Why does your dog keep chewing on your rugs? They’re expensive and not easily replaceable! What if they’re younger, does that make a difference? Why does your puppy keep chewing your rug? And how much do you need to worry about their health? Is it safe for dogs to chew on rugs?

Worry and wonder no longer, because today we’re going to answer all of these questions for you. We’ll obviously also cover how to stop your dog chewing on your rugs. Very soon, you’ll never have to worry about this ever again. Continue reading below for our article “Dog Chewing On Rug? Here’s How to Stop It!”

How to Stop Dog Chewing On Rug

To stop dog chewing on rug:

1. Ensure your dog always has available an acceptable outlet for chewing such as a chew toy.
2. Spray something to deter them, such as a 50/50 blend of distilled white vinegar on your rug, particularly at the edges.
3. Distilled white vinegar is safe for nearly all fabrics, but you should avoid it if your rug is made of wool, silk, or other natural fibers.
4. The scent will not be detectable after one hour, but your dog will still be deterred.
5. Give a calm, firm “no” or “stop” immediately when you see that your dog is again chewing on the rug.
6. Don’t scream or get angry, because if they’re misbehaving like this stemming from anxiety (which is the most probable explanation), this will only make their problems worse.
7. Place them in a quick time-out in their crate or a closed-off room for about ten minutes.
8. If you notice them beginning to go towards the rug, redirect them to a favorite toy.
9. Give them pets, a small treat, and praise when they select their toy instead of chewing up the rug.
10. Make sure that anyone else in the home is also using these steps.
11. Stay patient and consistent.

This should get your dog to stop chewing on the rug, but you’ll still need to take care of their underlying issue of anxiety or it will only begin showing itself in other (likely worse) ways.

And for us to properly go over that, we must first talk about what makes dogs function deep down. I’m sure you’ve heard before that dogs are pack animals, and that in every pack there is a pack leader.

But every time that your dog chews on the rug, they are clearly showing you that they have no respect for you as the head of the family pack.

If they did, they wouldn’t bite your rug and ignore you when you tell them to quit. They wouldn’t display any other types of anxiety-related misbehavior or disrespect. And they would obey your commands as soon as they’re given, and they would do so happily.

Make it clear to your dog that you are not just their pack leader, but one worthy of respect, and you’ll make all of these terrific transformations a reality.

Obviously, you’ll win. But your dog will be the even bigger winner here because you’ll have freed them from all of the confusion and worry that their anxiety issues are currently burdening their little shoulders with 24/7.

That sounds wonderful, doesn’t it?

“Yeah, definitely, but how do I actually do this then?”

You should watch a tremendous free video series by a renowned trainer named Dan which is on this very subject: how to be your dog’s pack leader. In Dan’s series, he explains everything in ways that are very easy to understand and teach to your own dog, and he gets immediately to the point so that you can start seeing these critical changes in your dog in no time.

Start watching Dan’s free training series now by clicking here. And don’t stress, because no, you’re not going to have to be mean or yell at your dog. Dan never uses those types of methods. Not just because loving teaching techniques are the right thing to do, but also because they’re the fastest way to achieve permanent changes in your dog’s behavior.

Why Does My Dog Keep Chewing My Rugs?

Your dog keeps chewing your rugs because they’re feeling stressed and anxious, and this helps to release endorphins that make them feel better. Your rug also carries your scent, which would be comforting to your dog.

Though your rug may be cleaned regularly and you don’t think it smells like anything, remember that your dog has an extremely good sense of smell, so they can easily still pick up on your scent just from you walking on it on a day to day basis.

If your dog is chewing your rugs and not listening when you tell them to quit, however, you have an additional problem to your dog’s anxiety: dominance. Ignoring commands, particularly when in relation to misbehavior, is a clear sign of disobedience which would be rooted in your dog believing they don’t have to follow your instructions.

Essentially, your dog sees themselves as the one in charge. Due to this, they don’t find any need to do what you say unless it’s something they want to do anyway. It’s important that you address these false beliefs of your dog right away or their problems with disobedience and misbehavior will only get worse.

You’ll find that your dog chews the door mat, chews the bed sheets, chews the pillows, chews their bed at night, and even chews your brush. You, of course, don’t want to constantly be finding your items chewed up and destroyed, so you should handle things immediately. To learn how to stop your dog chewing the rug while also addressing the root causes, go back to the first section now.

Why Does My Puppy Keep Chewing My Rug?

Your puppy keeps chewing your rug either due to teething or anxiety. If they’re under six months old, then teething is the most likely explanation. Any older, and anxiety is the likely cause as the chewing helps to relax them. Regardless of their age, they also enjoy chewing up your rug because it smells like you which makes them feel nice.

But even if your puppy is chewing the rug due to teething, you shouldn’t just wait for them to grow out of it. Doing so teaches them that it’s okay, and then they will continue to do this even as an adult (it will still be enjoyable then). The problem will also be more difficult to break them of once they’ve gotten the idea that you allow it.

To stop your puppy chewing the rug, go back to the first section now where we have exact step-by-step instructions that you can follow.

Is It Safe for Dogs to Chew on Rugs?

It is not safe for dogs to chew on rugs. When your dog is chewing on the rug, they will rip away fibers, many of which will be swallowed. These can become lodged in their digestive tract, which would require painful and expensive surgery to correct. Though the risks aren’t high, it’s best to play it safe and stop this behavior as soon as it’s noticed.

There’s, of course, the other obvious reason you would want to prevent this, which is ensuring that your expensive rugs aren’t chewed up by your dog. No one wants to be replacing these items which cost hundreds of dollars and that can be hard to find replicas of, so you should start addressing this misbehavior the first time you notice it. Go back to the first section to learn how.

I’m sure you’re looking forward to your dog not destroying your beautiful rugs, so I’ll let you get going on things now. Good luck, and thank you for reading our article “Dog Chewing On Rug? Here’s How to Stop It!”