Why Do Dogs Scratch Their Mats?
Dogs have different methods of communicating with their owners. As pet owners, we love to provide our dogs with the best comfort. Some owners go ahead and provide their dogs with carpets and mats so their dogs can lie down snugly. However, it can become hard to keep your dog in a carpeted home. At first, your dog will always leave his hair and fur on the carpet, which necessitates regular vacuuming. Some dogs have the habit of digging and scratching on their mats. If done frequently, this results in frayed, faded and dirty mats. Before you begin to hunt for carpet cleaning services, your dog could be scratching his mat as he tries to communicate something to you. Here are some of the common reasons why dogs scratch their mats.
8 Reasons Why Dogs Scratch Their Mats and Carpets
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Fear or Anxiety
If you are a new pet owner and you notice that your new canine friend starts to scratch or dig at his mat in response to a certain stimulus, there is a high probability that he is doing that in response to anxiety. A nervous dog will instinctively try to burrow to get away from something that’s making him scared. If it happens when a stranger arrives at your home or when there are thunder and lightning, then the scratching will be proof that the dog is trying to escape the situation.
Separation anxiety will also be manifested in this manner and be observed better if the scratching happens only in one place. To help the dog stay calm during such situations, try and consult your trainer and see if you can break the habit.
Related Post: Best Crates for Separation Anxiety
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Boredom
Another reason behind your dog’s mat scratching behavior could as a result of boredom. Dogs require a lot of mental stimulation. This means that they will engage in different activities even if destructive just to keep themselves occupied. Without toys or exercises that keep your dog occupied, he will begin to use his mat as an entertaining toy.
Read: Best Dog Frisbees
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Behavioral Issues
Behavioral issues are among the main cause of dog damaging carpets and mats. A dog that’s unsure of its place in the home hierarchy will either scratch or urinate on his mat to mark his territory. Other dogs will realize that they attract attention after doing that, so they will keep on doing it to try and attract more attention from their owners.
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Natural Instinct
If your dog has a tendency of scratching his mat before laying down on it, you can attribute the behavior to natural instinct. Wild dogs would dig up holes to make a nest or a den to rest or sleep in. Even though your dog is now domesticated, he could still have inherited this instinct from his ancestors. Some dog breeds have a higher tendency of being diggers than others, however, all dogs tend to have this habit, so it’s good if you just let them do it.
Read: Why Dogs Dig on Beds and Couches
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Territorial Behavior
The other reason behind your dog’s mat scratching behavior could be his way of marking his territory. Naturally, all dogs are driven to mark their territories. They do this in different ways. You’ll find your dog urinating on objects to claim them as his own. However, such behavior is unpleasant. Dog’s paws contain glands that leave a unique scent on anything that they scratch. You might only see the tattered mats, but on the other hand, your dog sees a space that he has made his own. Additionally, dogs will easily return to a resting spot if they feel that it belongs to them. This might be the reason behind the increase in mat scratching behavior when a new pet or a new person moves into the house.
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Seeking Your Attention
If you haven’t been around the dog for a long period, he will do anything to try and seek your attention. If you have been away for long, your dog will certainly miss you. To prevent this from happening, try as much as possible to spend quality time with your dog.
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Getting Comfortable
You might have noticed that your dog scratches the mat every time he wants to rest or sleep on it. He could be doing so to cool down or warm up that area and find a comfortable spot to lie down and rest.
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Illness
A physical or mental illness might also be the reason why your dog is always digging his mat. Thyroid imbalance in dogs causes them to behave destructively. Brain tumors can also be attributed to unusual behaviors in dogs. If the frequency of your dog’s destructive behavior continues to surge, consider taking him to the vet so he can be checked up.
How to Manage your Dog’s Mat Scratching Behavior
As long as your dog’s mat scratching behavior doesn’t seem obsessive, there is no need to panic. On the other hand, if the behavior seems obsessive, here are a few tips that might help you keep your household intact.
- Provide your dog’s mat with a finer texture or try adding more blankets to keep him warm especially during cold weather conditions.
- Try and relocate the mat into a more private area. This way, the dog will feel more secure.
- If your dog is scratching the mat because he feels hot or cold, you can adjust the thermostat accordingly.
- Introduce one heavy blanket and place it on your dog’s mat. This makes it difficult for him to scratch the mat.
- For those dogs that scratch their mats trying to hide toys, provide toys that will grab the dog’s attention instantly, so he doesn’t want to hide it for later.
- If your dog is scratching on the floor and leaving marks, consider training sessions or invest in dog nail caps.
Conclusion
There are many reasons why dogs keep on scratching their mats. Some of the reasons are purely instinctive while others are out of a response to anxious emotions. To save your carpets and mats from being torn into pieces, try and find the root cause of the behavior and address it as quickly as possible.