Why Does my Dog Lick My Blankets

Why does my dog lick my blankets and sheets almost all the time and always when he goes to sleep? In reality, dogs will lick almost anything, but you may have noticed that they lick their bedding first, and he does this always before he goes to sleep. There are several reasons, and today we are going to explain all of the most important ones.

Reasons Why Does My Dog Lick My Blankets

1. He Suffers From Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Why does my dog lick my blankets and sheets and other things obsessively? Well, he suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder. In humans, it is visible when a person must do a certain thing or something bad will happen. Dogs don’t believe something bad will happen, but they still feel an urge to lick something. This can be almost anything. In most cases, this will be chairs and carpets, but also sheets and blankets.

Make sure to remove the stressor, or, more accurately, the source of stress in his life. This can be almost anything, so you may want to look carefully. Also, make sure your pet gets plenty of physical activity and spends quality time with you.

2. Nausea

If your pet feels nauseated, he will start licking. If this occurs before going to bed, he will lick the blankets and sheets. In simple words, he will lick almost anything and everything. The goal is to make the nausea stop and go away. As you may know, usually this doesn’t help, so you may need to help your pet. Take him to the vet. Maybe the diet isn’t suitable for your pet, or maybe he has some stomach-related issues. There are countless reasons for this problem.

3. Your Dog Is Marking The Territory

This is a more common expiation why some dogs will lick their own beds. However, if he sleeps with you in the bed, it explains why he licks blankets and sheets every night before sleeping. He wants to mark his territory. This is an important method that can leave his scent on the blanket and make him more comfortable. Usually, there is no need to do anything about it. It is perfectly normal. 

4. Separation Anxiety

Separation anxiety starts when your dog is separated from someone or another dog. If a puppy is in question and he was separated from his mother too soon, he will do the same thing. This is known as “maternal separation.” In addition, in both cases, we can see dogs licking almost anything and everything. They are more likely to lick things when you should leave.

5. He Is Bored or Stressed

If a dog is under a lot of stress or is simply bored, he will lick things. He sleeps in one spot or in your bed, so before he goes to sleep, he will lick the obvious things around him. The first thing you need to do is find the cause of that stress and solve it, or better yet, eliminate it. If there is no stress but he is just bored, your pet needs more activity. He needs to walk more, spend more time with other dogs, and of course, with you. Try this first, and if it works, you have solved the problem.

6. Your Dog Is Hungry

Although rare, it may happen. If your pet eats in the bed or he is just hungry, you can see him licking the things, including the blankets. Don’t think that this may not happen and that there are no odds for that. In reality, dogs may lick things to collect some nutrients from them. 

7. He Likes The Smell

Your blanket and sheet will have your scent. As such, your dog misses you and he wants to get your scent as much as possible. Although not a common explanation for this behavior, it may happen and the solution is obvious. You need to spend more time with your dog. 

8. Gastrointestinal Problems

Many dogs will lick once again, almost everything when they have gastrointestinal issues. This makes them feel slightly better. After all, they won’t think about the pain and they will start thinking about something else. However, you are unlikely to tell that this is the cause. The only way to do so is to take your pet to a vet. He can diagnose the issue and prescribe proper medication. These problems are common in dogs and can be caused by something he ate or drank. 

9. He Is In Pain (Senior Dogs)

As you can see, senior dogs are in pain, and that pain might be growing for quite some time. If this happens, he will lick blankets, sheets, the floor, his body, and almost everything else.

Even if your pet has been sleeping in the same bed for a decade, he will still do this. In the dog’s language, he wants to make the pain go away, and he knows that licking will help. Unfortunately, it is ineffective in this situation. We can add that this reason is commonly paired with growing pain, so you may want to visit a vet and find the solution.

10. It Is His Habit

This explanation is common if your dog has been doing this since he was a puppy. It is his habit now, and he will lick blankets and sheets as long as he can. First of all, this is bad behavior, and it should be corrected as soon as you can. It is something many dog owners won’t tolerate at all. But if he is big now and this is his habit, you still need to tell him that it is a bad thing to do and train him to stop. You will need plenty of time and effort to achieve this.

Conclusion

Why does my dog lick my blankets and sheets? This was a comprehensive list of the reasons why this happens. As you can see, some reasons are serious while others are not. Find the reason why your dog does this and correct it if you like. Most dog owners will want to put an end to this.