my doberman sucks his cushion

Question
why does my doberman suck his bedding & shake it can you tell me why he dose that & can you tell me why he will not lydown for long he up & about like a jack in a box can you please advice me as to what to do thanks

Answer
Hi Jeannie,

It's actually very common for Doberman Pinchers to develop this sucking habit. It's considered to be an obsessive-compulsive behavior that's called "flank sucking" (when the dog compulsively flicks itself), or "blanket sucking".

Don't reward your dog by giving him more attention when you catch him chewing. Tell him "NO" or make a loud sound (such as clapping, or shaking a few pennies in an empty metal can) and get him to stop. Once he has stopped for a while and is no longer chewing THEN you can play with him or pet her or just tell him that he's good. Just make sure he knows the chewing behavior is not what he's being rewarded for.

Many times dogs with this habit can't be interrupted out of it. It really does the dog no harm, as long as the object of his desire is clean.

For compulsive behaviors that can't be interrupted, that interfere with normal functioning or result in physical injury, medications like Prozac and other serotonin re-uptake blocker can help.  They stabilize the dog's mood so he can respond more readily to behavior modification techniques. Medications are especially effective with dogs when they have a regular schedule, lots of mental stimulation, exercise and social contact.

You can read more about the blanket sucking behavior here:
http://www.dogbehaviour.com/articles/dogs/objectsucking.htm

UMass Medical is studying the genetics behind the compulsive behaviors in dogs, cats, and horses while the Cummings Veterinary School behavior clinic is looking at the specific clinical manifestations of the behaviors. Currently, the study is looking for Doberman Pinchers, who display flank sucking, or blanket sucking. If you'd like to take part in this study, please contact Dr. Alice Moon-Fanelli at 508-839-5395 ext 84640 or email at: alice.moon-fanelli@tufts.edu for more information.

I hope I've been a help.
Best of luck,
Patti