If you are a dog owner, you would have probably seen your dog sleeping on your clothes every time you do your laundry. This problem is not limited to you only; almost all dog owners face it. Seeing your dog sleep peacefully is not hesitating at all, but seeing them sleeping on your clothes while you are doing your laundry can make you stop your housework.

Many owners wonder why their dogs sleep on their dirty clothes when they have so many clean and comfy places in the house to sleep on. Well, this question is a bit tricky. Let’s find out the reasons.

Why do dogs sleep on our dirty clothes?

The root of the behavior:

You may have seen your dog lying on the piles of clothes whenever you’re doing the laundry. If we take it even worse, many times you take the washed clothes out of the dryer put them on the couch, and your dog jumps on top of the clothes. It can be a bit frustrating because the dog’s hair is left on the clothes, and you’ll have to remove it again.

There can be several causes to this problem, and we have solutions if you are tired of this behavior of your dog.

Your clothes have your scent:

The biggest reason for this behavior is your scent. Your dog is emotionally attached to you and can recognize your scent as it is one of its strongest senses. Whether the pile contains dirty or clean clothes, your scent will be left on the clothes. Your dog likes your scent left on the clothes, which is the main reason it is always found lying on your clothes.

Your dog feels secure:

Your scent left on your clothes is very comforting to the dog, and he will want to embrace the smell. Your dog feels a sense of security in this way. Dogs have instincts that remind them of their ancestors in the wild. As the dog is a part of your family, it will try to redistribute that smell into himself by rolling inside the clothes or on the bedsheet you lay. It provides a feeling of security, and the dog will make itself feel as you are around by inhaling your smell.

The dog will feel it comfortable:

Another reason for your dog sleeping on your clothes can be your dog loving soft things. Whether clean or dirty, the pile of clothes can be a very comfy spot for your dog to lay and he will sleep there often. The comfortable spot combined with your scent will make the dog extremely comfortable, making it the perfect environment for it to sleep and lay. It is more likely like to be the reason when the dog lays there randomly.

The dog is suffering from separation anxiety:

All dogs are loyal and friendly. They want to stay with their owners all the time and go with them wherever they do. However, in most cases, the owners cannot take their dogs with them. Prolonged periods of loneliness can make your dog suffer from separation anxiety.

Your dog will go and sleep on your clothes or simply lay down on them to cope with the anxiety. Your scent left on the clothes will make the dog feel you are around and lessen the effects of separation.

This behavior is more likely to happen when you are away from home, or the dog shows signs of anxiety when leaving it in the house.

Encouraging the behavior:

It would be better if you do not encourage this behavior as it can become a habit that will be very difficult to overcome. If you give treats to the dog or don’t stop it, you will be encouraging this behavior.

How to avoid this behavior?

This behavior can be avoided by simple house training that will help and save your clothes from the dogs. Here are a few things you should consider:

·        Training:

If you train your dog and tell it that your clothes are not a place for him to lay or sleep, it can positively effect. Rewarding the dog when it leaves the area and encouraging it to sit somewhere else should be done.

·        Reduce its access to the clothes:

You can also stop your dog from sleeping on your clothes by keeping it away from the laundry room. You should keep the clothes in a separate basket and cover it with a lid to stop it from getting in.

·        Give it some other area to sleep:

It will help if you make a more comfortable and comfy area for the dog to sleep to leave the clothes. Giving a crate to the dog with a small bed and a cozy blanket can also make it feel secure. You can also make a blanket out of your clothes that have your scent.

·        Reducing separation anxiety:

If this behavior is due to separation anxiety, you should give the dog more time and spend time with it. Changing your routine can help transform your dogs’ way as well.

Conclusion:

Dogs have a powerful sense of smell and if your dog is sleeping on your clothes, instead of getting frustrated, you should understand that it is doing it out of love. Your dog feels safe and secure with your scent on your clothes. This is not a serious behavioral issue and can be overcome with a little training and understanding.