In this article, we’re going to talk about all the different reasons, but most of the time it is behavioral.
Dogs arent’ born with this inherent anxiety; it’s a learned behavior, and just like any learned behavior, it can be undone or redirected.
Dog licking blanket issues have several causes, and we’re going to go over as many as possible to clear the air and help you get your dog to stop. It’s not a one-day fix; this may take weeks to correct, but it will be worth it.
Check Their Diet
If you’ve recently changed your dog’s food, check it to make sure that it’s nutritionally balanced for your dog’s age, size, and breed.
A vet will help diagnose if your dog is lacking in any nutrients or has any allergies to their new food.
If that’s the case, change their food gradually or add nutrient supplements to their food, and this should resolve their blanket licking.
The reason why it licks blankets could be that you have been inadvertently training it to do so. This would be more likely to be the reason if you tend to give it things that it wants such as attention, treats or toys when it licks your blankets. Instead, it would help to reward your dog when it does not do it and to try to redirect its focus when it seems likely to start doing it.
When you sleep, sweat and dead skin cells will gather on the blanket which tastes salty to your dog. The reason why it licks blankets could be that it likes the way that they taste. This would be more likely if it tends to lick blankets that you have been using and if it does not lick them as much after you wash them.
If it tends to do it more when you are not home, it would be more likely that it is due to separation anxiety. This would be more likely if your dog tends to become anxious when you are leaving home and if it licks the blankets that you use yourself since they likely have a strong scent from you on them. It would help to try to limit reasons why it might be anxious by doing things such as exercising and feeding it before leaving it so that it is more likely to sleep while you are away.
The reason might be that it is due to an obsessive-compulsive disorder. This is where it has an irresistible urge to lick blankets so it keeps doing it. This would be more likely if it has been licking blankets constantly for a few weeks now. In this case, the best option would be to get help from a vet.
If your dog has been licking blankets a lot, you might be wondering why and what you can do about it. This post will show you a number of possible causes and what you can do about them.
Medical Reasons:
As your dog naturally explores things using his sense of smell and taste, compulsive and obsessive licks for carpets, blankets, couches, and furniture may be an indication of a serious health condition.
The behavior of excessive licking, spots, skin irritation, or hair loss could be a sign of allergies that may have caused the skin or paws to itch.
Additionally, some bacterial and fungus infections may cause itchiness, which would lead to excessive licking. This is quite similar to a person who tends to rub a sore muscle or joint. The licking releases endorphins, which is the body’s natural pain- killer that helps to soothe the pain.
Another medical reason for your dog is licking strange surfaces (not himself) is from gastrointestinal problems. The dog may find relief to these problems through licking unusual surfaces. Accordingly, consulting your vet will be required to diagnose and get the suitable treatment for your dog’s condition.
Another reason is being uncomfortable. For example, my dog licks the bed before sleeping to make it a more comfortable place for her to sleep.
However, the most common problem that I usually face is a dog, which lacks essential minerals.
Walls, colors, wooden furniture, and even pillows might contain essential minerals that the dog is lacking. That’s why you might find that giving your dog some vitamins can terminate this strange licking behavior. Those are the anemic dogs or dogs with cancer.
The dog can start licking at household furnishings when he has vitamin or mineral deficiencies. By instinct, the dog will try to compensate his intake by any available means.
Alternatively, consuming weird and unusual things is a dog’s way of curing him of abdominal pain and feeling generally unwell. He may even chew on grass if he gets the chance.
FAQ
Is it normal for a dog to lick a blanket?
What does it mean when a dog licks fabric?
Why does my dog excessively lick my bed?