11 Reasons Why Do Dogs Scratch The Carpet? Easy Solutions
If you ever find your dog scratching the carpet, you’re probably wondering why do dogs scratch the carpet. Is your dog experiencing any serious physical or mental issues? While there are a few different reasons why dogs scratch the carpet, the most common problem is that they’re trying to relieve an itch.
Apart from this, other causes may make your dog scratch the carpet. Emotional imbalances like boredom, anxiety and fear can trigger your dog to scratch the mat. Talk to your veterinarian if you’re concerned about your dog’s scratching habits.
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We have a German Shepherd, and it’s been eight years. It is there in our house. We have experienced this thing. But after finding this inappropriate thing, we talked with the veterinarian and resolved our dog’s issue. Now it doesn’t scratch the carpet anymore.
This article will share a few things that might help you understand why do dogs scratch carpets. To resolve an issue, we always find the root. Don’t we? Yes, likewise, we need to understand the behavioral changes of our dog and other things that trigger the carpet scratching habit in your dog—a few points we have shared below.
1. Boredom:
One of the main reasons that make your dog scratch the carpet is boredom. We often leave our furry pals on their own. Sometimes we don’t have time to keep an eye on them, or we forget to play with them. As a result, they started behaving grumpily and annoyed, which became very common for them.
Most of the time, dogs start crying and scratching the carpet at night. At this time, they remain all alone, and due to boredom, they start behaving like this.
2. For Attention
If your dog thinks you don’t pay enough attention to them, they will try to find ways to get your attention. When one plan doesn’t work, they’ll try something else. If your dog is scratching up your carpet, telling it off won’t help.
Dogs are quick learners and know how to get our attention quickly, whether good or bad. When you yell at your dog for scratching the carpet, they learn that this behavior gets a reaction. Then, your dog will keep grinding, hoping to get your attention each time.
3. Excitement
When dogs are excited about something, they may frantically dig and scratch the carpet.
You might think your dog has an accident on the carpet for no reason, but your dog may have seen a bird or a squirrel in the yard. Your dog may smell another dog outside, but since it can’t go out, it may take out all of its excitement and energy on your carpet.
If your dog gets quickly excited by things that don’t seem necessary, you’ll have to find ways to get their attention back to something else. Try playing with your dog or taking it for a walk to keep it from digging into the carpet.
4. Separation:
When left alone, dogs with separation anxiety may start digging in the carpet to eliminate their fear and stress. If your dog digs up the rug and floor near the front door all the time, they likely get worried when you leave the house.
If you miss the first signs of separation anxiety in your dog, they may get so upset that they tear up your carpet or scratch your hardwood floors. Most dogs with separation anxiety do something destructive to make themselves feel better and forget that their owners aren’t there.
If your dog is digging up the carpet because he is afraid of being alone, you should make a plan and take steps to help him feel better. Remember that your dog’s separation anxiety won’t go away overnight, and you may need help from a professional and medication. Take things one step at a time and be patient, no matter how long it takes or how hard it seems.
5. Instincts:
There are a lot of things that make dogs want to scratch your carpet. Many dog breeds were made to dig, so they are likelier than others to want to dig and scratch the ground. Jack Russells, Dachshunds, Malamutes, Beagles, and Schnauzers are some examples of terriers initially developed for their digging abilities.
If you possess one of these breeds of dogs or a mixed breed dog that may have one of them in its ancestry, it will likely want to dig even if it lives with you in a carpeted apartment.
Since there are no badgers in the area, they can probably satisfy their urge to dig by finding an abrasive section of carpet. Dogs haven’t always been able to sleep on human beds, so they may still want to scratch the carpet in your home.
6. Smells:
Do you know how some dogs like to dig in a smelly patch of grass or dirt and then roll around in the dirt? If this is how your dog is, they may also try to search and scratch your carpet if they smell something new and appealing. Dogs have excellent noses and can smell things from a mile away. You might not even notice that your carpet smells different.
Let’s say you went outside or worked in your garden for a while, and when you got back inside, you tracked some dirt onto your carpet. Your dog’s sharp nose picked up a new smell, and now it wants to dig into the carpet and find out what it is. If you think that this is the most obvious reason your dog digs in the carpet, you’ll need a good carpet cleaner.
Take a few minutes to find the spots on the mat that your dog likes the most, and then use the carpet cleaner to eliminate any odors there. When the new smell is gone, your dog won’t be so determined to dig a hole in your carpet.
7. Illness:
Some ailments may cause your dog to develop a carpet-scratching habit suddenly. In contrast to humans, dogs can not express illness or discomfort. Scratching is used as a strategy to try to alleviate their feelings. Due to illness, you might find your old dog pants at night with this scratching act. These all happen when your dog is sick from the inside. Here are some diseases that make your dog scratch the carpet.
- Arthritis
- Brain issue
- Skin conditions
- Thyroid disorder
- Thorn, or anything like that, is stuck in the paw.
Dogs have a propensity towards digging dens. In this way, they protect themselves from the elements. In warmer weather, digging would reveal cooler dirt. The hole’s high sides would protect them from the wind and the cold in the winter.
In response to the weather, your dog may attempt to dig into a den or rub its buttocks on the carpet. They do this to make them comfortable in patchy hot weather.
Older dogs could start clawing the carpet to make their dens softer. An older dog will have a more challenging time adjusting. Or, they might be shaking or putting their front paws on the ground over and over because of a neurological problem.
8. Create a cozy sleeping area:
Some dogs like to dig and turn around in circles to set up their sleeping area before they lie down to sleep. In the wild, dogs had to make their sleeping area safe and comfortable by stomping on grass, digging dirt, and rearranging the ground’s surface.
Even though our dogs live in much nicer places now and don’t need to rearrange their beds to make them more comfortable, this is a natural behavior, and some dogs do it out of habit. Your dog might do the same thing to your carpet.
If this is why your dog is digging in the carpet, you should get them a comfortable bed and encourage them to sleep there. If you see your dog digging in the carpet, tell it “NO” and lead it to its bed if your dog sleeps in its bed, praise and reward it instead of trying to dig up the carpet and sleep on it.
9. Trying to Hide Things:
Even though no carpet is thick enough to hide things from plain sight, your dog may try to dig into it to hide valuable items. Dogs have the instinct to hide stuff they want to use later, so your dog may try to hide toys, treats, bones, or food.
Sometimes dogs roll over the toys, put them under the carpet, and later try to bring them out. They start digging at them when they want to bring the hidden toys from the rug. Positive reinforcement is the best way to teach your dog not to drill holes in the carpet to hide things.
So, if your dog acts like they want to bury the toy in the carpet, tell them to bring it back to you. Spend a few minutes praising and playing with your dog so it can see that getting the toy back leads to rewards and good things happening.
10. To control the body temperature:
Dogs are born with the instinct to dig. The main reason is that dogs are descended from wolves, which had to dig dens to protect themselves and their young from lousy weather. If your dog is digging in the carpet, it may be trying to adjust its body temperature because they are too hot or too cold.
Their ancestors used to dig a warm, cozy den to stay cool or keep the cold away. Most dogs dig holes in the dirt to cool off, but if there is no dirt around, they can use a carpet instead. If you think your dog is too hot or too cold, try changing the temperature in your house to make them feel better.
During the hot summer months, turn on the air conditioning and ensure your dog has access to fresh water. And to keep your dog warm in the winter or on colder days, put a sweater on him, get him a heating pad, or add an extra blanket to his bed.
11. Genetic Behavior
Even though all dogs have a natural urge to dig and scratch, some breeds were made to have a strong desire to explore. Terrier breeds, for example, have been bred over the years to hunt, dig up, chase, and catch mice and other animals that live underground.
If you see your Fox Terrier digging a hole in your carpet, you should know that this is what they were made to do. In this case, there’s not much you can do other than make sure your terrier gets enough exercise and has a lot of toys, which may help to stop them from digging.
Sometimes you also find your dog scratching the carpet while sleeping; it is simply because they dream something related to scratching or drilling, and as an outcome, they start scratching the carpet unconsciously.
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FAQ: Why Do Dogs Scratch The Carpet
1. How Can You Prevent Your Dog From Scratching The Carpet?
A: When you catch your dog digging in your carpet, clap your hands or make some noise. But don’t yell or do anything else that will scare your dog. You also can get some toys to calm down the anxiety of your dog.
2. Why do dogs randomly scratch the floor?
A: Scratching or digging is a natural behavior that evolved from how wild dogs used to behave. I learned that it is in their DNA to act that way. Our dogs scratch and dig for many reasons, even if we humans find it strange. It could signify being bored, building a nest, feeling safe, or territorial.
3. Why do dogs create a circle and dig before lying down?
A: Some dogs dig in the carpet before lying down to make sleeping more comfortable. Dogs can also find the best and most comfortable sleep by scratching the carpet before lying down. Dogs like to dig in the carpet because it makes them feel like they’re making a cozy den, just like their ancestors used to do when they lived outside.
