Why Does My Dog Rub His Face on the Carpet? [ANSWERED]

It is not unusual to see a dog rubbing its face on the ground, carpet, or even wall. The behavior could be due to the dog having itchy skin or face and wanting to alleviate the itchiness. However, the moment the rubbing occurs regularly, it could indicate other serious health issues.

Your dog might be rubbing his face on the carpet because it has allergies, itchy eyes, or because there are some external parasites like ticks, mites, and fleas on the skin. Dogs also run their face on the carpet if their collar is wound too tight and they start experiencing discomfort or pain. 

If a dog rubs its face on something regularly, it could have an issue. However, when the rubbing is only occasional, that might not cause concern. Most times, a dog’s paw does not always do the work, so they turn to your carpet.

Dog Rubbing Face On Carpet

A dog could rub its face on the carpet if it feels some form of itchiness on it. Most times, this behavior is not usually something to get worried about. The rubbing will stop when the dog feels better; perhaps its face no longer itches.

However, if your dog suddenly begins to rub its face on the carpet excessively, it could be due to some other reasons, which could be health-related. We will be explaining some common reasons for this behavior below.

Allergies

Dogs suffering from allergies are prone to skin inflammation, leading to itchy skin. Due to the itchy skin, a dog could begin to rub its face on the carpet or other surfaces to alleviate the pains or discomfort it feels. Allergies in dogs could be gotten from food, environment, or season. Common causes of dog allergies include dust mites, pollen, grasses, and dairy products.

When a dog is down with allergies, it could be seen displaying symptoms like redness and itchiness of its skin, excessive licking or biting of its paws, and rubbing its face on the carpet. Also, the dog would appear to look disturbed and uncomfortable. So, if you notice any of these symptoms in the dog, ensure you contact a vet.

Cleaning Up

Naturally, dogs love to explore different things with their mouth. While exploring, some specks of dirt or food particles could stick to their face and mouth, which could be irritating. To get rid of either the dirt or food particles, a dog could begin to rub its face on the ground. If you notice your dog rubbing its face on the case immediately after eating, it could simply be trying to get rid of food particles on its face.

In addition, a dog with eye boogers could also rub its face on the ground to clean off the boggers. This is more likely if you notice your dog rubbing its face very early in the morning. In cases like this, you could assist the dog by using a clean cloth to wipe off the boggers.

Itchy Eyes

Does your dog often scratch its face just immediately after bathing? If yes, then there are chances that the soap or shampoo you use in bathing the dog makes its eyes itchy. When this happens, you will notice the dog often running about while trying to rub its face on the carpet.

The point of doing this is to reduce the itchiness it feels on its face. So, once you notice this, you might need to stop bathing it with that particular shampoo. You can then go for other gentle soaps or itchy free shampoo.

Pains Or Discomfort

If your dog is constantly rubbing its face on the carpet, it might indicate ear, nose, or mouth pains. Perhaps your dog might be suffering from an ear infection or eye irritation, causing it some discomfort. So, to ease the pains it feels, it could begin to rub its face on the ground. An ear infection is more likely if you notice a discharge or odor coming from the dog’s ear.

Oral pain symptoms include difficulties in chewing and eating food, broken teeth, and mouth odor. So, if you notice your dog rubbing its face on the carpet due to pains either from its ear, nose, eyes, or mouth, ensure you inform your vet as soon as possible.

Parasites

Bugs, ticks, fleas, mites, and Demodex are common parasites that could make a dog rub its face. Most of these parasites are so small and not always easily seen. When some of these parasites attack a dog’s face, its body may begin to itch.

Other symptoms of parasite attack include inflammation and irritating skin. So, if you notice your dog’s body is itchy for no obvious reasons, you may need to take it to a vet to be treated for fleas. In addition, some medications could help prevent a dog from parasite attack. You can speak to your vet for recommendations.

Collar Discomfort

Did you notice your dog suddenly rubbing its face on the floor or wall just after you got it a new collar? If yes, that could indicate that the collar is tight and the dog feels uncomfortable. The point of the rubbing is to make the dog relieve itself from the discomfort it feels.

So, whenever you want to buy your dog a collar, ensure you do not get one that would be too tight for its neck. In addition, for dogs using an old collar, always adjust it as the dog grows bigger and older to avoid discomfort due to the collar being too tight.

Dog Scratching Face On Carpet

Your dog scratching its face on the carpet can be for several reasons. You are undoubtedly used to watching your closest buddy scratch its face on the carpet daily if you have a dog with facial wrinkles, such as a bulldog or pub. Dog breeds with wrinkles would frequently make a scratch, clean, and relieve irritations on the carpet.

Dirt, food particles, and germs readily gather in such wrinkles; hence, your dog will scratch its face on the carpet to alleviate any discomfort. You can minimize this by occasionally assisting your dog and cleaning out its folds.

Blepharitis is an inflammatory infection of the outer skin and eyelids around the eyes.

It may lead your dog to paw at its eyes continuously; in some cases, your dog might resort to scratching its face on the carpet to relieve the pain.

Dogs Rubbing Face On Ground

Dental issues are among the reasons your dog might be rubbing its face on the ground. The most painful illnesses include dental problems such as tooth-breaking, gum infection, and tooth decay. When a dog has dental problems, it might rub its face on the ground to relieve the pain; in these cases, use a recommended toothpaste from a veterinarian.

Dogs have a sensitive nose and are easily attracted to the scent of objects; if they smell feces, grass, furniture, or perhaps even dead animals, dogs will frequently scratch their face on the carpet to find out where the odor is coming from and if it is lickable.

Although brain tumors and head traumas are not the most common causes of a dog’s face rubbing, they are nevertheless possible.

Brain tumors and head injuries cause considerable agony, and a dog may try to relieve it by rubbing or slamming his head against a wall or the ground.

Keep reading: Why Is My Dog’s Hair Coming Out in Small Clumps? [ANSWERED]

Final Thoughts

Dogs have several habits that every dog owner must be familiar with to know when a dog is behaving strangely. Sometimes, your dog can be rubbing his face on the carpet because it enjoys the texture of the carpet. However, this is not always the case, so take your dog to the veterinarian for a check-up when this habit becomes frequent.

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