Poor Janet was fed up. Her lovely leather sofa was covered in scratches and small bare patches. The cushions were usually scattered on the floor and there was an odd lump on the left hand side. Sometimes she hated her dog.
Janet’s dog is a gorgeous, friendly, medium sized Heinz 57 mutt. She loves him dearly most of the time, but he has a nasty habit of scratching away on the leather sofa. This behaviour not only damages the settee, but his frantic digging sends the cushions flying away across the room. Then he throws himself down against the left hand back, which is causing some damage to that, too.
Most digging at furniture is because dogs have been pre-programmed since the mists of time to create a nice comfy bed area for themselves. In the wild they dig in soft stuff like leaf mould, grass or sand to create a den area where they can safely sleep, often turning round and round before settling too – their primitive instinct is to check the area is safe.
But there may be other reasons too:
– when dogs dig they leave scent from the scent glands in their paws to claim that area for themselves
– they also dig to regulate their temperature and comfort, just as we wrap the duvet round us, or plump the pillows
– pregnant bitches dig to create a nest for their puppies
– they may be trying to bury treasure, such as a favourite toy or food item
– they may dig at the sofa to uncover a scrap of food or other scrumptious tasting thing that’s dropped between the cushions
– as with so many unwanted behaviours, it may be because your dog is bored
– it may be happening as a result of changes in his environment, such as moving house, a new family member or another pet taking up residence.
More rarely, digging may be a symptom of your dog being nervous, chronically worried, anxious, scared, over-stimulated or over-excited.
So, what can
you do about it? There a few options:
– train your dog to stay “off” the furniture, or to jump down when
asked
– make sure he has a lovely comfy bed of his own in the same room and encourage
him to use it
– training your dog to use a crate will keep him and your furniture safe if the
behaviour tends to happen mostly when you’re out
– make sure any crumbs of food or tasty items such as paper tissues are cleared
up promptly
If you suspect it may be due to boredom, up his exercise, walks, and training
and play more with him and his toys.
If there have recently been significant changes in his family or environment, take time to reassure him and keep his routine as normal as possible.
If you’ve got a new pet, make sure you still give your current dog lots of time and cuddles with you.
And if you are worried he may be unhappy, nervous about something, or over-stimulated, seek professional help.
Janet introduced several of these ideas and her furniture is now safe, I’m glad to say.
Keep training,
Carol