If you have a dog, you might have already noticed how he keeps coming for your clothes, whether it’s freshly washed clothes or dirty ones. While such behavior isn’t a big deal for some people, it often leaves more annoyance due to dog hairs sticking to your garments.
And thus, many seek solutions to resolve the problem – yet, lots of time, such fast-working methods are temporary. Indeed, your dog would start doing it again sooner or later if you cannot figure out the question “Why does my dog lay on my clothes?”
There are several explanations why your pooch prefers to rest on your garments, and in most cases, it’s not the owner’s fault. In today’s article, we’ll help you discover 6 common reasons behind your dog lying on your clothes and how to limit such behavior.
6 Reasons Why Your Dog Lays On Your Clothes (Solutions Included)
1. Your clothes are cozy
Your pet may choose to sleep on your clothes or sneakers now and then simply since they are cozy and pleasant. Indeed, the most comfortable places to sleep for many dogs are in their owner’s fleece trousers or hoodies.
Typically, clothing is plush and comforting, which is precisely what your dog wants whenever he’s sleepy. Softness reassures the puppy and helps him feel relaxed and protected. Therefore, you could find this situation occurring more often while you are not around.
In such cases, we suggest purchasing your pet his private blanket and encourage him to utilize it in his bed rather than resting on your garments. If your canine is a puppy, a practical solution is to place an object containing his mom’s smell in his bed to give him a similarly safe and sound feeling.
2. Your clothes have your scent
Indeed, whether it’s a stack of messy or washed clothes, your garments carry your scent, and that causes your dog to sleep on them.
Several factors contribute to this strange habit, but the most evident one is the sense of smell among a dog’s most sensitive senses. But what’s about your scent that appears so appealing to your dogs?
Simply put, what your dog recognizes is his ‘pack scent.’ Dogs are tamed animals, yet, they still retain instincts similar to those of their feral predecessors. Indeed, these animals lived in packs, and such a pack (or now you – his new home) usually exudes a unique scent.
This odor evokes a sense of home and bonding in pooches. Occasionally, you may notice your canine turning on your blanket, clothing, or covers, which is quite normal. However, you may notice him behaving this way due to his need to reclaim the “pack” or “family” scent.
Additionally, your pet associates your smell with security. Therefore, your pup finds the odor on your garments reassuring and tends to adopt that smell for high levels of safety.
For dogs that seem driven by smell, it is possible to introduce alternative objects to divert their attention.
If you want your dog to go to another room, try placing a cushion or sheet that has your smell on it in another room. Higher chances are that your pet will be a good boy and stop bothering your garments.
3. Your dog suffers from separation anxiety
Dogs who suffer from separation stress are indeed more prone to rest on their owner’s belongings.
If you pay enough attention, you would probably notice your pooch taking pieces of your garments to his new sleeping place. As your dog feels lonely, he craves the warmth and security that comes with having your smell in the house.
Dogs who experience severe separation anxiety tend to be more scent-sensitive and seek comfort in anything with your scent. However, compared to other situations, separation anxiety is notably more challenging to diagnose.
Thus, if you witness other bizarre mental symptoms in your dog and doubt that he is suffering from separation anxiety or stress, take him to the vet for a detailed diagnosis.
If your dog’s behavior results from mental issues, you’ll want to come up with a solution to reduce your dog’s stress. Besides taking prescriptions and tips from the vet, it’s also practical to reduce your dog’s stress by investing more effort training him, crate training him, and even switching up your schedule and routine a tad bit.
Your pet’s situation sometimes will not improve unless you change. For example, it would be beneficial if your dog had his favorite blankie or anything with your smell on it.
Also, possessing anything bearing his mother’s scent on it is a science-proven method to alleviate emotional distress and trepidation of a new environment in pups.
4. Your dog doesn’t like his bed
If you’re a dog owner, we bet you’ve been in the situation where you spend hours and hours finding a bed and cushion for your pup among the countless choices and hope that your dog will stay away from your clothes.
However, reality hits hard – even after a couple of weeks, there is still no sign of hairs on your dog bed, and they still jump on your garments and sleep on it. The problem is that the purchased cushion may be too squishy or too hard to your dog’s liking.
The best dog bed is a rounded one with elevated sides since your pooch would prefer to snuggle and feel protected in a hollowed bed. Also, don’t forget to include your dog’s soft blanket in his bed so he knows it belongs to him and will feel safe and sound sleeping in it.
The location of his bed is also critical. Where do you place his bed? If you locate it in a separate area or too distant from you or other family members, this might be what you need to tackle. For the most part, dogs like to be near their owners at all times.
Put your dog bed anywhere that is warm, peaceful, and still accessible to you or your family if possible. Another option is to put them in an area where you frequently observe them dozing off your clothes.
After all, dogs are inquisitive creatures that want a sense of belonging, so keep them in plain sight but not too near that they block your way.
5. Your dog is scent marking you
Have you ever spotted your dog rolling on your clothing while he’s not napping? If that’s the case, they might be doing something (to them) that is far more serious – scent marking you. In other words, they’re trying to disperse their smell on your stuff.
The question is, why?
Their resource guarding instinct might be the one to blame here. It’s as though your puppy is letting everyone know that those items belong to them. Indeed, as long as you provide them with all they require, you will become a valuable asset in their minds.
It’s the same idea as people placing their names on things or using a pencil or a sharpie to write notes on their possessions. However, in dog cases, they tend to utilize pee or excrement as a marking tool.
Training your dog is also a highly effective method. Once your puppy has understood your orders, it’s easy to ask him to “stop” when he gets close to your clothing.
Another way to keep him from messing up with your clean clothing, in this case, is to quickly pack the clothes away and buy a basket with a cover for your unwashed ones.
6. Your dog is seeking attention
The answer may be as basic as that.
For instance, when you take your clothes out for work and place the garments on your bed, your pup would quickly throw themselves onto your clothing and lay in front of your eyes, seeking your attention and hoping you won’t leave them home. Sometimes, it could even be you being too busy and him feeling bored and wanting to play.
They’ve seen you doze off seeing them sitting on your clean clothes before, so they know you’ll give out some strong reactions and attention. Alternatively, it’s also possible they’re interested in seeing your response as they perceive it as a sign of joy and approbation.
Keep him active and engaged if it appears they’re simply doing it to get your attention. Also, make sure to spend enough time with them to foster your relationship. Moreover, every day, stimulate them with playful activities or help them learn new skills.
How To Get Rid Of Dog’s Hairs On Your Clothes
Now, even when your dog stops sitting on your clothes, their furs will still find a way to stick onto your garments. So then, what can we do to gẻt rid of such hairs?
We have your back. Keep in mind these 3 suggestions, and you’re good to go:
- Before doing the laundry, place your clothing in the dryer. The lint filter in the dryer will catch most of your dog’s furs.
- Steam it beforehand if you want to get the most hairs out of your wool and fluffy clothing. Indeed, wetting the material with a clothes steamer will make brushing it much quicker and simpler.
- Employ an anti-static spray on the garments to remove all the hairs. Then go over it with a lint brush to thoroughly eliminate the fur.
Conclusion
Now we bet you know the answer to the question, “Why does my dog lay on my clothes?” and practical solutions to each scenario.
Yet, keep in mind that having a dog (or any pet with fur) in your house means your clothes would never be clear of hair. Thus, all the above methods would limit the amount of hair and boost the ease of cleaning. Good luck!
