Why Do Dogs Tear Up Their Beds?
[And How To Stop It]

author
Aaron Rice Expert Dog Trainer
Written: January 17, 2022

Dogs often indulge in strange and unexplainable behavior. One of them is chewing on their bed which worries many dog owners. When you lovingly buy a dog bed for your pet, and they shred it to pieces, the frustration must be unreal. We sympathize with how you feel, and as experts, we feel responsible for guiding you. 

A dog bed is a luxury to most pets, usually dogs willingly sleep at unusual places and spoil our entire intent of buying one. However, watching them tear the dog bed to pieces might weird you out. The problem tends to seem severe, but it is nothing that we cannot fix. Allow us to inform you about this weird phenomenon in our detailed article. 

Reasons For Your Dog To Tear Their Bed

Let’s be honest; dogs can be unpredictable and cause us a lot of trouble. But we still go the extra mile for our beloved pets and show them the compassion and care we would give to our family members. The willingness and ability to understand each other is what makes the bond between humans and dogs so unique. 

The first step towards learning about your dog’s behavior is to understand that your pet isn’t acting this way on purpose. The last thing they would want to do is hurt and annoy you. So, this problem’s cause is deep-rooted in their psyche, and we will help you unravel it. 

Boredom

Humans suffer from boredom but so do dogs. As the saying goes, an empty mind is the devil’s workshop; it somewhat applies to dogs as well. Humans commit the most heinous crimes simply because they had nothing better to do, so can we entirely blame dogs because they acted out of boredom?

Boredom can be one of the contributing causes behind your dog’s destructive behavior. When they run out of things to do throughout the day, even ripping apart a dog bed seems fun to them. 

Just like us, dogs all need mental stimulation to keep themselves busy because they are intelligent beings. 

Not enough exercise

All animals, including humans, become lazy and unproductive if they are not active. Sometimes, energy consumption is too much due to our food intake and caloric content, and there is no way for us to spend this energy productively. In such scenarios, we resort to doing things that are meaningless and somewhat harmful. 

Similarly, if your dog is not provided with enough exercise throughout the day, doing unusual things around the house becomes inevitable. Chewing their dog beds just happens to be one of these many destructive activities that your dog performs around the house, but this one tends to be more noticeable. 

Instinctual Behavior

Before we domesticated dogs and moved in comfy homes ourselves, they were used to digging holes and circling the place they would sleep. Dogs usually did this digging to get rid of any hidden insects or just to make the grass flat for a good night’s sleep. Dogs have evolved from other canines like wolves, and they were even more rash with their approach.

So tearing their bed might be something that your dog does instinctually. In this scenario, your dog isn’t even trying to destroy the bed on purpose; they just want to be safe and sound when they sleep. They only look out for themselves, which every species learned and evolved to do because ‘Survival of the fittest is a real concept. 

Seeking Comfort

Almost everyone craves the feeling of comfort; you cannot blame someone for wanting to feel comfortable. If you aren’t feeling secure, then you are probably alarmed and uncomfortable. So it is quite natural to crave this feeling in humans and dogs alike, and maybe our furry pals have a different way of seeking it. 

Dogs are driven to scratch their beds to seek comfort. Unfortunately, these poor creatures do not understand that it destroys the dog bed, and you cannot blame them. You’ll also find dogs that dig holes outside to feel relaxed for long hours. Sometimes they might just try to scratch themselves, but the bed is ruined by their action instead. 

Teething Stage

When we are babies, adults give us chew toys because we always want something to nibble and chew. Our parents do this so they can avoid having an embarrassing child who munches on literally any random thing they can get their hands on. They also fear that we will carry this habit well into our adulthood. 

When it comes to dogs, they also go through this stage of wanting to chew on anything. Puppies get itching in their gum which is relieved only when they chew on objects. Chewing is vital to strengthen teeth in adulthood to attack and take down anyone if needed. 

Fear Of Separation

Separation anxiety is very common in humans and dogs. Have you noticed people being overly protective of their partner and lose their cool if they have to go a few hours without them? As petty and undesirable as it sounds, most of them suffer from anxiety; they are afraid of their partners leaving them for whatever reasons.

When it comes to dogs, they’ve evolved as animals who traveled and hunted in packs. They enjoy the company and despise being alone. If your dog suffers from separation anxiety, they can’t stand being alone, and their frustration or sadness comes out in the form of a destructive behavior where they destroy their beds. 

Needs Chew Toy

As we mentioned earlier, dogs go through a teething stage, but if they continue this behavior well into adulthood, you may need to buy them a quality chew toy. Maybe then your pet will stop wreaking havoc on their dog bed and find something more engaging that keeps them occupied without damaging property. 

Here are a few pointers that you should keep in mind while buying a new chew toy for your dog. 

  • Make sure the chew toy is FDA-approved.
  • It should not contain any harmful toxins.
  • Buy a toy by judging if your dog is a light, medium, or heavy chewer. 
  • Always look for toys that cannot be easily swallowed or destroyed by your dog. 
  • Steer clear of any toys that might cause trouble to your dog’s jaw, such as flyers. Only buy them if they promise to be low impact.

Untrained dog

Training your dog while they are still young is crucial. If you fail to do so, you will quickly see your dog acting weird in situations, and unfortunately, it is the owner’s fault. Imagine never teaching your kids basic mannerism; they will turn barbaric and odd. The parent must teach their kids in due time. 

If you’ve failed to train your dog in their early years for whatever reason, that should explain why they recklessly tear the dog bed. They aren’t doing anything wrong from their perspective because you never distinguished the rights and wrongs for them. 

Emotions Kicking In

As emotional beings, we often do things unconsciously because we weren’t attentive. These actions include biting on your nails, picking the skin off your lips, and tapping one foot. Sometimes we also destroy external property unknowingly. Anxiety and fear can be significant causes behind such behavior.

When dogs destroy their beds, maybe they feel anxious or churned about something. They show noticeable signs of emotions that humans can empathize with, and perhaps being frustrated and bored to the point that you start harming your environment is one of those. 

Why Stopping Your Dog Is Important

If your pet is ruining their dog bed, then you should stop them because it is indeed a bad habit. There might be numerous reasons behind why your dog has chosen to do this activity, but the behavior is still unacceptable. There is also a possibility that your dog might destroy more than just their dog bed in the house. 

Also, you’ve spent your precious money to buy them a dog bed for their comfort; you cannot let it go to waste all the time. If you do not take any actions at this point, your dog might be encouraged to indulge in more such behavior, and soon you will start losing control as their owner. 

Ways To Stop Your Dog

After much research and first-hand experience, we’ve compiled our best tips to stop your pet from chewing their dog beds. 

Chew Toys

Invest in a good chew toy. One that is safe for the dog and easy on your dog’s gums and teeth should do the job. You can also opt for something more colorful to make the toy attractive and pleasant. If your dog is going through a teething stage, then a chew toy should suffice. 

Dog toys

Dog toys like a soft toy, frisbee, or ball help in keeping your pet active. They are an excellent remedy for dogs suffering from boredom. Most owners DIY such things to save money, but you can go the extra mile for your dog to get them something designed especially for them. 

Distractions

When you notice your pet trying to chew or destroy their dog bed, create a distraction for them. The solution might seem temporary, but over time it might help in breaking this habit. If it doesn’t work in the long run, you can always try out the other options; there are plenty! 

Training

Like we mentioned earlier, maybe your dog just lacks proper training. In that case, if your dog is too old to be trained, hire a professional trainer and let them do their job; they know the best! If you think you can pull it off, try giving it a go by yourself first and observe any noticeable changes in your dog’s behavior. 

Canine Behaviorist

Dogs also suffer from anxiety, nervousness, and other emotional problems. When humans face such difficulties, we usually suggest going to a therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist. Similarly, dogs have Canine Behaviorist who helps them with improving their mental health. 

Active Lifestyle

Do you feel like you aren’t giving enough time to your dog, and maybe they are slacking off because of that. Consider taking your dog on a run or a fun playing session, even for 15 mins. You can use your backyard or anywhere else close to your home, which is convenient. This small initiative can bring about a significant change in your dog’s lifestyle. 

Re-introducing

There is a slight chance of your pet not understanding the purpose of a dog bed. Maybe you did not familiarize them with the bed and what it can do. As a result, they are confused about this new accessory in their environment, and they’re having a hard time figuring it out. In this case, try to re-introduce the bed to your dog and make them understand the concept. 

Being Affectionate 

As their owners, we must show them affection. This attitude also applies in cases when your pet is a handful and slightly annoying. Sometimes, overexpression of your anger and disappointment can make matters worse if your pet suffers from mental trauma. Show them some love even when they get on your nerves because it is simply impossible to be mad at them for a long time!

Conclusion

Dog owners can easily pinpoint the cause behind why their dog would destroy their beds. Scheme through the above reasons once and try to understand what fits your dog’s situation. So you get a better insight into why dogs chew their beds and what factors are coming into play. 

Just knowing the cause is not enough. Read about all the proper ways that we can use to stop your dog from chewing their bed. Dogs also deserve care and emotional support from their owners; they’re emotionally sensitive, and helping them repair their behavior is the least we can do as pet parents.

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