It is common to hear dog guardians comment on how their furry dogs seem to be fixated on the sofa at home, repeatedly rubbing against it and going upstairs to roll around whenever they get the chance. This behavior is not a problem for many people, but there are those who would prefer that their dogs stop doing it permanently. In the latter case, and as with any other behavior, it is essential to establish the cause before starting any behavioral modification treatment.
If you have ever caught your furry friend rubbing himself on the sofa, in this article on our site we will tell you what the main reasons may be for him to do so and how you should act in each case. So, discover with us why your dog rubs on the sofa and what to do.
1. To modify your body odor after bathing
One of the moments where you can most frequently observe the behavior of rubbing against the sofa is after giving your furry a bath. By using shampoos, conditioners or other canine hygiene products, you are camouflaging your dog's natural odor and, although you may find these aromas to be very pleasant, The animal usually generates a lot of rejection of this artificial smell. As a consequence, the dog will look for areas where he can vigorously rub himself in order to remove the chemical fragrance from his body and recover his own. Of course, these areas are not chosen at random, but correspond to those places that best preserve the dog's smell (such as the sofa or bed) or that have a more intense smell (grass, earth or excrement, for example).
What to do in this case?
This reaction is completely normal in dogs, so you shouldn't worry that your furry friend will rub his body against the furniture after get a shower. Now, if you want to prevent him from doing it, take him for a walk right after bathing him or play with him to distract him, avoid using products that smell very strong and don't spray him with dog cologne, he doesn't need it! You can also temporarily block access to the sofa and provide the dog with a blanket with her scent on it in case he wants to rub himself in.
two. You need to relieve itching in some part of your body
Dogs scratch themselves using the nails of their hind legs or their teeth, but sometimes they feel very intense discomfort or itches an area of the body that they cannot reach well and they resort to a piece of furniture, surface or object for relief. In this sense, it is very common for them to use the sofa to scratch their flanks, back or face, repeatedly rubbing against it.
What to do in this case?
If your dog rubs against the sofa to scratch himself, all you have to do is find and treat the cause of the itching to stop it. To do this, you have to take a good look at your dog, identify the areas that itch the most and explore his body for any signs, such as fleas, lack of hair or reddened areas. The most frequent causes of scratching in dogs are external parasites, bacterial or fungal infections and allergic dermatitis. If you notice that your dog has started scratching a lot or rubbing himself on the sofa when he didn't before, go to your veterinary center to have him examined.
3. To release stress and accumulated energy
There is a curious behavior in dogs that receives, by its acronym in English, the name of FRAP (frenetic random activity period), which in Spanish would be translated as " random period of frenetic activity" and which consists of the animal beginning to run uncontrollably, adopting a characteristic stooped posture and always following the same path. It's also possible that in the middle of a FRAP, the dog will begin rubbing or rubbing roughly on the couch or other surfaces, or you may notice your dog scratching the couch vigorously. This behavior appears occasionally, especially in young dogs, with the aim of release the energy accumulated after a stressful or exciting moment, for example, after bathing them, blow-drying them or repeatedly playing catch in the park.
So, if your dog is rubbing himself on the sofa and you also notice that he has attacks of madness, it is most likely that this is the cause of these sudden behaviors.
What to do in this case?
This behavior will probably be very surprising to you the first time you see it and you may even think that something is wrong with your dog or that he "has gone crazy", but don't worry, FRAPs are totally normal, as long as they don't appear too often. When the dog is releasing energy, his behavior is very intense and exaggerated and he is often unaware of where he is stepping, so make sure you move any objects or furniture out of his waythat he could trip over and don't try to stop him abruptly , he could hurt himself. Bouts of frenzied activity last only a few seconds, and at the end the dog calms down. If you want to prevent your furry friend from damaging the sofa, try to anticipate it and prevent it from having access to it during the FRAP or cover the sofa with a protective cover so that it does not get dirty.
Now then, if we are facing a more serious case of stress, the best thing to do is find the cause of this situation and treat it as soon as possible. We talk about it in this video:
4. Wants to get your attention
One of the main ways dogs learn is through the association between two events or between a behavior and its consequences. If a specific behavior leads to a pleasant and positive result for the animal, the dog will tend to repeat said behavior and if, on the contrary, the consequence is negative, the dog will reduce the behavior.
If you have ever paid special attention to your furry friend, have approached him to pet him or play with him or have reinforced him in any other way by seeing him romp on the sofa, it is possible that the dog has learned that performing this behavior is a wonderful way to claim your attention and, as a consequence, repeats it whenever he gets bored or when he wants you to pay attention to him
What to do in this case?
It is very common that, as tutors, we reinforce behaviors without really wanting to do so. If you would like your dog to stop rubbing against the sofa and you think he is doing it to get your attention, what you should do is subject this behavior to a process of extinction, that is, you will have to ignore it and stop reinforcing it when it appears so that, little by little, its frequency of appearance decreases. At the same time, you should reinforce other alternative behaviors that are more appropriate.
You should know that, when you start an extinction process, it is normal that during the first few days there will be a "behavior explosion", that is, the behavior that you intend to eliminate will become more and more intense until, finally, it will decrease. This is because the dog, not understanding why his behavior is no longer giving him the same result as before, exaggerates it more and more until he understands that it is no longer useful to him. It is important that you be patient and do not reinforce it, no matter how intense it becomes.
5. For pleasure
Of course, another possible reason why your dog rubs or rolls on the sofa is simply because he likes it and it gives him a pleasant sensation , without the need to feel itchy or uncomfortable in your body. Dogs often stretch out and frolic on a comfortable surface when they are calm, happy, or resting. Also, by doing this they leave their own scent on the sofa, creating an environment in which they feel safe.
What to do in this case?
It is completely understandable that your furry friend finds it pleasurable to romp on the sofa and, if he sees that he has the opportunity to do so, he will not hesitate to take a good nap on it. To avoid this, it is necessary to teach the dog from the first moment not to climb or rub against the furniture, limiting its access and offering alternatives that allow it to satisfy that need as well, for example, placing several quality beds in different parts of the house so that he can choose where to rest and reinforce him when he uses them. It is important to create consistent rules that all members of the family respect, because if on some days you allow your furry friend to get on the couch and on other days you scold him for it, you will create a lot of confusion and frustration, which could result in behavioral or emotional problems. important.
Now that you know why dogs rub on the sofa, find out the exact cause of yours and treat it if necessary.
