Are you having trouble with your pet feeding on your underwear? Here are six common causes for this:
- Separation Anxiety
- Inquiring Attention
- Too Soon to Wean
- Pica Syndrome
- Behavioral Disorders
- Boredom
Based on their age and temperament, dogs may chew, eat, or even cause damage to clothing and other items. This can be an accident, though it typically appears from the pet’s viewpoint as if it was deliberate.
We’ve all been pet parents, playing with our pets around the yard or house. We wish we’d spent those few months of puppyhood training the dog to obey commands!
It’s amusing to reflect on the past; what the dog eats can trigger lots of anxiety and anxiety.
And one of those items is our underwear.
If puppies are eating your underwear, it’s less surprising and more palatable since they’re looking to explore their surroundings and often eat food to satisfy their curiosity (I’m sure that the underwear is one of the many things they’ve had the pleasure of eating! ).
Pet parents are particularly concerned when this often happens, especially when their dog is old and isn’t a problem with behavior “issues.”
The habit of dogs eating their owners’ underwear shouldn’t cause alarm to the owner or cause excessive concerns since the personal belongings of the owner (like footwear and) underwear) are pretty regular.
It’s more common Than You Think.
Children, as well as dogs, are curious and like to play. It is essential to shield your dog from ingesting dangerous foreign objects, such as small socks, toys, underwear, carpets, coins, etc. They could cause serious health issues as well as costly medical costs.
All breeds of dogs are susceptible to eating foreign objects, but it is more common in puppies under two years old.
Adolescent and puppy dogs are extremely curious and exuberant when they play, leading to more risk-taking behavior and less awareness of the risk of swallowing a foreign object.
Dogs can also swallow foreign objects accidentally when playing. In the heat and excitement of the moment, the dog, particularly one who is a puppy, might accidentally eat a piece of food they intended to keep from their stomach.
Other reasons for this behavior can be attributed to the increasing pain in the teeth. The puppies of dogs, in particular, can explore the world around them through their mouth and nose and love chewing on objects as it relaxes them, particularly when they’re in pain because of their teeth growing.
When they suffer tooth pain, the puppies chew on objects to relieve pain, similar to how we scratch an itch.
Although tiny foreign bodies can be passed through the intestines without creating a blockage or causing any problems in this process, larger objects can cause severe complications.
Dogs with an object that is foreign to them usually have digestive disorders.
Common Causes of Dogs Eating Underwear
If your dog isn’t at the stage of being a puppy anymore and continues eating and swallowing to digest food, There are several SOS warning signs you may not have noticed.
- Anxiety caused by separation
Your dog is a source of unimaginable unconditional love for you. Your absence could trigger an abundance of anxiety. Even the tiniest of break-ups, like shopping for groceries or enjoying an evening out, can cause a lot of stress for your pet (not to mention when you are away from work).
It is the normal time to begin chewing and eating personal objects that bear the scent of socks, underwear, and shoes.
The scent you put on these objects may help reduce the discomfort experienced due to your absence and the anxiety they feel.
- Inquiring Attention
If you need to spend more time with your dog, they could become extremely dependent and begin looking at ways to get your interest. This could lead to them starting to eat and even destroy your items.
Even if you take your dog to the ground for chewing on personal items in an attempt to discourage them from doing so the habit, it could be felt, from the perspective of your dog, that they’ve “won” the attention of others through your behavior. Still, you could promote unwanted behavior (especially when lacking).
- Weaned Too Early
A few veterinarians came to the opinion that the recurrent behavior of dogs eating the personal belongings of their owners could have its origins in being a puppy who was not weaned quickly enough.
There is a consensus that weaning your dog before your puppy reaches the 7-8 weeks mark is a problem. If your puppy has been weaned prematurely by sucking their owners’ underwear’s fabric may provide the dog some comfort.
In this calming activity, the dog may get into the habit of eating underwear in error. Sometimes, they do this due to their hunger. You can keep your pet to stop eating the underwear and feed them treats that will keep them entertained and calm their cravings.
- Pica Syndrome in Dogs
“Pica” is the term used to refer to an unusuality of appetite, in which the animals are in search of food items that are not part of their normal diet, such as chunks of wood, sandstones, metal underwear, socks, etc.
Pica syndrome should not be interpreted as an abnormality of the digestive system or a nutrition issue.
Pica Syndrome is instead more closely linked to an emotional disorder.
Pica syndrome is its sign: the consumption of non-food items or substances. However, this doesn’t mean the pet consumed your clothing; it has Pica Syndrome.
The medical reasons for Pica Syndrome include:
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Diabetes
- Intestinal parasites
- Anemia
- More hunger
- The neurologic disease
- Vitamin deficiency
- Malnutrition
- Thyroid disease
Only a licensed veterinarian can identify your dog’s Pica Syndrome. If you’re worried your dog might suffer from it, please speak to your vet before making any assumptions about any diagnosis.
If your dog is affected by this condition, they could take a bite of your underwear often despite all efforts to deter them.
It could become an obsession to drink your underwear. It can become an addiction that leads to your dog displaying behavior in ways they don’t want to be in, but they find themselves compelled.
Your doctor can help with various measures to treat and manage Pica Syndrome, such as teaching them to change their craving for food items that are not digestible into digestible foods, such as healthy snacks.
The more severe cases must be treated differently. For instance, you may need to snarl at them or place a collar on them, preventing them from picking up objects. They might require kennels while they are at home in the daytime.
These more extreme measures should be discussed with your vet.
In the most extreme instances, it is possible to seek the help of a trained trainer or a specialist in CCD (Canine Compulsive Disorder) is also an option.
- Behavior disorders
If eating your underwear is frequent, it is time to investigate the possibilities that your dog is suffering from an underlying obsessional behavior.
Certain breeds of dogs have a genetic predisposition to developing these behaviors, while in other species, it’s not apparent for a reason.
The answer to a problem with behavior must always be based on the expertise of a doctor and a vet.
- Boredom
Another reason you might find the dog to eat your underwear stems from boredom or lack of physical or mental stimulation.
Hyperactive breeds, like shepherds, terriers, and hunting dogs, require lots of physical activity throughout the day to burn off their energy. In other cases, they can be destructive, such as eating your underwear or other personal items.
Mental stimulation is crucial in stopping boredom. Training can provide mental and psychological stimulation. Include the dog’s day one or two briefs (10-minute) training session in your routine.
Tips To Discourage Your Dog From Eating Your Underwear
- Most of the time, the dog you love asks for some attention. Because they can’t talk and gain attention, if they do something you would not want them to do, Don’t offer them the reaction you seek. Do not make a scene or engage them as if you did not think about it.
- Anti-Chew sprays work effectively for some dogs.
- As pet parents, The responsibility and onus lie with us. Make sure you take the necessary steps to ensure that your pet doesn’t have access to anything you don’t wish them access to.
- Consult a veterinarian. There’s no excuse not to seek expert advice if you’re exhausted from trying every method, and altering how your dog behaves a legitimate reason to go to the vet, particularly in the event of risks related to their unintentional behavior.
Don’t Forget About Actual Training
While toys and treats may provide entertainment and stimulation for your Frenchie, they cannot replace the need for training. Similar to how we should improve our “human puppies” (a.k.a. children) and our “human puppies,” we must spend time helping the development of our dogs’ brains.
It’s more than just fun and food all the time! It’s similar to placing a child in the presence of a T.V. and hoping they will enhance their behavior and overall well-being.
Final Thoughts
Please do not take your dog’s underwear-eating habits personally; however, you should take them seriously.
Your veterinarian is an excellent resource to help you identify the root cause of your dog’s eating habits and how best to take care of the problem.
Your dog’s digestive system cannot consume vegetable fibers like cotton, or those added to fabric due to the enzymes needed to accomplish this task aren’t present in their digestive tracts.
Another option is spraying your underwear or bag storage with anti-chew spray.
We hope you won’t have to wonder why your dog is chewing your underwear or not taking this behavior as a personal attack.
The responsibility of owning a dog is lots of guilt. When behaviors like eating underwear come up, be sure to take them seriously since your dog’s overall well-being will benefit from it, and you’ll both be more content.
