Do Dogs Like Blankets?

Despite man being a dog’s greatest friend, a fluffy blanket is also a favored companion.

Whether they are wrapped up snugly inside a warm bundle of blankets or they enjoy dragging theirs across the house, you’ll certainly know if your dog is a lover of a blanket.

Their love for their blanket is grounded in psychological factors as it often reminds them of the early warmth and love that is given to them by their mother.

Newborn puppies are born deaf, blind, and immobile and thus, their mother is their number one source of protection when they are firstborn.

Prior to dogs becoming domesticated animals, they were raised in maternal dens where their mothers would create shelter from the natural world in order to protect them against predators from the outside world.

This maternal den would act as a safe haven for the first 10 weeks of the dog’s life until they had enough strength to gravitate towards familiar places to congregate.

Therefore, dogs are genetically predisposed to source comfort in their surroundings and this behavior is most noticeable when they are retreating into their bed.

Blankets can drastically reduce anxiety in your pet as they offer a sense of comfortable familiarity that will soothe them when you are away from the home, for instance.

A Familiar Smell

Smell is renowned for being the dog’s most powerful sense and your canine actually possesses up to 300,000,000 olfactory receptors which are humungous compared to the 3,000,000 within the human nose.

Their acute sense of smell means that they are able to play a vital role in assisting humans in today’s society and this is why they are often used as police dogs during drug raids, for instance.

Their superior noses allow them to detect scents that are undetectable to the human snout and numerous studies have highlighted how positive physiological responses are ignited in canines when they identify smells that are familiar to them.

Their pleasure senses are ignited drastically when their owner’s scent or the scent of other familiar dogs is presented to them and this suggests that the familiar scent of a blanket will be able to evoke a positive response in your canine, thereby reducing their anxiety levels.

You can further enhance this stress relief by seasoning their blanket with the scent of their mother (as a puppy) or with your own scent in order to further ease your pooch’s stress levels.

How To Encourage ‘Blanket Behavior’?

In order to choose the right blanket to comfort your pooch and evoke their utmost happiness.

You should ensure that your chosen blankets are made from organic, unbleached materials that do not contain harmful synthetic products or irritable dyes.

Then, you shield season the blanket with your scent and if you are picking up a puppy, you should ask the breeder to allow the mother to cuddle with your blanket prior to collection.

After your blanket has been seasoned, you should try to ensure that it is readily accessible in any potentially stressful situations that may arise, for instance, during any annual celebrations that may include large, loud gatherings or fireworks.

A comfort blanket is also perfect for long car journeys as many dogs have a tendency to get car sick and their anxiety levels may become increasingly heightened during this time.

A familiar scent will do wonders to reassure your pooch that they are in a safe environment.

Decreasing your dog’s anxiety levels is imperative in order to maintain their health and ensure that they lead a long and prosperous life.

How Can I Tell If My Dog Is Comfortable?

You’re probably wondering how you can tell if your dog is comfortable in their blanket or not?

This will be pretty obvious to observe as if your dog is comfortable, they’ll exhibit increasingly relaxed body language.

Their eyes will be closed their ears will be relaxed and they may even drool slightly if they are totally asleep.

Your dog will be unlikely to move unless you specifically tell them to but don’t expect them to move in any great hurry unless there is food involved!

If your dog is uncomfortable, they will move around erratically and attempt to find another position and it will be obvious that they are making every effort in order to get comfortable.

They may jump up and sniff around for a better, more convenient spot or they may reject the blanket entirely if it is too hot.

Do not take it personally if your new pooch doesn’t take to your scented blanket straight away, there may be a multitude of reasons as to why they are uncomfortable and they may have too much energy to expend prior to settling down.

Do Blankets Help With Separation Anxiety?

Yes, blankets will help your puppy with separation anxiety. Dog breeders suggest that you allow your puppy to sleep with a blanket on a regular basis in order to ascertain whether the scent helps to calm the puppy or not.

It is important to note that dogs are highly familial creatures and therefore it is natural for them to experience some degree of separation anxiety until they have become familiarised with your routine or their surroundings.

A companion blanket is therefore the perfect way to ease your dog’s anxiety levels and put your own mind at ease as you can be assured that your dog will have something to comfort them if you have to leave them alone in the house for any period of time.

Does A Blanket Feel Good On My Dog’s Paws?

A further reason why dogs love blankets so much is because of their paws.

Dog’s paws are attuned to temperature changes and so they will be able to tuck them into a nice warm blanket if they are sleeping on a harder, cold surface.

It is also harsh on your dog’s body if they are continually sleeping on a cold floor so it is better to offer them a comfortable place to sleep. A blanket, a pillow, or a dog bed is the perfect way to ensure that your dog’s wellbeing is maintained.

These animals are highly emotional creatures and therefore, comfort is an utmost priority when ensuring that they live a long, physically, and emotionally balanced life.

If your dog’s stress levels are sky-high, this means that they are far more likely to experience physical illness and disease and as an owner, you have a responsibility to ensure that your pooch is comforted and well looked after, even if you cannot always be there to do so.

It is not recommended that you leave your dog on its own for lengthy periods of time and this is something that should be considered prior to purchase a pooch.

Conclusion

To conclude, companion blankets drastically reduce anxiety levels in your beloved pooch and offer a safe, portable sense of warmth and stability for your pup.

You should always ensure that you have seasoned the blanket in order to further enhance the stress reduction that is induced by a companion blanket. You should also ensure that any blanket uses safe materials to avoid evoking an allergic reaction in your pet.