Dogs flea-bite toys, blankets, and humans as a sign of curiosity, teething, affection, boredom, or because they picked up the behavior from having fleas. Check your dog’s skin to make sure it is not infested with fleas and that it is just playing and needs some activity for stimulation.
In some cases, when a puppy flea bites toys too much, it is a sign of teething and the dog needs to be given some great dog teething toys. This will help prevent the dog’s play toys and even your child’s toys from being torn and damaged.
Is it normal for dogs to flea-bite toys?
Flea-biting toys and even human beings is a common behavior in puppies especially those that are teething or infested with fleas and other skin parasites. The dog is acting out due to the discomfort caused by the fleas or doesn’t know where his body ends and where the toy begins.
There’s no need to worry when your dog or puppy starts to bite on toys, shoes, blankets, or even you as the pet owner. There’s always something you can do to fix the problem for good.
The important part as a dog owner is to know the exact reasons why your pet is flea biting every other toy they can find.
Why do dogs flea-bite toys and humans?
Flea biting is a behavior where your dog bites its skin in search of fleas. It is common in dogs that are infested with fleas and probably other external parasites. In some cases, dogs and puppies will project this behavior onto their toys. The reason isn’t always a flea infestation. It can also be because of something else.
Here are reasons why dogs flea bit their toys and humans:
Flea infestation
Biting and chewing at the skin is a major sign of flea infestation in dogs. It may be accompanied by scabs and hair loss from scratching due to severe itching. Some dogs will extend the behavior of flea biting and scratching their toys when they are infested with fleas themselves.
The best course of action here is to inspect the dog for fleas. If you see itching and severe biting and scratching at the skin, you might want to get an effective dog flea treatment to fix the infestation and stop the dog from chewing their toys.
Teething
Dogs begin teething when they’re about 3 weeks old and will finish when they’re around 6 weeks. During this time, your puppy will show the need to nibble at toys and just about anything and everything in their vicinity.
If during this stage your puppy appears to be flea-biting its toys yet there’s no sign of flea infestation, it is highly likely that the puppy is teething.
I would recommend you provide enough teething toys – preferably chewables – to keep your dog’s gums and teeth well soothed. Keep in mind that biting is a way of easing the discomfort on the gums and teeth.
Boredom
Another common reason why your dog appears to be flea-biting toys or anything they can get is boredom or lack of enough stimulation. The dog is bored and is looking for stimulating activities.
Other signs of boredom include digging, running away (escaping to play), chewing stuff, scratching at toys, logs, and just about anything else. Keeping your dog busy with exciting activities can be a great way to stop flea biting.
Anxiety
Apart from being bored from lack of activity, dogs can start flea biting at their owners and toys due to anxiety. Anxious dogs will be unfriendly even to their own toys and will bite at them to release some of the energy they have.
Watch out for signs of anxiety in dogs as the dog can be stressed out too much if not well-taken care of.
How to stop your dog from flea-biting toys
Once you identify the reason for your dog biting its toys, it’s easy to apply the right fix to stop the undesirable behavior. Here are 4 tips on how to stop your puppy from flea biting at you and toys:
- Treat flea infestations
- Provide plenty of teething toy if your dog is teething
- Remove stressors from the dog’s environment
- Provide plenty of exercise and stimulating activities such as games, walks, etc.
If the flea biting behavior does not stop even with these fixes, I would highly recommend that you take your dog to a veterinarian for further examination and treatment.