Top 3 Reasons Why Dogs Chew and Eat Your Underwear

Dogs are known for doing weird things, one of which is to chew and eat their owner’s underwear. The behavior itself might be harmless but dog owners need to be aware that eating pieces of underwear puts the dog’s health at risk due to concerns such as intestinal blockage. Here are the most common reasons for this quirky behavior.

1. Your dog is bored or anxious

Dogs will start to chew non-food objects in the house if they aren’t getting the quality play time they need. Think about how crazy you would get if you were stuck inside a room all day with nothing to do! See if setting up an extra play session or extending the dog walk reduces the underwear-chewing occurrences.

2. Your dog likes the scent

This sounds disgusting but dogs might find comfort in the underwear scent, especially when they are alone at home. Some dogs will go through a dirty laundry basket and pick out the items that bears their owner’s scent. Underwear can pick up a lot of body sweat.

3. Your dog has health issues

Underlying health problems may also explain destructive chewing behaviors. Dogs may chew whatever they come across due to the pain and discomfort felt from specific health conditions. You should take your dog to the vet straight away if you notice anything unusual about your dog’s behavior or movement.

There is an extra consideration for puppies. Dogs go through a teething period process once they are a week’s old. Puppies may start to chew on fabric-based materials, such as panties and underwear, to relieve some of the pain felt from the teething process.

How to stop a dog from chewing underwear

It’s simple. Just make sure the clothes are well out of your dog’s reach. You can get a pet-proof laundry hamper with a lid of place the laundry basket behind closed doors. Fresh underwear pieces should also be stored away. This, however, doesn’t treat the underlying problem that may be causing the gross chewing behavior.

Make sure to get your dog checked with the vet if you suspect there is something wrong with his health. Aside from that, make sure your dog gets plenty of time and has many choices of chew toys to pick from.