Let us seek the answer for this burning question… why do our beloved dogs dig in the carpet?
What is it about rugs and carpets that dogs are truly obsessed about? It is as if they zero in on the carpet and dig like crazy—and when we say dig like crazy, it’s like they want to “Dig All the Way to China”. Dogs tend to go crazy with their carpet digging that owners worry that they damage a whole lot of floor space.
So why do dogs dig into carpets? Is this dog behavior normal?
Simple. Experts believe dogs dig in carpets at home to relieve themselves from stress.
Truth is, there is more to this behavior than meets the eye. There could be other explanations as to why dogs behave this way. Sometimes it could be explained as the dog’s persistence to get hold of the last crumb of food that fell on the carpet. Your dog’s keen sense of smell cannot fathom missing even a single piece of food stuck between the carpet threads. Sometimes the digging could be attributed to a particular smell that has caught his or her attention. When he or she goes through this outside, your dog has a tendency to just roll in and dig the dirt like crazy. When your dog is indoors, however, he or she is left with no choice but to dig into the carpet. This could pretty much explain that digging into the carpet is purely dog instinct— reacting to a certain smell. You can also observe your dogs digging the carpet, turning a couple of times, before lying down. This is also a normal dog behavior where in dogs fluff their bed before settling in.
Other experts have attributed carpet digging to excitement or anxiety. As what they refer to as displacement behavior, meaning your dog performs differently when he or she cannot display another. To give dog owners a clear example of this attribution, experts use the classic Chase the Squirrel scenario. Say your dog sees a squirrel out in the yard. Your dog is inside the house, barking. He or she knows the squirrel is out of reach so he or she digs instead! Some vets also say digging is also a way to release excess energy. When they become too excited or energetic, they would resort to digging. Experts have also expressed the plausible theory that perhaps dogs finally learned that when they engage in carpet digging, they would get the attention of their owners.
As Owners, What Could Be Done?
To prevent your dogs from doing more digging (that may damage your carpets or rugs) you can distract them with a call or a bit of a noise just to interrupt him or her. Just make sure the noise does not scare him, just enough to distract him and get his or her attention. You can then proceed to getting him or her to come over and ask him to perform some of the tricks you have taught him or her—like sit or look. Also make sure you provide a good avenue for his or her excitement. That way you are helping your dogs to do away with the carpet digging.
