If your dog has been rubbing itself against your couch a lot, you might be wondering why and what you can do about it. This post will show you a number of reasons why it might have been doing it and what you can do to get it to stop.
So, why does my dog rub itself against the couch? Possible reasons why your dog rubs itself against the couch are that it likes the scent of the couch, it is rubbing its own scent onto the couch, it likes the way it feels, a rash or you might have inadvertently encouraged the behavior.
Since there are a number of possible causes, it would help to consider what would make each of them more likely. Once you have a good idea of the cause, it should become a lot easier to get it to stop.
Why your dog rubs itself against your couch
Below are a number of reasons why your dog might have been doing it and what would make them more likely to be the main reason.
Encouraging the behavior
It could be the case that you have inadvertently encouraged the behavior by giving it things it wants when it does it. If you tend to give your dog things such as toys, treats or extra attention, when it rubs itself against the couch, it will likely do it more in order to get more rewards.
Instead, it would help to try to avoid rewarding it when it does it, to reward it when it behaves the way you want it to and to try to redirect its focus when it is about to start rubbing itself against the couch.
It is marking its own scent
The reason why it does it could be that it is marking its scent onto your couch. This would be more likely if it also does similar things around the house, it occasionally tries to urine mark around the house and if it can be very territorial when other dogs are near the house.
It likes the way it feels
The reason why your dog does it could simply be that it likes the way that it feels. This would be more likely if it does also does similar things in other places as well and if it does not do it excessively.
An injury or a rash
The cause could be that it has gotten a rash or an injury. This would be more likely if it has started doing it suddenly, it has been rubbing the same part of its body against the couch and if it has been doing rubbing itself against other objects as well. In this case, the best option would be to take it to a vet.
It is not likely to be dominant behavior
Many people jump to the conclusion that their dogs do it because they are trying to be dominant. However, the alpha/beta dynamic has been contested in studies showing that wolves take turns in taking charge.
Things to consider
Below are a number of things to consider when figuring out the main reason why your dog has been doing it.
What else happened when your dog first started rubbing itself against the couch
If your dog did not always rub itself against the couch, it would help to consider what else happened when it first started doing it. If it started doing it suddenly, it would make it more likely that it learned that it gets rewards for doing it.
What is different when it does it
It would also help to consider what is different when your dog tends to do it. For example, if it only seems to do it when you are sat on the couch, it would be more likely that it does it because it knows that it will result in you giving it extra attention.
What to do about your dog rubbing itself against the couch
Below are some things you can do in order to get your dog to stop doing it.
Avoid encouraging the behavior
As mentioned above, it might be the case that it has learned that it gets rewards when it does it. Instead, it would help to try to reward it when it behaves the way you want it to, to avoid rewarding it when it does not and to try to redirect its focus when it looks likely to start rubbing against the couch.
Ensure that it is not due to an injury
If it seems like it might be due to a rash or injury or you cannot figure out why your dog has been doing it, the best option would be to take it for a checkup with the vet. By doing so, you should be able to get expert advice tailored towards your particular dog and to rule out the possibility of it being due to injury.
Positive reinforcement training
Positive reinforcement training is where you encourage your dog to behave in a certain way by rewarding it when it shows signs of behaving that way. It would help to reward your dog when it does not rub against the couch in situations that it normally would in order to encourage it to stop doing it.
Why is my dog suddenly rubbing itself against the couch?
If your dog has suddenly started rubbing itself against the couch, it could be because your dog has developed a rash or because something has caused your dog to start to want to spread its scent more such as if you recently got a new pet.
Why does my dog rub itself against the couch after a bath?
If your dog rubs itself against the couch after being bathed, it could be the case that your dog is trying to rub off the smell from the bath or that your dog is trying to get its scent back. It could also be the case that your dog feels itchy after the bath.
Why does my dog rub itself against the couch after a walk?
If your dog rubs itself against the couch after a walk, it would be likely that your dog is trying to spread its scent in its home environment.
Why does my dog rub itself against the couch after eating?
If your dog rubs itself against the couch after eating, it could be the case that your dog is trying to spread its scent since your dog deems this location to be a good spot for food.