If you’re a proud dog owner, then you likely already know that dogs tend to lick things, including their favorite toys, their beloved humans, and their own privates. And it doesn’t take Sherlock Holmes’ superhuman levels of observation to notice dogs also lick their beds.
So why do dogs lick their beds? Is this something that needs the intervention of a vet or dog behaviorist, or are you fretting over nothing?
Your dog’s bed-licking behavior may be explained by behavioral or health factors:
Behavioral factors
1. Settling down
The marking of territory is a natural canine instinct that goes back millennia. Canines dribble pee on a spot to mark said spot with their scent, which is their way of telling other creatures, “This is my territory; stay out!”
Your dog’s licking of their bed – whether that bed is a doggy mattress or the living room sofa – may also be a form of territorial marking. After all, their saliva, like their pee, can mark an area with their distinctive scent. This makes your dog more comfortable knowing they’ve made a statement to all nearby creatures not to invade their private sanctuary while they’re asleep.
2. Grooming
This may be hard to believe given dogs love wallowing in mud, but dogs are naturally clean creatures. To stay clean, dogs lick themselves (though not as religiously as cats do). A dog licking another dog is cleaning their pack member. Dogs even groom their humans!
Therefore, it’s likely a dog licking their bed is simply cleaning said bed. This is part of the process of settling down and getting comfortable as described in the previous point.
3. Pleasure and comfort
The simple act of licking things, people, and pack members stimulates the dog’s nervous system to release chemicals known as endorphins. Endorphins trigger feelings of pleasure and positive well-being, as well as reduce discomfort and pain.
In short, some dogs lick their bed because the behavior gives them pleasure and comfort.
For the same reason, a dog licking their bed may simply be bored. A lack of mental and physical stimulation often causes strange and problematic canine behaviors.
4. Your scent is all over their resting spot
Dogs are devoted to their owners. When your dog licks you, they’re likely showing affection. Licking is, in fact, a social bonding mechanism that’s common in packs of wild canines such as wolves.
So what happens when you leave the house? Your dog misses you.
If you allow your dog to sleep on your couch or your bed, then your scent lingers on those things – a strong scent that reminds them of you. Therefore, your dog licks their surfaces as a self-soothing behavior meant to make them feel closer to you when your physical presence is sorely missed.
Because of the powerful canine sense of smell, your dog will be drawn to anything that smells of you, so they may also lick blankets, the couch, your shoes, and your other possessions.
5. Something on their bed is yummy
To us humans, a bed is nothing more than a piece of furniture to sleep on. But to the dog, the bed is home to numerous odors that signal the presence of various yummy things.
Most dogs have a habit of taking their food to their favorite spot. It’s therefore likely your pet has inadvertently sprinkled their bed with minuscule food particles – particles that may be invisible to us, but not to your dog’s incredible nose. Any obsessive licking of their bed may therefore be your dog enjoying the taste of those tiny, leftover scraps.
And if your dog sleeps on your bed or couch?
As previously discussed, a dog licks their owner’s face to show affection. But it may also be because they like how your salty skin tastes. They may even be trying to sample your last meal, whose minute traces remain on your skin. These are all scents and delicious flavors you leave behind on your couch or bed – and knowing doggo, they sure love free treats!
6. The behavior was previously rewarded
Dogs love making us happy and are constantly seeking our approval. If your dog does something that earns our displeasure, they learn to stop doing it. If we reward their behavior with praise, affection, or a treat, then they learn to keep repeating the behavior, as they recognize it brings us joy.
It’s therefore possible you may have been inadvertently training your dog into thinking licking their bed is desirable behavior. Maybe you smiled and laughed as they licked the mattress. Maybe you spoke to them in a pleasant voice or scratched them behind the ears. Even if you didn’t mean to tell your dog that you liked what they were doing, they probably saw your positive reaction as a license to keep on licking.
Health factors
1. Anxiety
Stress and anxiety are often the reason behind strange or destructive behaviors.
Some dogs experience separation anxiety, so when you leave the house, they resort to excessive licking to feel calmer. They may even start licking whenever they’re convinced you’re about to leave.
Early maternal separation could be the culprit behind separation anxiety. When dog owners unwittingly traumatize a puppy by taking them away from their mother too early, the puppy may end up developing separation anxiety later on in life.
Separation anxiety is seen in around 14% of dogs – which means a lot of dog owners are making mistakes.
Other things can stress out your pet. Loud noises such as fireworks on the Fourth of July, for example, can encourage your dog’s licking behavior. They may even start chewing on furniture or gobbling up rocks.
Abuse or neglect can also seriously damage a dog’s mental health. This is why it’s often unfair and lazy to label a destructive dog a “bad dog.” In most cases, “bad dogs” are suffering from extreme anxiety, fear, and nervousness because of the cruel treatment people subjected them to.
2. Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Humans aren’t the only species that can develop obsessive-compulsive disorder.
According to the American Kennel Club, canine compulsive disorder, or CCD, is “identified by normal dog behaviors that are performed in such an extreme, repetitive way that they are difficult for the dog to stop and can interfere with the dog’s ability to function.”
When your dog is licking their bed, for example, they are engaging in normal behavior. But if you observe them licking things for extended periods every day, and if the obsessive licking behavior lasts for weeks, then they may be exhibiting a key CCD symptom.
Similarly, if your dog is licking themselves incessantly, then that could be compulsive grooming behavior. This can lead to acral lick dermatitis or lick granuloma – a skin lesion resulting in hair loss and skin thickening in the area your pooch won’t stop licking.
In addition to compulsive licking, other things to watch out for include extreme repetitions of pacing, tail-chasing, spinning, patterned barking, freezing and staring, drinking, and dirt-eating.
CCD is linked to anxiety and stress. The neurological disorder also has a genetic component; certain breeds – including German Shepherds, Retrievers, and Border Collies – are more prone to suffer from it.
3. Pica
A medical condition known as pica may explain your dog’s licking behavior.
According to the National Eating Disorders Association, pica is “an eating disorder that involves eating items that are not typically thought of as food and that do not contain significant nutritional value, such as hair, dirt, and paint chips.”
So if your dog is licking blankets, their bed, or other non-food items, they may be trying to satisfy the irresistible urge to eat those things.
Pica is caused by various issues, including parasitic infections, gastrointestinal problems, and nutritional imbalances. It can, in turn, lead to more serious health concerns. The consumption of indigestible objects, for example, can result in intestinal obstructions and internal injuries. Some surfaces may also be home to dangerous parasites that can enter poor doggo’s body with a single lick.
4. Assorted aches and pains
If your pooch is feeling any sort of physical discomfort, they may start licking blankets, their bed, or other things. They may also lick themselves.
As previously discussed, the act of licking induces the release of endorphins in the body. These chemicals are natural painkillers and help your dog deal with whatever they’re suffering from.
Pain can be caused by a variety of issues. Maybe your dog has developed a skin irritation after coming into contact with something they’re allergic to. Maybe there’s an underlying medical condition that’s making a part of their body hurt. Or maybe they’ve contracted an infection, eaten something that doesn’t agree with them, or sprained an ankle.
Like elderly people, senior dogs experience various aches and pains. Anyone living with such a dog has likely seen them licking an elbow to relieve joint pain.
Whatever the reason behind the discomfort, bed-licking may be a sign your dog is in pain.
Stopping your dog’s bed-licking habit
Whether or not you should stop your dog from licking their bed depends on the reason behind the behavior.
If your dog’s licking isn’t obsessive, and you observe no strange or sudden changes in their overall behavior, then your pet is most likely behaving normally.
Otherwise, you’ll either have to train your dog to quit their objectionable licking or take them to the vet for treatment.
1. Dealing with unwanted behavior
If your dog licks your bed because you allow them to use it as their own, then it’s time to teach them that sleeping on your bed is unacceptable.
Whenever your pets do something you don’t like, you should distract them. For example, you can give them a stern “No!” or “Stop!” then lure them away by redirecting their attention to a toy or their doggy bed.
Use positive reinforcement; reward your dog whenever they do something desirable. You can, for instance, give them back scratchies once they settle down on their bed. You can also limit their access to places you’ve caught them being naughty in – at least until they’ve unlearned their problem behaviors.
Consistency is key. Be mindful of your actions so that you avoid inadvertently rewarding undesirable conduct. Never praise your dog or speak to them in a cutesy voice whenever they jump onto your bed.
Avoid hitting or yelling at your dog, as this could lead to anxiety and worsen their behavior.
In addition to consistent training, your dog should enjoy regular exercise. Walk them daily and play with them. Give them puzzle games and interesting new toys. You can even take them to doggy daycare so they have other dogs and people to interact with. These activities will nourish both mind and body and thus boost your pet’s quality of life. Keeping your dog healthy and happy plays a vital role in eliminating unsuitable behaviors.
2. Treating medical issues
As the excessive licking of their bed and other surfaces may be pointing to an underlying medical condition, do take your dog to the vet once you witness such troubling behavior.
Your vet will examine doggo for health problems, then develop a treatment plan based on their discoveries. Anxiety, pica, and CCD can be treated using medication and/or behavior modification.
Purely physical issues such as allergies and infections may also be treated with medication. Others may require surgery.
You may also have to make vet-approved changes to your dog’s diet.
Stay observant. Your dog may be incapable of speech, but their actions speak louder than words. Pets that obsessively lick strange surfaces in addition to their beds are likely telling you something’s wrong.
Summing it up…
Our canine friends lick their beds for a variety of reasons – some of them natural and harmless, others not so much. It’s up to you to determine whether or not your dog needs help. Through careful observation and efforts to improve your dog’s quality of life, you can ensure your dog is as happy as they are healthy.