How to Stop a Dog from Chewing the Carpet: 8 Vet Approved Tricks

Why is your dog chewing on the carpet when she has plenty of chew toys to choose from? After all, dogs love to chew, and you’ve provided her with enough toys for several dogs, and yet, your carpet seems to be your dog’s favorite thing to chomp on. Well, rest assured, we’re here to help you with this problem.

We’ll start by looking at why this behavior needs to be taken seriously as it could prove harmful to your dog. We’ll then look at why your dog may be chewing the carpet and some tips for preventing this behavior from occurring.

If you need help with training your dog, we suggest speaking with a vet online.

Will Eating Carpet Hurt My Dog?

Maybe one of your primary concerns is the damage to your expensive carpet, but there are safety reasons for your dog why the chewing behavior needs to stop.

If you suspect your dog has swallowed some of your carpet and hasn’t vomited, you need to take your dog to the vet immediately. Particularly if your dog has lost her appetite, has a swollen belly, or you see changes in her bowel movements.

Now we’ll look at eight reasons why your dog might be chewing on your carpet and some ideas on stopping this behavior.

How to Get Your Dog to Stop Chewing Carpet

1. Puppy Teething

Puppies tend to explore and gain information from the world around them by putting everything in their mouths. They will chew on everyone and everything they can get their little teeth on as well while teething. Teething is the process when puppies start to lose their puppy teeth to make room for adult teeth, and this process does, unfortunately, cause pain. The pain gives puppies the urge to chew on things to help alleviate it. Teething usually starts at about 3 weeks of age and lasts until your puppy is about 6 months old.

2. Separation Anxiety

When a dog is left alone for too long throughout the day, he might experience separation anxiety, leading to a multitude of destructive behaviors, including chewing your carpet. Other signs of separation anxiety could include pacing, excessive barking, howling, digging, trying to escape, and urinating and defecating inside the house.

3. Early Weaning

If a dog was taken away from her mother at too young an age (usually before 7 or 8 weeks old), some dogs will start sucking, chewing, and licking fabrics.

4. Dog Pica

Pica is a condition where dogs will develop a compulsion to eat non-food items that can include carpets. Some dogs might only attempt to eat one kind of non-food object or will try to eat anything they can wrap their mouths around.

5. Dog Stress

A dog that is frustrated and stressed can sometimes engage in inappropriate chewing behavior. This kind of stress can result from excessive teasing or rough play from children (or adults) and harassment from other animals. It can also occur when they aren’t allowed to participate in an activity that excites them (not being allowed to chase a squirrel, for example).

6. Insufficient Exercise and Boredom

A dog that is bored and not getting enough exercise will sometimes resort to chewing as a way of entertaining herself.

7. Carpet Smells Good

Maybe something that smells yummy fell on the carpet, and your dog is chewing because he’s hungry, or he just can’t resist that scent. This will potentially be more of an issue for a dog that is on a diet.

8. Typical Dog Chewing Behavior

Some dogs are just prone to chewing things without it being a medical or behavioral issue. Chewing for hours can help strengthen their jaws and helps to keep their teeth clean.

What To Avoid

• Don't punish or scold your dog, physically or verbally, as she won't remember what she did wrong, even immediately after the event. This will probably even create further destructive behavior.
• Do not hold your dog's mouth closed or tape it shut. This is abuse, and she won't learn anything from this.
• Don't put a muzzle on your dog to prevent chewing, as she will not learn anything.
• Your dog should not be left in a crate for more than 6 hours just to prevent her from chewing your carpet.

Conclusion: Puppy Chewing Carpet

If you’ve tried to curb your dog’s chewing using these tips and it’s still an issue, you should speak to a dog behaviorist and your vet in case there’s an underlying problem. Lots of love, patience, and training should usually work, and hopefully, you can come out of this with a happy dog and a salvaged carpet.

Featured Image Credit By: heathergunn, Pixabay