If your dog tears up the bed, you don’t need me to tell you how frustrating it can be.
Coming home to discover them standing over the tattered remains of their bed isn’t exactly what any of us imagined when we signed up for pet parent duty… especially when it’s the fifth time this month it’s happened.
But why exactly do they do it?
Do they find something innately offensive about their soft, cozy little nest? Are they unhappy with the style, the color, the fabric?
Are they doing it out of boredom? Frustration? Maybe even spite? Or is it just an act of mindless vandalism?
Ultimately, it could be down to one of several things. The one thing it’s not, however, nor ever will be, is spite.
Remember, dogs aren’t human.
We may like to think of them as furry little people, but they’re not. They’re dogs, and dogs don’t ‘do’ human emotions like spite.
…Boredom? …Sure.
…Frustration? …Absolutely.
But a very complex, very human emotion that involves forethought and planning and an express desire to hurt? Not on your life.
So forget about feeling personally affronted by your dog’s behavior. Forget about scolding them or telling everyone how naughty they are.
If you can put aside your preconceptions, step back, and take an objective overview of the situation, you’ll be one step closer to understanding their behavior, and one step closer to changing it.
Before we take a closer look at some of the common explanations and solutions to the problem, I want to share a quick heads up about something that could make all the difference to what comes next.
Why?
Because if there’s any training to be done, now’s the time to learn exactly what does work and what doesn’t.
After all, you’ve already spent countless hours cleaning up shreds of bedding from your floor. Why waste any more time on outdated and ineffective training methods?
So before you do anything else, take a look at the Free! Easy Way to an Obedient Dog Course.
The course has been put together by the Online Dog Trainer, Dan Abdelnoor, to teach you the quick, easy way to get your dog to choose to obey you, each and every time.
If you want to start reaping the rewards of your training regime right away, I’d highly recommend taking a look…
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Why Does My Dog Tear Up The Bed?
Sometimes, it’s hard to understand what makes a dog do what they do.
After all, we’re not dogs ourselves. Putting ourselves in their shoes, seeing the world through their eyes… it’s tricky.
But it’s also vital.
Without properly understanding the motivation for their behavior, we’ll always be on the back foot.
Because let’s face it, finding a solution when you don’t understand the problem isn’t just challenging, it’s risky. Applying a solution that’s designed for one kind of problem to another could end up doing more harm than good.
If you want to stop your dog from tearing up the bed, determine the underlying cause first. Some things like teething will naturally correct themselves over time. Others might need you to make a change in their routine or environment.
Take a look at some of these common explanations. Do any trigger a lightbulb moment?
Health
It’s rare for a medical issue to be to blame, but it’s crucial not to overlook the possibility.
Dental and oral health problems, gastrointestinal issues, and even certain psychological issues like pica (a type of eating disorder that leads to the consumption of non-foods like soils, paper, bedding material, etc) could all be at the root of the issue.
If your dog chews or even eats the bed as much as they tear it up, rule out the possibility of a health problem before anything else.
Teething
Teething comes with all sorts of problems, not least sore gums. If your pup chews the bed as much as they tear it, it might be helping their teething pain.
Remember as well that pups spend most of their time exploring and discovering new things… something they can only do with their mouths. It’s natural, normal, and something that most dogs will naturally grow out of as they mature.
Encouragement
When it comes to figuring out a dog’s behavior, we sometimes need to look a little closer to home than might be comfortable.
Pups are always going to explore and test things out with their mouths, but if we don’t guide them in the right way, that behavior could end up staying with them long after their milk teeth have falling out.
If you spent your dog’s formative years either not directing their behavior into the proper channels or encouraging it by turning it into a game (and yep, that’s exactly what chasing them around after you’ve discovered what they’ve done is, at least in their minds), it may be time to hold your hand up to the problem.
Frustration/ Boredom
Dogs can be sensitive. They can also be really bad at knowing what to do with their frustrations.
If they’re bored, frustrated, under-stimulated, under-exercised, and generally not having a particularly great time of it, they may decide to turn their bed into a punch bag.
It might not seem a good use of their time to you, but it sure beats sitting around all day with nothing to do.
Stress
Stress can do a number on dogs. Unless they’re the type to keep their emotions to themselves, it can also do a pretty big number on their beds.
A stressed, anxious dog will look for ways to relieve the anguish, even if only temporarily. More often than not, that spells bad things for your fixtures and furnishings.
In these instances, your dog’s destructive behaviors have nothing to do with being ‘naughty.’ They’re not misbehaving or deliberately acting out. They’re simply trying to communicate that something isn’t right.
Natural Instinct
Next time you notice your dog tearing up their bed, take a closer look at how they behave.
If you notice them holding it with their front paws, biting down, then pulling upward to pull the bed apart, what you’re actually witnessing is your dog killing and gutting their prey. Because in their mind, that’s exactly what that soft, squishy bed is.
No matter how cute and cuddly your dog is, they’re still a dog. And that makes them a hunter. Their food might come by way of a can opener these days, but their instinct to hunt, kill, and gut their lunch still runs deep.
Don’t underestimate just how exhilarating acting on that impulse can be. Even if they have plenty of toys to play with, killing their bed (for some dogs at least) is always going to win.
Separation Anxiety
If your dog only tends to destroy their bed when you’re away from home, they might be experiencing separation anxiety. This can happen when dogs are left alone and become fearful that their owner won’t come back.
Typical symptoms include repetitive, compulsive actions, destructive behaviors, excessive barking, and escape attempts.
Although all dogs are susceptible, it tends to be most common among certain breeds and dogs that haven’t been properly socialized as puppies.
Related Post: How To Calm A Dog With Separation Anxiety In 3 Simple Steps
How to Stop Your Dog Tearing Up the Bed
So, now we know why your dog might be tearing up the bed. But how exactly do you stop it?
Ultimately, the solution will depend on the cause. If it’s teething, it might just be a case of waiting things out. If it’s down to something else, you might need to consider removing their stressors and introducing some changes to their routine.
Before we start looking at some of the potential solutions, take a moment to revisit the Easy Way to an Obedient Dog Course I mentioned earlier. If the solution involves training, knowing the right way to go about it (which the course will demonstrate) is going to save you a lot of hardship down the line.
Once you’re up to speed on the right (and wrong!) way to train, you can get cracking with the following strategies.
Pay a Visit to the Vet
If your dog’s chewing seems compulsive, or if nothing else seems to relieve the problem, it may be time to pay a visit to the vet.
Certain conditions can cause significant oral discomfort or even extreme hunger levels. Pica, another type of medical issue, can result in a compulsion to chew or even eat things that most definitely aren’t food.
Suffice to say, if your dog’s behavior stems from a medical issue, no amount of training, exercise, or stress-busting activities are going to resolve the issue. A check-up with the vet, on the other hand, just might.
Limit Access
Providing it’s simply natural instinct and not anything more insidious driving their behavior, do yourself (and their bed) a favor by simply removing their bedding when you’re not around.
It’s not necessarily going to stop their chewing habit, but it will at least stop you from spending a fortune on replacing their mattress every week.
Distract Them
Dogs are always going to chew. They don’t necessarily make wise choices when it comes to deciding what to wrap their lips around, but fortunately, they’ve got us on hand to make the decision for them.
Next time you notice your dog eyeing up the bed, distract them. Redirect their attention by giving them a chew toy or bone to gnaw on.
If you can combine that with plenty of positive reinforcement and the training techniques mentioned in the Easy Way to an Obedient Dog Course, they’ll soon learn what’s off-limits and what’s allowed.
Make sure to rotate the chew toys and look for ones with different textures, flavors, and consistencies to keep their interest piqued.
Increase their Exercise
If your dog is under-exercised, it’s only a matter of time before they find a way to release their pent-up energy.
Unfortunately, the methods they choose can sometimes leave a lot to be desired.
The good news? The solution is easy. Simply increase their exercise.
Add a few more walks into their routine. If you’re away from home for most of the day, think about asking a friend or dog walker to break up their afternoon with a trip to the dog park.
Remember that walks aren’t the only way to release some steam – throwing a ball around the yard, a game of frisbee at the park, a session of tug of war in the living room. All of these require very little exertion on your part, but are great ways of tuckering out your dog.
Stimulate Them
Exercise is one thing, but there’s more to a dog than beef and brawn. They’ve got brains, and if those brains aren’t provided with the right kind of stimulation, you can kiss goodbye to the quiet life.
Interactive games, food dispensing toys, training, teaching them tricks… there’s a myriad of ways to keep their little grey cells ticking over.
If you want to go the extra mile, I’d recommend taking a look at the Brain Training For Dogs Program by Adrienne Farricelli. Because if you’ve ever wondered how smart your dog really can be, this is the program that will put it to the test.
Remove their Stressors
If no amount of exercise or mental stimulation seems to be working, something may be making your dog anxious.
Try to track when they turn their attention to the bed. If it’s after hearing a car backfiring, noisy neighbors pulling up outside, or a thunderstorm, they might simply need a quieter spot to retreat to.
If they attack the bed when it’s in the crate or when they’re confined to a particular room in the house, they might need to have a more secure area where they feel safe.
If it happens when you’re away from the house, they may have separation anxiety. If that’s the case, extensive behavioral modification and training will be needed. Before you start, remember to check out the Easy Way to an Obedient Dog Course for some expert training tips.
Final Thoughts
Dog beds aren’t the cheapest thing in the world. Neither are they the easier thing to clean up.
But don’t despair. Investing in a new bed every month and spending your free time picking up bed ‘entrails’ from your carpet doesn’t have to be your future.
Very few problems can’t be managed. Even fewer dogs are lost causes. If you can identify the problem, you’re already on your way to tackling it. From there, it’s just a case of matching the solution to the cause and applying it.
As ever, be consistent. No amount of training or exercise today is going to solve the problem if you drift back into old habits tomorrow.
Keep practicing, stay patient, and soon enough, those torn beds will be a thing of the past.
