Puppy Laundry Theives | Puppies eating clothing

I find that sometimes my little pit bull steals my undergarments. she will walk up to a laundry basket, shuffle through it, until she finds something that belongs to me. Upon finding her desired piece of clothing, she will run away and chew on the fabric. Puppies eating clothing can become a bigger nuisance if you let it slide and they may start chewing up your sofa next. There are several reasons as to why puppies/dogs pilfer clothing from their families.

Clothing absorbs a person’s scent, making this quite desirable for a canine. Usually, you will find a dog rummage through dirty laundry, but they don’t attempt to make away with clothing while it is being worn.  They only rummage through dirty laundry, if they are left alone. Puppies eating clothing can be due to  separation anxiety. Puppies pilfer clothing as kind of a coping mechanism for feeling lonely, and they seek out comfort. A lot of the time, puppies can feel estranged if their owners are not always home to give them a little attention. They develop a sort of separation anxiety, and they need to be reminded of their owner/family member. It is important to always pay attention to your pet, you don’t want them to grow apart from you.

It is more common that puppies become attached to clothing, rather than full grown dogs. At a young age, puppies require comfort, and motherly sort of feeling. when they are separated from their mothers, some people acquire sheets of clothing that contain the mother’s scent and place it by the puppy to help with the detachment. The piece of clothing is again a comforting mechanism for the little one.

It is not a good idea to get your puppies used to stealing your laundry. Yes it is cute sometimes, but by  allowing the puppy to eat one piece of clothing, you are reassuring him/her that it is okay to steal laundry.  If you are leaving your home for a long period of time, it is okay to give your puppy one of your old shirts. However, when you come back, you should take it back, so the puppy does not feel ownership towards the shirt.

If your puppy thrives in pilfering your clothing,  you have to set him/her  straight. Do not provide soft and chewable toys to your puppy. This will just widen their vision for clothing. Allow them to chew on these toys under supervision only. Keep your dirty laundry away from your puppy, it’s better for you and your puppy in the long run!