Dog chewing soft furnishings, cardigans, dressing gowns……

[PussInBin20]

He is just 2 the other day and seems to do this for comfort, almost like a dummy. Each time he sits with me on the sofa, he will chew what I’m wearing or the cushions. Nothing seems to stop him. He has a lot of chew toys, coffee wood, bone type things but will still chew, like he can’t help it.

I’m fed up of my clothes being ruined. What can I do?

What are you doing to prevent the behaviour?

If mine did that, he would be straight off the sofa every single time.

Quite a lot of dogs snuffull items and you are correct it is a stress reliever Loads of research on it and lots of ideas thrown about as to why they do it. Lots of spaniels do this to material when they are tired. It is quite sweet.

If you do have a snuffler dog would get them a special blanket that they can do this too. Bit like a childs comforter. If he is eating it them make sure whatever he has is safe to do so.

My DDepartedDog had an old cushion she slept with and sucked on. It was her favourite thing. It's very tatty but I can't bear to throw it away now she's gone. She had it for years. She would suck a corner and knead it with her paws. She never sucked anything else

Watching as you have described my dog. I have also been told to get her off the sofa but I can’t face it right now. It’s really problematic when she’s overtired and goes hunting for soft things to steal. She Juanma up at me in the kitchen and grabs hold of my jumpers etc or will pounce on a cushion. Also, I don’t know how to actually get the thing out of her mouth to move her off the sofa. If I try to take it she bites down and gets possessive, but no amount of ‘leave’ training has worked for fabric things.

If she is beginning to guard things, you really need to speak to a behaviourist as this could be really dangerous if it escalates.

we have regular sessions with a behaviourist (separation anxiety) and so far she isn't concerned about this as she thinks its trying to initiate play/tug rather than guarding. I'll bring it up again but we are working on lots of disengagement games with the behaviourist which should help... I don't know. She definitely isn't as bad with the not letting go as she used to be, and will always trade for a treat, but I'd love for her to just drop whatever she has with a single command.

Mine also growls with soft fluffy items and it isn't resource guarding, it's trying to initiate or continue a game of tug. If it was guarding she wouldnt come back and thrust the disgusting rank fabric back in my direction !

I'd imagine it's a bit like a kid with a comfort toy or blanket? Could the dog have a special one that only comes out at night time on your say so? Deflection/replacement might be better than trying to stop the behaviour completely.