How to Stop Dog From Chewing Carpet?

Did your dog destroy your precious Persian rug? Or does it keep eating the area rugs and carpeting around the house?

You may wonder why your pup keeps doing it and, more importantly, how to stop the dog from chewing carpets.

First and foremost, you will need to identify the cause for this unwanted behavior in your pet and then address it so that both your carpets and your furbaby stay safe.

Read on to find out how munching on rugs and carpets can harm your furry companion and the most common causes of this nasty habit. We have provided some valuable tips on addressing the problem and preventing future incidents of this type.

My Dog Keeps Eating Carpets – How Can This Harm it?

While, in some cases, the primary concern may be saving the expensive rug or carpeting, dog parents should know that this behavior can also hurt their pets.

It is essential to identify the cause of this behavior and restrict it for the safety of your four-legged companion.

First of all, eating textile and other inedible items and fabrics can cause choking and GI obstructions. Both of these can be life-threatening and most often require emergency veterinary care.

Another risk for dogs who like chewing carpets is that a fabric or thread can get caught in between their teeth, which can cause discomfort, pain, and infections.

If you suspect your pup has swallowed a big piece of the rug, and it hasn’t come out throw vomiting or in its feces, you should contact your vet as soon as possible. Other symptoms that your pet may suffer from a blockage in the intestines or stomach are a lack of appetite, a swollen abdomen, inability to poop, straining, weakness, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, and more.

Call your veterinarian immediately for further instructions if you notice any of these symptoms!

Since treatment of obstructions can be expensive and risky, the best thing dog parents should do is to take preventative actions. This can be done by identifying and addressing the underlying causes of this rug-chewing behavior.

Here are the most common reasons why your dog may be chewing your carpeting and some tips on curbing this behavior.

Reasons for Carpet-Chewing by Dogs and Ideas for Preventing it

Your Puppy is Teething

Young puppies will start growing and then losing their needle puppy teeth starting at the age of about 3 weeks. This painful and itchy process of losing the puppy teeth and growing the new adult ones usually continues until about 6 months. During this time, puppies will chew on just about anything they can get hold of to alleviate some of the pain and discomfort and play and explore the world.

Unfortunately, during the teething, not only the carpets will be under attack. Your furniture, shoes, cables, feet, and hands are only some of the objects your young puppy will want to chew on.

Remember that some dogs, such as retrievers, are especially “mouthy,” and chewing and nipping can be especially pronounced with them.

The puppy teeth start growing at 3 weeks up to 6 weeks. At the age of 12 weeks, these needle-like deciduous teeth will start falling, making room for permanent teeth. You can expect that all puppy teeth have fallen out, and the permanent ones have grown once the pup reaches the age of 6 months.

Tips to Help Resolve the Problem

You can choose from many special chew toys explicitly designed for teething puppies. You can also give the little one something cold or frozen that it can chew on to alleviate the pain. The easiest way to do it is to put a wet, clean washcloth in the freezer and then give it to the puppy to chew on. But make sure to keep an eye on it to prevent incidents of choking or swallowing parts of the cloth.

If your puppy is still caught in the act of munching on your rug, make sure to take it away from there and say “no.” Instead, give the pup a chew toy, and praise it as soon as it starts chewing on it.

Your Dog Has Separation Anxiety

Unfortunately, many pups suffer from separation anxiety. Now, this problem has become increasingly predominant after people are back in their offices after the two-year lockdown.

Separation anxiety means that your furry companion does not want to be left alone, and this can cause it to engage in unwanted behavior such as incessant barking and howling, urinating and pooping indoors, and destructive behavior such as carpet chewing and others.

Tips to Help Resolve the Problem

If your dog has a mild case of separation anxiety, then leaving it fun and engaging toys to play with can resolve the problem. One great way to keep your lonely pup happy while you are gone is to give it a Kong toy filled with treats such as frozen banana or peanut butter.

More severe cases can be addressed via the ASPCA’s counterconditioning and desensitization programs for changing unwanted behavior. These include analyzing the causes for the behavior, slowly getting the dog used to the stimuli which cause it, and using positive reinforcement to train the dog and stop the chewing, barking, or other unwanted actions.

Experts warn that dog parents should not crate dogs suffering from separation anxiety because this may worsen matters. Dogs with severe separation anxiety may hurt themselves seriously trying to get out of the crate when left alone!

If you leave your doggo alone for just an hour or so, and it is trained to stay calm in the crate, you can leave it there so that it doesn’t destroy your rugs and hurt itself. But crating a dog for long hours is never recommended!

Speak to your veterinarian about potential medications that can alleviate the anxiety and possibly stop the destructive behavior.

The Puppy Has Been Weaned Too Early

In some cases, if a puppy has been taken away from its mother too early (before the age of 7-8 weeks), this can lead to licking, sucking, and chewing on various fabrics, including carpets.

Tips to Help Resolve the Problem

You may want to try training the pup using some of the suggested techniques for teething. Give it chew toys and a frozen cloth and train it to obey the command “leave it” or “no” by using positive reinforcement.

Or, if the chewing and sucking have become compulsive, seek help from a dog behavioral expert or your vet.

Your Pup May Have Pica

Pica is a condition that can cause dogs to be attracted to and crave non-edible items. Some common things that pups with pica like to chew and eat include furniture, feces, fabrics, and carpets. This kind of behavior is dangerous as it can lead to choking, obstruction, and poisoning in some cases.

Tips to Help Resolve the Problem

Medical problems or behavioral issues can cause pica. Talk to your veterinarian about the problem. Some medical examinations and tests can be performed to help determine whether an underlying medical issue is causing this behavior.

If no medical issues are found, the pica is probably caused by behavioral problems, which need to be addressed too.

Suppose your dog is eating your carpeting out of boredom or attention seeking. In that case, you can easily resolve the problem by keeping the dog happy and healthy with a complete, balanced diet, regular walks, playtime, and engaging toys. Of course, you will need to take the time to train your furbaby to learn what types of behavior are undesired and inappropriate as well.

Your Dog May Be Stressed

Canines can engage in destructive and undesired behavior, including barking and aggression, if stressed out or frustrated. Stress in dogs can be caused by rough play and teasing by children and adults or by aggression or harassment from other dogs and animals. Dogs can become frustrated if they are not allowed to participate in activities they are excited about, such as running, chasing squirrels, etc.

Tips to Help Resolve the Problem

Talk to your children about how to communicate and play with the dog, so both sides are happy and safe. Never leave young kids and the dog unsupervised together.

If your furry companion becomes particularly frustrated by specific stimuli, try redirecting its excitement and attention to something else, such as a chew toy or other.

You can resolve stress and frustration in your furbaby by making simple changes in how you and others interact with it and by providing it with more enjoyable experiences and toys instead of letting it chew on your rugs out of stress or spite.

An animal behavioral specialist may be able to help you resolve this problem as well.

Your Pup May Be Bored or Underexercised

Dogs must stay physically and mentally active and entertained to be well and happy. Young puppies and more active dogs require longer walks, exercise such as running and playing, interactive games, and stimulating toys.

Doing some research before adopting a new pup is a good idea, as some dog breeds require much more physical exercise than others. If you are more of a couch potato, you may want to opt for a breed that is not too active itself. On the contrary, people who love the outdoors and physical activities will be better off with a dog that is happy to engage in similar activities.

Related: Coffee Wood For Dog Chews

Tips to Help Resolve the Problem

As dog parents, you should ensure that your furry companion gets the walks and exercise it needs. Going on regular walks and taking your pet to dog parks or other places where it can run and play will keep it happy and content.

If your pup is particularly overactive and becomes bored easily, you can try keeping its mind and body stimulated. This can be done by providing it with interactive toys, food puzzles, Kong, and other toys and games.

This will keep it engaged and prevent it from resorting to destructive behavior such as chewing on your rugs.

Your Furbaby May Like the Taste of Your Carpet

Your pup may simply like the smell and taste of your rugs or other textiles at home. This is especially common among hungry dogs or on a restrictive diet.

Dogs have a heightened sense of smell and may be attracted to certain odors we humans cannot sense or others that we don’t find particularly appetizing.

Tips to Help Resolve the Problem

You may try using a dog-safe repellent spray on the carpet, making it less attractive for your four-legged friend.

Some dog parents spray some alcohol, vinegar, or ammonia diluted in water as a homemade carpet repellent.

Your Dog May Be Displaying Typical Canine Behavior

Dogs don’t have hands, so they use their mouths to grab, pick up and explore different items. Chewing is only natural for canines and is something they resort to out of curiosity, hunger, and play or to exercise their jaws and keep their teeth and gums clean.

Tips to Help Resolve the Problem

Once again, you can use a safe repellent to make the pup stop chewing on the rugs at home. When the dog stops chewing, praise it and reward it with a treat to reinforce this behavior.

Try to distract the pup by giving it a toy that will keep it engaged instead.

If you cannot supervise it, then consider crating your dog for a little while until you run your errands or do your job to prevent undesirable chewing.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Although you may be angry that your dog has destroyed your favorite rug, do not scold or punish it. In most cases, the pup will not know what it did wrong, leading to even more destructive behavior in the future.

Putting a muzzle on the dog is another mistake, leading to negative consequences rather than resolving the problem.

Physical abuse can lead to even more undesired behavior and aggression in some pups.

Also, do not leave your pet in the crate for more than 6 hours at a time. The crate should be large and comfortable enough for your pup to stand, move around, stretch and sleep or play. You should ensure that it has fresh water while you leave it there. Also, provide it with comfortable bedding and safe toys. Place the dog in the crate after it has relieved itself, and do not leave it inside for long.

Crating should be done to protect the pup and your belongings when it is not supervised rather than to punish it. If your dog fears the crate – never force it inside. Instead, train it to feel like the crate is its own happy and special place.

Final Words

Hopefully, we have helped you understand why your pup has been chewing the carpets and rugs in your home so that you can take action to stop and prevent future incidents.

Thankfully, in most cases, you will be able to resolve this problem yourself by following our tips.

If you have persisting problems with this behavior, you may want to consult an experienced animal behavioral expert for professional advice.

Further Reading:

• Top 5 Best Pet Carpet Cleaners to Remove Pet Stains & Odor