There are dogs that keep their bed for years, while others destroy it within a few days of having it. Why do they do this? From taking small bites and starting to break it around the corners, to literally tear it apart completely.
If you ask yourself “Why is my dog breaking his bed?”, These are the most frequent causes of this destructive behavior. Remember, solving the origin of the problem you will solve the behavior, do not scold or punish your dog, because that will not work.
Index of contents
- 1 My puppy bites his bed
- 1.1 How to prevent my puppy from biting everything?
- 2 Why does my dog destroy the bed?
- 2.1 Separation anxiety
- 2.2 Lack of stimuli
- 2.3 Lack of exercise
- 3 How to prevent dogs from biting your bed?
- 4 How to train a dog not to bite his bed?
My puppy bites his bed
Puppies are known for their destructive behaviors and biting habits. As with babies, your puppy is getting to know the world and one of his ways of doing it is through bites.
Additionally, puppies experience pain during growth due to tooth shedding and shedding. So sometimes they just bite to ease that pain. They also bite and destroy as a way to drain your energy, especially if you don’t get enough exercise.
- Teething period in dogs
How to prevent my puppy from biting everything?
It acquires different teethers, they are available in pet supply stores and they are ideal to face this growth stage. Also, give your puppy daily exercise, but, more importantly, arm yourself with patience. This It is a normal stage and if you control the behavior correctly, it will stop happening when the dog grows.
Why does my dog destroy the bed?
There are different reasons for a dog to break everything when he is alone, be it his bed, the cushions, the sofa, etc. Many times, we think they do it to punish us for leaving them alone, but dogs do not experience such emotions.
These are the main reasons for destructive behavior:
Separation anxiety
It is a serious behavior problem, one of its consequences may be the obsession to destroy the beds, one after another. A dog with separation anxiety experiences fear and anxiety when left alone, and destroys everything in its path to try to relax or leave the house.
- How to fix separation anxiety
Lack of stimuli
If you’ve asked yourself, “Why is my dog tearing up his bed?” He may be bored. We are not talking about any boredom, but a dog that you do not offer stimulation options for the hours he spends alone at home. As a result, he seeks to distract himself with everything around him.
- Signs of boredom in dogs
Lack of exercise
Are you one of those people who only takes the dog out to relieve itself? Serious mistake, at any moment, it will start to destroy your bed and all the things in the house. Your dog needs to drain its energy by running, playing and walking.
- How many walks does a dog need per day?
How to prevent dogs from biting your bed?
Uncontrolled biting and trashing the bed are behaviors that have a solution. The main thing is to detect what is causing that reaction, only then will you be able to attack the problem at the root.
Keep in mind the following recommendations:
- Don’t scold your dog when you destroy your bed or other object. Contrary to what we believe, they are unable to understand what unleashes your annoyance.
- Offer frequent exercise. The amount depends a lot on the breed, but in general daily or intermediate departures of between half an hour and an hour are required.
- Let your dog interact and play with other pets and different people.
- Offers environmental enrichment. If your dog’s problem is due to boredom, buy different toys and leave them within reach when you go out. Teethers, intelligence games and a dog Kong are excellent options.
- Start a process of training based on positive reinforcement.
- Teach your dog to be alone. Avoid overexciting him when you return home (get excited just inside) and help him overcome separation anxiety. Keep in mind that, if the problem is very serious, you should go to a canine trainer.
How to train a dog not to bite his bed?
Before going to a professional, you can use the positive reinforcement to prevent your dog from destroying his bed. The following steps will help you train puppies or adult dogs to use their bed without destroying it:
- Allow the dog to use the bed only under your supervision. During training, let him sleep on a fluffy blanket or mat.
- Place the bed close to you and allow the dog to lie down. As soon as I try to nibble on it, say a forceful “NO!” and remove the bed.
- Allow 10 to 15 minutes to elapse and repeat the operation. When your dog bites it, perform the previous step; if, on the contrary, he lies down calmly, give him a prize and caress him.
- If you combine this training with the previous recommendations and manage not to bite the bed, congratulations! In case your dog continues with his behavior, go to a professional.