Why Does My Dog Lick Pillows? Our Vet-Reviewed Answer

Although dogs are known for being playful, happy, and eager-to-please, they can also be creatures of intrigue. They do all kinds of wonderful and wacky things that it is difficult for us to understand. Why do they chase their tails? What makes them sneeze during playtime?

If you have ever snuggled in bed with your pup or seen them curled up on your couch pillows, you’ve also probably seen your dog give them a furtive lick. The worst is when it’s not so sneaky, and your dog turns your pillow into a sticky, wet mess.

Why do dogs like pillows and other pieces of bedding? In this article, we dig into why dogs have such a fascination with licking things and why they might specifically be licking our pillows.

Why Do Dogs Lick?

The overarching question is why do dogs lick anything? We humans don’t go around giving pieces of concrete, trees, other humans, and pillows a good lick each time we come across them. Of course, dogs explore the world in a totally different way than us, so we can’t always equate our experience with the world around us to how our dogs experience it.

Dogs don’t have hands to pick things up and feel the texture of things. Their eyes are also different from ours in that they see less color, and it is harder for them to make out detail. It is likely a combination of all these factors that instills a fascination with licking in dogs. They use their tongue to explore the world, licking things to find out what they taste like, what texture it has, and more about its form.

In addition to all that, dogs rely on smell more than any other sense. Just like in humans, a dog’s sense of smell is linked to their sense of taste. If they smell something that they are interested in, they are highly likely to give it a lick.

It is similar to the idea of compiling a file of information on an object or a person. When a dog smells it, the “file” is mostly complete, but by licking it, they can round out the rest of their “research.”

Why Do Dogs Lick Our Pillows?

Now that we have a better understanding of why our dogs lick, you can take that knowledge and apply it to the pillows. If they are licking them just once or twice, they are probably just curious. After all, you lay your head on these soft, puffy clothes for hours at a time every single day. Your dog just wants to know what makes them so unique.

However, if you start to notice that your dog is overly interested in your pillow and targeting it with their tongue, it might be time to look into other motivations. You might have to do something to correct the behavior, like training them to stop licking pillows.

Why Dogs Lick Pillows:

1. Your dog may be anxious or stressed.

Stress and anxiety among dogs can be quite the issue, especially for those whose owners have busy work schedules. Some dogs only have minor signs, like barking for a while after their owner leaves. Other dogs can experience more intensive signs, engaging in destructive behaviors and taking their worries out on your clothing and other items, such as pillows.

Pillows are a perfect owner-replacement for the times when you’re gone. They smell like you, particularly to your pup’s super-sensitive nostrils. If you come back to find them snuggled up with your pillow or soaked with their saliva, there is a good chance that they might have been consoling themselves with it.

There will typically be other indicators of separation anxiety if your dog suffers from it. For example, they might chew things up while you are gone, or your neighbors might hear them crying hours after you have left.

2. They find it comforting.

Your pillow smells of you and this may be enough for some dogs who miss their owners throughout the day. Having something to carry around or chew on can provide reassurance and comfort, such as a favorite toy. This does not necessarily mean your dog is suffering from separation anxiety, it may be just something they do when they feel overwhelmed or stressed. If their pillow licking becomes excessive, persistent or destructive, it’s best to consult a veterinarian or a certified canine behaviorist.

3. Your dog is having fun.

Some dogs may just find your pillow a fun toy to toss around and lick. They may do it before bedtime, if they sleep next to you, or as a game when you’re at work. Dogs that are bored may do it more often as they have too much energy to burn. Make sure your dog is well exercised and stimulated mentally on a daily basis in order to reduce any undesirable or destructive behaviors, which may occur due to boredom and frustration.

How to Stop Your Dog From Licking Your Pillow

It is unlikely that you will want your dog to continue to lick your pillow as time goes on. Instead, it is best to stop the behavior via various means. This will keep both you and your pup on more sanitary terms.

Identify the Reason for the Behavior

First, try to identify the reason for their behavior. Determine what they might need or are suffering from to figure out why they do it. You might need to consult your vet about the behavior if it continues or worsens.

Identifying the cause of the behavior will help you know what process you can use to address it.

Supplement or Fix that Reason

As soon as you figure out the reason, work to correct it within your own environment. You might need to work on separation anxiety training, getting them used to longer and longer times alone instead of just leaving, increasing their daily physical exercise and stimulating them mentally through various activities, such as scent work, agility, hiking, puzzle games and more.

If the cause is anxiety or stress, seek help from a certified canine behaviorist.

Take Away Their Access to Your Pillows

Sometimes, all you need to do to stop a behavior is to take away the possibility of them expressing it. If the only thing that they are interested in repeatedly licking is your pillow, then take it away. Either shut your bedroom door or put the pillows in a closet or drawer while you’re away.

Give Your Dog a Better Alternative to Licking Your Pillow

If you aren’t interested in hiding your pillows every day, you can try distracting them. Enrich their environment and introduce new safe toys they can play with, while supervising them to make sure they don’t chew pieces of or ingest them.

Conclusion: Why Dogs Lick Pillows

A dog that consistently licks your pillows is not expressing a sanitary or appealing behavior, even if they are doing it because they miss you. It might take a bit of work to understand this behavior, but since it usually points to an underlying unmet need, address the larger issue, and redirect their attention to something more appropriate.

Related Reads:

• Why Does My Dog Lick the Floor? 4 Reasons for This Behavior

• Why Does My Dog Lick Me? 10 Reasons for This Behavior

Featured Image Credit: Izemphoto, Shutterstock