Why Do Dogs Need Security?
Dogs have a natural propensity to form attachments to specific people, and as a result, they crave security. A dog’s blanket is incredibly comforting whether it’s inside the house or outside. Many families have hectic routines. Changes in your everyday activities, school, and work can give your pet a sense of instability. Although these activities are important to you, they can be stressful for your pet.
A dog without proper security can become anxious or destructive—dogs need to feel safe and secure to feel calm and content in their environment. Some common ways to provide security for dogs include having a special blanket, a designated place to sleep, providing chew toys and bones, and arranging regular one-on-one times with your dog.
A Keen Sense of Smell for Familiarity
Smell is believed to be a dogs most powerful and important sense. Canines possess up to 300,000,000 olfactory receptors, compared to the 3,000,000 in our noses. Additionally, the part of your best friend’s brain dedicated to evaluating smell is 40 times greater than yours!2 These factors have led scientists to believe that a dog’s sense of smell may be 100,000 times more acute.3 For instance, we might notice if our morning cup of coffee has an extra teaspoon of sugar added to it; however, a dog could detect the same amount of sugar in an Olympic sized swimming pool!4
The superiority of the snout allows dogs to detect and react to seemingly unnoticeable scents and studies have further shown that canines illicit positive physiological responses when they identify familiar smells. When a dog is presented with a variety of scents, the pleasure center in their brain responds most strongly to the scents of their owner and other familiar dogs.5 This research suggests that the familiar smell of a dogs blanket can reduce anxiety and evoke a positive emotional response. Furthermore, seasoning the blanket with the scent of a puppys mother or the familiar smell of an owner can put your pooch at ease in stressful situations.
Protect your dog from the cold
Despite the fact dogs wear fur coats 24/7, some still get cold. Puppies, older dogs, and small dogs tend to need a little extra warmth. Skinny dogs and dogs with short or thin coats also like blankets to snuggle.
Ten breeds known to be a little more cold-blooded include Beagles, Boxers, Chihuahuas, French Bulldogs, Great Danes, Greyhounds, Poodles, Pugs, Shih Tzus, and Yorkshire Terriers.
Why Dogs Need Blankets
If you’ve tried sleeping with your dog in your bed at night, you might be wondering about this one strange but adorable behavior of your furry friend – crawling under the blanket with you.
Is this a normal behavior? Do all dogs do this? Is it safe? Let’s explore the answers to these questions and more.
Do dogs like to be under a blanket? Not all dogs enjoy being under a blanket, but many do. In addition to the blanket providing warmth and security, it’s thought that burrowing under a blanket mimics natural digging and denning instincts. As long as the dog can’t become trapped and is able to breath, being under a blanket is safe.
Let’s take a look at the root of this behavior and whether or not you should allow your dog to sleep under the blanket.