Why Does Your Dog Lick Blankets? Habit or Signal?

Dogs naturally tend to lick, but sometimes this instinctual action can lead to concern among pet owners when it becomes excessive. The cause of this peculiar behavior often leaves many owners baffled. It’s essential to recognize that while licking is a fundamental aspect of a dog’s instincts, observing it closely can help in understanding your pet’s needs or health status more accurately.

Why Does My Dog Lick Blankets?

Coming home to see your cherished dog engaging in blanket licking can be a curious sight. This behavior, though seemingly innocent, may prompt the question: “What drives dogs to lick blankets?”

The causes vary, encompassing everything from innate tendencies to potential health issues. This article aims to shed light on the different motivations behind such behavior and offers useful advice on how to address and curb excessive licking.

Unraveling the Puzzle: Why Dogs Lick Blankets

While it’s true that dogs have a natural tendency to lick various objects, their fixation on licking blankets specifically can sometimes signal underlying issues that warrant attention.

Yet, there’s no immediate need for alarm. This article will guide you through understanding your dog’s blanket-licking habit and provide strategies to help manage this peculiar behavior.

Dogs may lick blankets for several reasons, ranging from dental, adrenal (related to the kidneys), or gastrointestinal issues, to anxiety, sensory stimulation, or even remnants of food on the fabric.

Although it might seem unlikely for a medical condition to be the direct cause of this licking habit, it’s not out of the question. Therefore, consulting a veterinarian to rule out any potential health concerns is advisable, to ensure your dog’s well-being and peace of mind for you.

The Instinct to Lick

Dogs possess instinctual behaviors passed down from their wolf forebears, which include self-grooming and using their acute sense of smell to navigate the world around them. Licking is a crucial part of self-grooming for dogs, aiding them in cleaning their fur and skin and removing parasites.

Moreover, licking acts as a tool for dogs to investigate their environment, helping them detect possible dangers or prey through their advanced olfactory abilities.

Gastrointestinal Problems

Dogs may resort to licking blankets as a coping mechanism for nausea and discomfort associated with digestive troubles. This activity triggers the release of endorphins, which act as natural pain relief for the animal.

Consulting a veterinarian is advisable if you observe your dog engaging in excessive blanket licking due to suspected gastrointestinal issues. This behavior is often a self-soothing attempt to alleviate the sensation of nausea or induce vomiting for relief.

Affection and Comfort

For dogs, the act of blanket licking is not just a habit but can also express affection and seek comfort. The presence of their owner’s scent on a blanket may offer a sense of security and a familiar environment, particularly in the owner’s absence.

Additionally, this behavior stimulates the release of endorphins in dogs, known as “feel-good” hormones, promoting relaxation and contentment. This explains why dogs often appear so satisfied during such moments.

Canine Dental Discomfort

Dogs with dental problems may exhibit unusual behaviors, such as air licking or blanket licking. These actions could indicate discomfort from conditions like toothaches, mouth ulcers, or foreign objects causing pain in their mouth.

Additional signs of dental issues include excessive drooling, whining, reluctance to eat, or trouble chewing. While a personal inspection of your dog’s mouth might reveal some of these problems, securing a professional evaluation from a veterinarian is the most reliable approach to ensure your dog receives the appropriate care.

Canine Anxiety

Monitor your dog’s blanket licking to see if anxiety is the cause. This behavior may arise from overstimulation, separation anxiety, or perceived threats.

Licking soothes stressed dogs, but unmanaged anxiety may lead to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This is often evident when the owner is absent or when the dog lacks stimulation. Addressing the root cause is essential for your dog’s well-being.

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Sensory Motives

Your dog may lick blankets to feel closer to you, drawn by your scent, especially when you’re not around, providing them comfort and reducing anxiety through the familiar aroma.

Additionally, the taste of sweat and skin cells on the blankets, appealing due to their saltiness, can attract your dog, a behavior that often resumes post-wash, highlighting their attraction to your scent or taste on the fabric.

By simplifying the language and summarizing the concepts, we aim to make the information accessible to a wider audience, including younger readers.

Food Left Behind

People often eat while wrapped in blankets, leading to crumbs and food particles getting embedded in the fabric, which can attract dogs, drawn by their preference for human food, possibly due to dietary needs or nutritional deficiencies.

This drives them to explore and supplement their diet by seeking out these enticing scents and tastes.

Addressing your pet’s dietary needs with attention and care is crucial, especially when changes in behavior suggest they might be trying to compensate for a lack of their nutrition.

Problems with Diet

Dogs with sensitive digestive systems may lick blankets excessively due to nausea or stomach discomfort from food allergies to ingredients like soy, wheat, and corn.

This behavior may serve as a distraction from gastrointestinal pain. Consulting a vet is crucial for diagnosis and treatment. Transitioning to an organic, non-GMO, grain-free diet under professional guidance is essential for dogs with such sensitivities.

Nausea

Dogs often lick excessively to alleviate nausea, mirroring the human response of salivating before vomiting. This behavior reflects their natural aversion to illness.

When dogs lick non-living objects like furniture, it could point to dietary health issues. Observing such licking, particularly after meals, suggests a need to evaluate and adjust their diet.

Other Likely Reasons

Dogs’ licking behaviors may stem from accidental reinforcement by owners or the need for physical relief.

Rewarding them with toys, treats, or attention to stop licking can inadvertently encourage the habit while licking fabrics might help them soothe physical discomforts like itching by providing moisture for more effective scratching.

How can a dog be prevented from licking a blanket?

To address your dog’s blanket-licking habit, consistent effort is needed. If medical issues are suspected or training fails, consult a vet and a canine behavior specialist. Prevent blanket licking from escalating to destructive chewing or tearing by curbing the behavior early.

Check Their Diet

After altering your dog’s diet, ensure the new food meets their nutritional requirements based on age, size, and breed. A veterinarian can assess whether your dog has nutrient deficiencies or food allergies.

If necessary, gradually transition to a different food or incorporate dietary supplements to address these issues, which may help stop their habit of licking blankets.

Also read: Why do dogs like to be pet

To prevent your dog from licking blankets in the meantime, store blankets in a container that’s safe for dogs or place them out of reach. This strategy not only deters the licking behavior but also protects your blankets from damage.

Managing Anxiety-Related Licking

Managing anxiety-induced licking involves engaging your dog in regular exercise and mental activities, making changes to their environment, and seeking advice from professionals.

These measures aim to alleviate stress and anxiety, thereby minimizing the likelihood of excessive blanket licking and enhancing your pet’s overall health and happiness.

Exercise and Mental Stimulation 

Ensuring your dog is both physically and mentally stimulated is crucial for minimizing stress and anxiety.

Activities like walks runs, obedience lessons, fetch, scent-based games, swimming, and hide-and-seek not only keep your dog active but also engaged, helping to alleviate behaviors associated with anxiety, such as excessive licking.

By offering a diverse range of activities and frequently introducing new ones, you can maintain your dog’s interest and joy, which is key to managing anxiety-driven behaviors effectively.

Environmental Changes

Adjusting the surroundings of your dog plays a significant role in minimizing stress and anxiety. Establishing a secure and serene area, minimizing exposure to loud sounds and abrupt changes, and adhering to a regular schedule can create a more tranquil environment for your pet.

Incorporating extra measures, such as offering a snug bed, playing gentle music, and introducing calming fragrances, can further assist in reducing your dog’s anxiety and stress levels.

Professional Help 

Turning to a veterinarian or a canine behavior specialist can be immensely beneficial for addressing your dog’s anxiety-induced blanket licking.

These professionals can provide personalized advice and strategies suited to your dog’s unique situation, equipping you with the necessary insights and methods to effectively manage anxiety-driven behaviors in your pet.

Preventing and Redirecting Blanket Licking

There are multiple approaches to deter and divert the habit of blanket licking. These include restricting access to blankets, offering other items for licking, and applying training methods.

Adopting these strategies with steadfastness and patience is crucial in addressing your dog’s excessive licking behavior, contributing significantly to their enhanced well-being.

Strategies to Minimize Blanket Licking

Restricting your dog’s access to blankets is an effective step towards curtailing excessive licking. Employing a crate or a dedicated dog bed, along with the application of a chew deterrent spray on blankets, can serve as deterrents to this behavior.

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Offering alternative forms of engagement, like chew toys and interactive activities, can redirect your dog’s urge to lick toward more appropriate and fulfilling pastimes.

Engagement Activities for Stress Reduction

Involving your dog in activities that stimulate their mind and encourage physical activity can significantly lessen stress and anxiety.

This leads to a more content state, reducing the tendency to engage in behaviors like blanket licking. Activities such as playing fetch, going for walks, and offering interactive toys are excellent examples of how to keep your dog engaged and happy.

Training Strategies

Employing training methods, notably the “leave it” command, can be instrumental in diverting your dog’s focus from blanket licking.

This technique encourages your dog to detach their attention from the blanket, steering it towards more acceptable behaviors and thus curbing excessive licking.

The successful application of these training strategies hinges on consistent practice and patience, vital for effectively mitigating blanket licking habits in your dog.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my dog lick blankets and sheets?

The act of licking blankets and sheets by dogs can be a source of comfort, reminiscent of the security and warmth they experienced with their mothers as puppies. This behavior may stem from the soothing nature of the items, which provide a sense of safety and comfort similar to maternal presence.

Additionally, dogs might engage in this activity because these items carry your scent and possibly retain the salty residue of your skin, which is appealing to them. Licking these items allows your dog to feel closer to you, maintaining a sense of connection and presence even in your absence.

Is it normal for dogs to lick blankets?

Our blankets carry a scent that is comforting to dogs because it reminds them of us. When we’re away, our dogs find solace and security in being close to something that smells like us, like curling up under our blanket. Moreover, the behavior of licking can also serve to reduce stress and soothe dogs.

Does blanket licking indicate a problem?

Occasional blanket licking in dogs is normal and can be due to curiosity or playfulness. However, frequent licking may indicate anxiety, stress, boredom, gastrointestinal issues, or allergies.

It’s important to consult a veterinarian if you notice excessive licking or behavioral changes to address any potential health problems. Monitoring your dog and seeking vet advice as needed ensures their well-being.

Can blanket licking be a sign of anxiety?

For a long time, excessive licking in dogs was thought to be a way for them to relieve stress and anxiety. However, recent research has shown that gastrointestinal problems might also significantly contribute to this behavior in many dogs.

Why do dogs lick the bed or pillow?

Dogs sometimes lick objects like beds and pillows due to habit, seeking comfort, or because they enjoy the taste. Excessive licking of these items by your dog could indicate feelings of anxiety, boredom, or loneliness, as this action helps release endorphins, contributing to their sense of well-being.

Thus, monitoring your dog’s licking habits is crucial to prevent it from becoming an obsessive behavior.

Why does my dog lick the bed before sleeping?

Your dog might lick their bed to make it more comforting, marking it with their scent to feel secure and at ease before sleeping. This action stems from an instinct and can indicate that they are happy and feel safe. Ensuring your dog has a cozy bed is important for their comfort and security.

How can I discourage my dog from licking blankets?

Prevent your dog from licking blankets and pillows by providing them with ample chew toys and bones. These alternatives can satisfy their licking urge and help maintain dental hygiene. For items you wish to keep off-limits, applying a bitter-tasting spray can deter your dog from licking them.

Should I be concerned if my dog ingests blanket fibers while licking?

If your dog swallows blanket fibers during their licking sessions, it’s wise to keep an eye on them. While small amounts might not cause immediate harm, ingesting large quantities can lead to digestive issues. For peace of mind and your dog’s safety, consulting a vet is the best course of action.

Why does my dog lick my bed sheets at night?

Your bedsheets capture two things your dog finds irresistible: your unique scent, which they adore, and the salts from your perspiration. These factors make your sheets a prime target for your dog’s affectionate licking.

why is my dog licking everything all of a sudden?

If your dog suddenly starts licking everything, it could be a sign of stress, boredom, or a health issue needing attention. It’s a good idea to observe any other changes in behavior and consult a vet to ensure your furry friend’s well-being.

why does my dog lick furniture?

Your dog might lick furniture out of boredom, to explore their environment, or because they’re attracted to the taste or smell. It’s a common behavior, but keep an eye out for excessive licking as it might indicate stress or health issues.

why is my dog licking the couch all of a sudden?

If your dog suddenly starts licking the couch, it might be seeking comfort, showing signs of anxiety, or finding something tasty there. It’s key to monitor any new or unusual behaviors and consider a vet visit to rule out any underlying health concerns.

Conclusion

Dogs have a natural tendency to lick various objects, such as their paws, blankets, other animals, surfaces, toys, food bowls, and even people’s faces. This behavior can also be a way for them to cope with anxiety. However, if your dog’s licking becomes excessive, leading to constantly wet sofa cushions, chair arms, and blankets to the point of obsession, it’s crucial to intervene. Addressing this behavior promptly can help protect your furniture and ensure your pet’s mental and physical well-being.