Why does my dog like blankets so much?

If your dog likes blankets a lot, this post will show you why and what you can do about it.

So, why does my dog like blankets so much? Likely reasons why your dog likes blankets so much are that it finds your blankets comfortable, it likes their smell and that it has learned that the behavior is rewarded.

There are actually a number of possible reasons and it could be due to a combination of reasons. However, there are some things you can consider to help figure out the main cause and there are some things you can do about it.

Why does my dog like blankets so much?

Below are likely reasons why your dog likes blankets so much and what would make each of them more likely.

Your dog finds the blankets comfortable

The reason why your dog likes blankets is likely to be that it finds them comfortable. This would be especially likely if it has started sleeping on them since it has become colder inside or since you started leaving them in a spot where it is able to sleep on them. In this case, it could help to give your dog an alternative comfortable place to go such as a dog bed.

Your dog likes the scent

Dogs have a strong sense of smell and it might be the case that your scent on the blankets makes your dog feel calmer. This would be more likely if your dog seems to like the specific blankets that you have been using the most. This might also be a sign of separation anxiety which would be more likely if your dog only uses the blankets when you are not around.

Your dog has learned that the behavior is rewarded

It could also be the case that your dog has learned that it gets rewarded if it interacts with your blankets. If you tend to do things such as give it extra attention or treats, when it interacts with your blankets, it will likely do it more in order to get more rewards.

Your dog likes the taste of the blankets

Another possible cause is that your dog likes the way your blankets taste. This would be more likely if it chews on the blankets and if it does it on the blankets you have been sleeping on which will likely taste more salty due to sweat. In this case, it would help to give it alternative things to chew such as bones.

Things to consider

Below are some things to consider to help figure out the main cause.

If your dog has always liked blankets

If your dog has not always liked blankets, it would help to consider what else happened when it first started. If it started doing it suddenly, it could be because you started letting it have access to them, it learned that the behavior is rewarded or that it started liking the smell.

The timing of when your dog sleeps on blankets

It would also help to consider if there is a certain time that your dog tends to like the blankets the most. For example, if it only sleeps on blankets when you are not home, the cause might be separation anxiety and that your scent calms it down.

What to do about my dog liking blankets

Below are some options you have when dealing with the behavior.

Avoid encouraging it

As mentioned above, your dog might have learned that the behavior is rewarded. Instead, it would help to get it off the blankets but to avoid giving it any extra attention when it sleeps on the blankets and to reward it when it sleeps or lays down elsewhere.

Limit its access to your blankets

It would also help to limit your dog’s access to blankets by putting the blankets somewhere it cannot get to.

Let it do it

If the behavior does not bother you much, another option would be to simply let your dog continue doing it.