1 – Couch Digging May Be Territory Marking
While you may only notice your dog scratching up your sofa, your dog is innocently telling you how much he loves it and is making it his own. Dogs also do this with their beds or other favorite areas.
Dogs have scent glands under their paw pads that create their own particular mark of ownership while rubbing. Don’t worry; there is no noticeable smell that a human would be able to detect, but other dogs will instantly know that the sofa has been claimed.
She may be more successful digging at your bedding where there is more to cover it. When you retire for the night, this is why you might find all sorts of things tangled in the bedding. And when you sit down to watch television, you may discover things buried between the couch cushions, another favorite “hiding spot” for a cherished item.
So, how do you resolve this behavior? According to Siracusa, try this: At home, teach her the “off” and “watch me” cues, says Siracusa; use them to redirect her mid-dig, with a distraction like a chew toy (this should curb, if not eliminate, the behavior). Should the digging remain excessive, that can be an anxiety symptom; in that case, its best to consult your veterinarian.
Another cause may be as innocuous as boredom, and you can satisfy Frenchies urges with regular trips to the park or beach. Even if there is not enough depth to cover the toy or bone your dog wants to protect and hide in the carpeting, she may dig there as an attempt to bury her treasure. You might still see it plain as day after your dog is done digging, but the attempt to hide something she values is an instinct.
Burrowing is instinctive in pups. When you watch your dog digging and scratching furiously at upholstered furniture or the carpeting, you cant help but wondering why this is happening. If your dog keeps returning to a specific spot to burrow, a hidden rodent could be the trigger, says Carlo Siracusa, PhD, associate professor of clinical behavior medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.
6 – A Dog May Dig on the Couch to Hide Toys
Some dogs instinctively try to hide things that they value. That is why you may find well-loved dog toys scattered all over the house and even hidden in your bedding as your pup tries to save its things for later.
The deep area behind and between the sofa cushions may be a perfect spot for your dog to be able to stash its treasures inside the house. If you notice your dog digging on the couch while holding one of its toys in its mouth, it is probably looking for a good spot to hide it.