No-one likes to see their pet pooch in any sort of discomfort so if they start rubbing themselves against the carpet, it’s only natural to be a little concerned. In this short blog post, and in the accompanying video, we’ll run through some of the reasons why your dog might be rubbing themselves on your carpet.
Scratching the itch
The first thing to point out is that this sort of behaviour is often perfectly harmless. We all get itches that need to be scratched every now and again, and dogs are no exception. If you see them rubbing themselves on your carpet once or rarely, then it’s unlikely you have anything to worry about. It’s only if they start doing it regularly or continuously that you’ll need to investigate further.
It’s also worth remembering that dogs like to rub up against things as part of their scent marking rituals and this might just be there way of saying “You see this carpet? This is my carpet” and that’s perfectly fine too.
Other issues
There are however some reasons that a dog would rub themselves against your carpet that can be concerning. From fleas and mites irritating their skin, to dental issues (and if it is a dental issue, we’ve got some great dental chews that might be of service). Our head vet, Sean McCormack will take you through all of these reasons and what to do if you think one of these is the cause of your dog’s problem in this short video.