Thinking of Mum
Puppies are born with a natural instinct to nurse on their mom because that’s needed for survival. As small puppies, most moms allow the puppies to nurse as often as needed for nourishment. As the puppies get older, some will try to nurse for the sense of comfort and security it provides. Mom catches onto this tactic and begins to wean the puppies off naturally.
Dogs that suck on blankets into adulthood are seeking the comfort and relaxation that the sucking action provides. Some dogs that may have experienced trauma as puppies may be more apt to suck on blankets into adulthood. Puppies that were separated from their mom too early or weren’t allowed to nurse much may suck on blankets to self-soothe themselves.
Teething
Teething is an uncomfortable and painful stage of life for any puppy. They may start sucking on blankets. They may even start becoming destructive and chew on anything that they can get their mouths on.
If your puppy is sucking on a blanket due to the pain from teething, your puppy should naturally stop and outgrow this once they’re done with their teething phase. It’s important to provide a variety of safe chews and teething toys for your puppy to chew on during this stage of life. This will help alleviate the teething pain.
Anxiety
Puppies and dogs of all ages can suffer from anxiety, and it can look different in every dog. If your dog sucks on blankets, particularly in times of stress, your dog is likely trying to self-soothe by sucking on blankets.
Other signs of anxiety can include:
- Pacing
- Whining
- Chewing
- Barking
- Destroying objects
- Trembling or shaking
Some dogs are more anxious than others, and some dogs have experienced traumatic events like moving homes or losing another pet in the house. Eliminating triggers like loud noises may help calm your dog’s anxiety. Working on positive reinforcement techniques to have fun with your dog and help your dog establish positive associations could help your dog feel more safe and secure.
If you suspect your dog has more underlying anxiety, you could try anti-anxiety methods, like the Thundershirt.
Thundershirts were designed for anxious dogs, and it is reported to have helped dogs in more than 80% of cases. The Thundershirt works by applying constant, gentle pressure to your dog’s body to alleviate the anxiety and fear. It is said to help mostly with environmental triggers. If you improve your dog’s anxiety to environmental triggers, his sucking behaviour may decrease.
Taste
Most dogs are very food motivated. If you notice your dog sucking on a blanket that may have gotten some food crumbs on it or may be a bit dirty, your dog just likes the taste of the blanket. When the taste of the blanket is combined with the scent of you, this provides a really comforting item for your dog to lay on.
Scent
If your blanket smells like you, it’s possible that your dog is just sucking on it as a way to feel closer to you when you’re not around. This is similar to how dogs will steal one of our socks from the dirty laundry hamper and will carry it around the house with them.
Canine Compulsive Disorder
Although compulsive disorders in dogs are rare, they do exist. Compulsive disorders in dogs is generally characterized by exaggerated, repetitive behaviours. Some behaviours may include tail chasing, over-grooming, flank sucking, or sucking on a toy or object.
Dogs typically perform their compulsive behaviour during times of stress. In these cases, your dog would repetitively suck on blankets with more and more intensity. If you suspect your dog has canine compulsive disorder or displays other signs of anxiety, contact your veterinarian.
Breed
Some breeds are more prone to sucking on blankets than other breeds. This includes Spaniels, Dobermans, and Bull Terriers, and these breeds are known for “flank sucking.” Flank sucking is when the dog takes a section of his own skin on his flank in his mouth and consistently holds the position. This is a self-soothing behaviour the dog does during times of stress.
When these dogs are feeling overwhelmed, the flank sucking can turn into sucking on objects like blankets. This behaviour also has the tendency to turn into a canine compulsive disorder. Sucking is a self-soothing behaviour. The more the dog performs the behaviour, the more that he will continue to perform it in the future.
Should you be worried about your dog sucking on blankets?
Your dog won’t harm himself by sucking on blankets or objects occasionally. If your dog is obsessive about it, you should take steps to try to prevent your dog from doing it. If your dog is flank sucking, that can lead to things like skin lesions. In these flank sucking cases, you should take steps to prevent the behaviour and should contact your veterinarian.
Most dogs that suck on blankets are doing it purely to self-soothe and provide comfort. If you’re worried about your dog chewing on the blanket instead of just sucking on it, you should monitor closely and take the blanket away. Any pieces of ingested blanket could lead to a problem for your dog.
What to do if your dog sucks on blankets?
In most cases, your dog occasionally sucking on blankets is not a problem. Sucking on blankets is a way for your dog to self-soothe and make himself feel more comfortable and relaxed. This is similar to how children and people often have a favourite pillow or blanket that they may carry from childhood into adulthood. This isn’t cause for concern and is just a way for your dog to make himself feel better.
If you want to redirect your dog to a better option, offering your dog some sort of tasty chew or frozen toy, such as a frozen Kong, may be an acceptable alternative for your dog. This will provide your dog with something to occupy him mentally as well as with his mouth.
If you suspect that your dog is sucking on blankets due to underlying anxiety, the Thundershirt may help alleviate your dog’s anxiety so he can find comfort.
Other Considerations
Most people are familiar with the concept that cats knead, but did you know that dogs knead too? Sometimes dogs will knead and suck on blankets right before bedtime. This is their way of getting comfortable. This is often associated with dogs that have been taken from their mothers too early. Performing this kneading and sucking behaviour at bedtime is normal and nothing to worry about.
Watching your dog suck on blankets as a way to self-soothe can leave you feeling frustrated or hopeless or even as if you may have done something wrong. But fear not! You can’t go back in time and give your dog a better experience with his mom as a puppy. The best thing you can do for your dog is to provide a safe, comfortable, and healthy environment that your dog can thrive in.
Removing any triggers in the environment that cause your dog’s anxiety to spike can also help him feel more secure in his environment. Using positive reinforcement training techniques to help your dog create positive associates with triggers will also naturally help your dog’s anxiety levels decrease.
The goal of positive reinforcement training techniques is to change your dog’s underlying attitude or emotional response to triggers. This establishes a positive emotional state for your dog so they are able to cope with stressful events in a better way.
Conclusion
Dogs sucking on blankets is a behaviour that is driven by a variety of factors, from comfort and security to a simple oral fixation. Understanding why your dog is sucking on their blanket can help you better understand their behaviour and strengthen the bond between you and your furry friend.
Using positive reinforcement techniques will help anxious dogs cope better during stressful times.
