seek Your Attention
Do you find your dog chewing the blanket during bedtime or upon waking up in the morning? Perhaps he slept with you all night, and now he knows you’ll be away for long.
It’s his way of drawing your attention since he wishes to be with you for the longest time possible. It could even be that you have missed taking your dog for a morning walk on a certain day. Your dog nibbles on the blanket while you are sleeping just to remind you of your chores.
He may be hungry or unwell, and nibbling on the blanket is a signal to alarm you of his condition.
2. Your Dog Is Bored And Needs Something To Do
When your dog is all by himself most of the time and doesn’t have anything to do, he will resort to chewing, licking blankets, or nibbling things that he finds around. This may include anything like your shoes, his toy, or his favorite blanket. He may perceive the blanket as his toy and keep nibbling on it just to pass the time.
So, how do you know that your dog is nibbling the blanket due to boredom? Well, if he is stressed or bored, he will display either behavior as well. These include appearing lethargic, preferring to sleep most of the time, barking without a cause, eliminating all over the house, and so on.
3. The Blanket Smells Like You
Does your dog mostly nibble the blanket you sleep with? Does the behavior increase when you are not by his side? Then it may mean that he gets your smell from the blanket. Perhaps it’s your cologne or the perfume you use most.
With the powerful nose your dog has, he won’t take long to identify his master’s smell. So, when you are away from him for a long time, he nibbles at the blanket quite often just to get that feeling that you are around.
4. He’s Trying To Soothe Himself
Your dog could be alone or anxious, and he needs something to soothe or comfort himself. He perhaps finds his favorite blanket as the best thing to hold on to during his crisis period. So, as a soothing behavior, you will find your dog nibbling on the blanket quite often.
Does your dog nibble the blanket the moment the doorbell rings? Has his nibbling intensified from the time you bought a second dog home? Well, in that case, these are the triggers that have made him anxious, leading to the behavior.
5. Your Dog Is In The Teething Phase
The teething stage of pups begins when they are around three weeks of age. During that time, puppies will nibble and chew whatever they get at hand. They do this to relieve themselves of the discomfort and pain. So, if you have a pup of that age, and observe him nibbling blankets too often, then you could guess that the teething phase has begun.
6. He Likes The Taste of The Blanket
Now, the question is, where is the blanket? Is it on the bed or on your couch? Well, in the case of the second option, there are chances that the blanket is mostly stained with foods or beverages.
If your dog smells edibles from the blanket, he will nibble or lick it quite often to satisfy his taste buds. It could even be the soft texture of the blanket that provides a soothing sensation to your dog’s mouth. Thus it tempts him to lick it over and over again.
7. Your Dog Is Being Playful
Perhaps he isn’t interested in playing with the same toys on and on. He finds it more pleasurable to play with the blankets. It could be that the prints attract him the most. Or, he is more fascinated with pulling the threads hanging to the side. You could sense that he was enjoying his game from his body language and facial expressions.
8. He’s Hungry
Do you find your dog nibbling the blanket right before a meal? Then chances are that he is hungry. You will have to feed him at once. If your dog’s nutritional requirement is not met then too he may resort to licking nonfood items. It could be the blanket or anything your dog finds comfort in. This is even called pica in medical terms.
9. Your Dog Has Been Weaned Prematurely
The average age for a dog to be weaned is between 8 and 10 weeks since birth. If your dog was separated from his mother before that time, then this means he was weaned prematurely. In such cases, they will cling to something soft and smooth.
What could be better than the blanket? Doing this gives them comfort and pleasure. It cannot replace their mother’s warmth but may soothe them to a certain extent.
Is Nibbling of Blankets Harmful For Your Dog?
The major problem associated with your dog nibbling his blanket is a choking hazard. The risk could be high if the blanket has tassels or balls along the edges. The blanket may also have threads hanging to the sides.
If your dog ingests any of these, they could either choke him or block his gastrointestinal tract. It could lead to severe consequences if too many balls or threads have gone inside your dog’s tummy.
Other than that, there isn’t much to worry especially if your dog does it once in a while to soothe himself. However, if nibbling turns into an obsession, then you would have to take the necessary measures to change your dog’s habit.
How To Teach Your Dog To Stop Nibbling Blankets? 8 Useful Ways
If this has turned into a habit and an obsession, you need to find out ways to break the habit. So, when your dog is nibbling on blankets a lot, there are certain things you can do from your end to prevent this behavior. Read on.
1. Exercise Him Well
When your dog exercises well, there’ll be fewer chances of him getting bored and anxious. Dogs vary from each other in exercise requirements. The overactive ones would need increased physical stimulation. While those that are a little laid back would be happy with moderate exercise. But the bottom line is that every dog needs to be worked out daily to stay fit physically and mentally.
So, take him on a walk every day, and combine it with ample playtime in a fenced yard or indoors. If going out isn’t possible every day, you can engage him in interesting activities at home. It could be a game of fetch, or you may also try teaching him a new trick. Once you keep him occupied, your dog won’t indulge in nibbling blankets.
2. Spray The Blanket
If you find it difficult to keep your dog away from the blankets, you could use dog-deterrent sprays. They come with a bitter taste, and if dogs lick on them once, they wouldn’t be interested in repeating their actions the second time. When purchasing the sprays, make sure you go for the ones that aren’t toxic to your dog.
3. Train Him To Follow Commands
Command training your dog from the time they are 8-12 weeks of age helps the canines to become disciplined when they grow. When you start early, your dog will learn to follow the basic commands by the time he has reached adulthood.
So, once trained on commands, you can say ‘Stop,’ No,’ or ‘Leave It’ when your dog is nibbling or about to nibble the blanket. If he follows your command and leaves the blanket, reward him positively with his favorite treat. This will make your dog relate that listening to you will fetch a treat. So whenever you stop him from nibbling the blanket, he will listen to you and refrain from doing the undesired behavior.
4. Reduce Access to Blankets
When you haven’t yet trained your dog, the best way to prevent him from nibbling blankets is to lessen access to it. Keep it inside a cabinet and lock it. If you have to wash it after every use, then dispose of the blanket in the washing machine.
When your dog doesn’t have access to the blanket for long, he will forget about it eventually. However, make sure that the blanket is not substituted with any other object, like the pillow case or your shoes. Instead, provide your pet with interesting puzzles that would keep him engaged and stimulate him mentally as well.
5. Do Not Encourage the Behavior
Dogs are like humans in this regard. If a certain behavior of theirs is encouraged or acknowledged, they will be inclined to repeat it. So, if you pat your dog or give him a treat when he nibbles on the blanket, he will associate this trait with a positive response from your end. This will prompt him to repeat the behavior.
6. Provide Your Dog with Chew Toys
If your pup is nibbling on the blanket to relieve himself from the pains of teething, then you could get some rubber chew toys for him.
It could help a little more if you put the toys inside the freezer. Once they get cold, you could take the toys out and give them to your dog. This will help soothe their gums, giving them relief.
7. Identify the Trigger That Is Stressing Him Out
If you identify stress as the reason for your dog to nibble on his blankets, then you need to find out what is making your dog so anxious. Once you’ve identified the trigger, try eliminating it.
Say, you have brought another dog home. Whenever both are kept in the same room, your first dog nibbles on the blanket. In that case, it is advisable to keep both of them separately till you’ve taught them to socialize with each other.
8. Feed Your Dog Well
Make sure your dog gets at least two meals each day in a span of 12 hours. When he is fed well, there’ll be lessened chances of your canine nibbling on the blankets out of hunger. Also, make sure that he has a balanced diet so that his nutritional requirements are being met well.
If you have opted for store-bought food, go for the best brands that cater to your dog’s needs well. When choosing a homemade diet, make sure you do not miss out on any essential nutrients.
FAQ’s
Should you contact a vet if your dog is nibbling?
You will need to get in touch with the vet if your dog engages in compulsive nibbling. This means he nibbles on the blanket or any other object at hand throughout the day. There could be a possibility that your dog has been affected by fleas, ticks, or mites.
In such cases, they will also nibble their skin to express discomfort. Also, watch out for symptoms like nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, etc.
What are the other things that your dog likes to nibble?
Dogs could nibble on anything that they are fond of or obsessed with. It could be anything from carpets to rugs, slippers to pillowcases, and the list continues.
Conclusion
Nibbling in blankets as a comforting behavior once in a while isn’t wrong. However, if it develops into a habit or a regular affair, then you would need to find out what is going wrong. When you give your dog quality time and stimulate him physically and mentally, he will be less prone to resort to unwanted behaviors like excessive licking and biting or chewing objects.
Elena Gherman is a highly skilled and knowledgeable animal care expert. At the start of her career, she gained practical expertise with multiple animals. In addition to that, she works as a DVM veterinary editor for Joy Pet Products, which focuses on offering reliable information on pet health and wellbeing. She meticulously reviews each piece of writing before it is published to make sure pet owners get the most precise and updated information possible.