Medically Reviewed by Dr. Majid Tanveer, DVM
Dogs have many weird and dirty habits. Biting and eating your underwear is one of them. This is a very disgusting habit that nobody likes in dogs.
Why does my dog eat my underwear?
The dog can eat your underwear for several significant reasons. First of all, the dog likes the smell of your underwear. He tries to get closer to you by consuming it. Secondly, the dog can do this only to get some attention. Lastly, this incident can be a symptom of the stomach disease of the dog.
The dog can nibble your skivvies for these factors. To stop the dog, you have to learn the details.
Let’s get into the main discussion!
Why Does My Dog Eat My Underwear?
Dogs like to eat. But that does not mean we should allow them to eat our underwear. This is a bad habit of the dog, just like dogs peeing on the bed.
Let’s see why the dog eats your underwear despite having so much food around.
Reason 1: To Get Closer
Your dog mainly eats your underwear because of the underwear’s smell. Underwear is very intimate body wear. Because of its closeness to your body, it gets smelly than other clothes. And dogs are highly attracted to this smell.
Dogs have a very strong smelling ability. They can get odors that will not reach us. Dogs use that ability to navigate around the world. Dogs also remember the odor of the other animals by sniffing them. They can do this because of their intense nose.
Dogs smell other animals to take notes of them. You can observe that when your dog meets a new dog, he sniffs the other dog. Dogs usually take a sniff from the tail region of the second one. They do that because a particular enzyme comes out of there.
This enzyme spreads a unique smell from that region. The same thing happens with your underwear also. That thing has a unique and dense scent of you. The dog can identify it and wants to get closer to you. For that reason, he bites and eats your underwear.
Reason 2: To Get Attention
Dogs always want attention. They do various tricks to get your time. Dogs click their teeth, lick the sofa, and do other weird things to catch your mind. Eating your underwear is one of these weird activities.
We take the underwear as a private piece of fabric. We don’t display it publicly and keep it close to us. Dogs can see our behavior and think that underwear is precious to us.
Dogs conclude from this. They decide that by taking and attacking your underwear, they can get your attention. That’s why your dog eats underwear. Dogs do this same work with other essential and close objects of humans.
Reason 3: Stomach Disease
Another essential reason behind biting your underwear can be the stomach diseases of the dog. Though this might surprise you, dogs behave abnormally due to stomach diseases. Dogs eat blankets and other things when they are sick.
Eating your underwear can be a similar issue. If the dog has gastrointestinal problems, he will try to bite things. As the underwear has its owner’s scent, the dog finds more comfort in it. By eating the underwear, your dog tries to find some relief from stomach issues.
Some other possible causes of why your dog eats underwear include:
- Nutritional deficiency
- Teething in puppies
These are the primary causes for which your dog might eat your underwear. There are very harmful effects of eating underwear. Let’s have a look at that.
What are the Risks of Eating Underwear?
Eating underwear can be fatal to your dog. After all, it is not food. Anything that doesn’t belong to the food category must not be eaten. There are potential risks involved.
The underwear is made of fabrics. The makers often use polyester and other artificial fabrics in it. These fabrics are indigestible. When dogs eat them, it gets stuck in their intestines. And causes a hindrance in the food movement.
Some big dogs can pass the underwear while pooping. But small dogs suffer the most. They can even die because of underwear getting stuck inside the stomach. After he eats underwear, the dog must be taken to a vet as soon as possible.
How to Prevent Dogs from Eating Underwear?
As a careful dog owner, you must stop your dog from eating underwear. The work might seem complicated. But with proper guidelines, you can restrict the dog from doing so.
Below we will discuss some methods to help you.
Tip 1: Keep Your Underwear Away
To save both your dog and your underwear, keep the underwear away from the dog. Out of sight, out of mind- is a very well-known proverb. You can use this technique to keep your dog away from your underwear.
If the dog can’t get his paws on your underwear, he will not be able to eat it. If you keep it out of the dog’s sight, the dog will eventually forget about it. Preserve your underwear in cupboards and high places.
Tip 2: Give Proper Training
Dogs require training to habituate with good behaviors. Dogs are only as bad as the training they are given. You must teach him gently to stop your dog from gulping your underwear. Be patient while teaching the dog.
If you get aggressive and shout, the dog will act defensively. This will only make the situation difficult. Give positive reinforcement to train the dog properly. He will stay away from your inners only then.
Tip 3: Give Chew Toys to the Dog
Dogs like to chew. You can not stop that. But you can change the things he will chew. Give the dog chew toys. The dog will love them. Your household materials will also be intact as a result of that.
We have suggestions for chew toys for you. Check them out:
| Product-1 | |
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These products are very popular among both dogs and their owners. Try them out!
Tip 4: Visit A Vet
You might be unable to stop the dog from doing this dirty work. Then there is a possibility that the dog is suffering from stomach disease. If that’s the case, visit a vet. The vet will identify the root of the problem and treat it accordingly.
Follow these methods to save your underwear from the dog. We think that our tricks will be enough to solve your problem.
FAQs
Why is my dog suddenly eating fabric?
Your dog can eat fabric suddenly because of stress eating. This phenomenon is also known as pica. Dogs can get addicted to fabrics because of this problem.
Why is my dog eating random stuff?
Your dog is eating random stuff to pass his time. Dogs want to spend their days playing and roaming around. If that is not possible, he gets bored. Then the dog eats and chews everything.
Can dogs die as a result of eating underwear?
Yes, dogs can die as a result of eating underwear. The underwear will be very hard to pass through the digestive tract. The tracts can tear because of the cloth, and the dog will die.
