If you ask yourself "Why does my dog rub up against the couch?" the first thing you should know is that this is a very common attitude in dogs and, in most cases, it is not something negative. However, it is always best to have all the answers in your hand so that you can assess this attitude of your pet.
Reasons why dogs rub against the couch
Watching my dog rubbing himself on the couch is almost always a very funny moment, as the faces they usually make when they do it are the funniest.
But let's see why they do it!
1. After a bath
It never fails: just bathe them and dry them, and as soon as we let them go (or they escape from our hands), they run to rub against the floor, the walls or the sofa, if they are close to it.
In this case, the reasons are twofold, although they are related.
For one thing, dogs do not like synthetic odors on their bodies. For them, their natural scent is essential. Therefore, they will run to get rid of artificial odors after a shower.
On the other hand, and related to the above, if the couch is a place where he rubs himself regularly, what he will be doing is trying to recover his own smell.
Logical, isn't it? But there are more reasons!
2. Itchy body
This is one of the few reasons why a dog rubs against the couch that should concern us.
If your dog is going through an allergic process in his skin, dermatitis or has parasites, it is quite likely that he rubs very often against the couch to relieve the itching.
If this is the problem, it won't be difficult to identify it, since in addition to rubbing, he will scratch a lot, lick himself, have redness on his skin, sneeze... It will depend on the exact cause, but he will have more symptoms than just rubbing.
Check his body and coat very well to find the source of the problem and go to a veterinary center for advice on the best treatment to follow.
See Also: How to Housebreak a Puppy
3. For pleasure
Just as we humans love the feel of certain textures on our skin, dogs do the same. That's why your dog might rub himself all over the couch.
But don't we also love to have our backs stroked - they get that satisfying feeling of rubbing against the couch, too!
Think about it, the sides of the head when following the jaw line, behind the ears and the back are places where they appreciate petting, so rubbing those areas against the couch is very pleasurable for them.
4. For happiness
The reactions dogs have when they are happy are very varied and rubbing themselves on the couch is one of them.
5. Mark it as his own
Although cats are much more territorial than dogs in this respect, it can happen that my dog rubs himself all over the couch precisely to leave his scent and mark it as his own.
This usually happens when the couch is new to him or you have recently washed its cover.
6. Get your attention
