Dogs nibble on their owners’ clothes for several reasons. These include excitement, affection, teething behavior, exploring, anxiety, or aggression. You can use positive training methods such as distraction, appropriate verbal commands, timeout, or toy substitutes to help your dog overcome this bad habit.
Decoding your dog’s behavior remains one of the most challenging and rewarding aspects of pet ownership. If your dog keeps nibbling on your clothes, discover what is causing this behavior and how to fix it.
While pet nibbles may seem harmless or mildly annoying, this habit can turn into a bigger problem. Whether your dog is excited, attention-seeking, or investigating its world, it’s a good idea to show your dog a healthier way to express emotions.
If your dog displays signs of anxiety or aggression, it is important to train him before he bites someone. If you encouraged or allowed nipping behavior in the past, now is a good time to set some boundaries.
Why Does My Dog Nibble on My Clothes?
There are several reasons why dogs nibble on clothes. Dogs nibble to express love, excitement, stress, or aggression. Here are the top ten motives that explain why your dog might display this kind of behavior.
Time to play
Dogs like to play. They often nip at each other to signal game time. If your dog wants to play with you, he might playfully nip your clothing.
Dogs use their mouth to explore and interact with their world. Puppies learn about taste, texture, and boundaries by nibbling on everything in sight. Nipping at your clothing is also a way that a dog bonds with its owner, but it’s not one that you want to encourage.
It’s too exciting
If your puppy gets excited and his feelings get out of control, he might start nipping your clothing. Although it’s a common reason for clothes nipping, you can help your dog channel that energy in healthy ways, such as running or tossing games.
I love you
Dogs have no words to verbally express their love. Instead, dogs show affection through physical contact. This includes trying to get close to the object of their affection. Dogs often display possession by grabbing onto their owner.
To your dog, your clothing is an extension of your body and smells like you. If your dog is gently nibbling on your clothes, she might be trying to show you how much she loves you.
Attention-seekers
Dogs who feel ignored and are looking for attention may exhibit nibbling behavior. Dogs may think that it is safe to nip at your clothes rather than your skin. Dogs can nibble due to attachment issues such as separation anxiety or an environmental trigger.
Comfort me
Like humans, dogs sometimes need comfort. A dog that wants consoling might reach out and nip at your sleeve to let you know that she needs you.
You might be tempted to hug your dog to comfort her. Canine psychologists advise against hugging your dog. Unlike humans, dogs are cursorial animals. This means that their first instinct when stressed is to run away fast. If you confine an upset dog with a tight hug, this natural human instinct can actually cause dogs’ stress levels to spike.
Teething time
Dogs use their mouths to explore their world. This means that dogs nibble on everything from your shirt to your pants leg. Puppies go through a teething phase at 12-16 weeks which makes them mouth everything in sight. Your dog might also be experiencing oral issues.
You taste good
Your dog might nip at you because he likes the way that your clothing tastes. Fabrics can have a yummy taste or interesting texture. Human skin also exudes salty sweat. This taste is appealing to dogs, and they might lick and nip at you because they quite literally like you.
Nothing to do
Maybe your dog is bored. When we are bored, we can turn on the TV, call a friend, or hop in the car. Dogs with few amusement options can become bored with their environment. As a result, they may start nipping at everything from shoes to you.
Something bad happened
According to canine psychologists, a dog has the mental maturity and problem-solving skills of a two to a three-year-old child. While dogs are smart and adaptable, they also have limited comprehension. They can get stressed or fearful and react by nipping at you.
A dog might get scared of loud noises such as fireworks or thunder. Dogs don’t understand what is happening or know that these sounds are harmless. If your dog is afraid, he might start nibbling your clothes in distress.
Aggression
By this time, you should be able to distinguish between normal nipping and abnormal biting. If your dog is growling, pulling back his lips, or displaying hostile body language, you probably have an aggressive dog on your hands. Non-neutered male dogs tend to display more aggression than female dogs.
What Does It Mean When Your Dog Nibbles on You?
Adult dogs
If an adult dog is nipping at your clothes, then this is likely a sign of affection, excitement, boredom, or aggression.
Puppies
New puppies who miss their mothers need comfort. They are also likely teething or exploring. Growing puppies have a lot of energy and feel bored easily. Puppies often do not understand boundaries yet and may test the ones that you establish.
How Do I Get My Dog to Stop Chewing on My Clothes?
No matter how cute your puppy may look, gently and firmly discourage your dog from nibbling. While nibbles might seem harmless now, dogs that nip, mouth, and chew can turn into biters.
Here are several ways to train your dog not to nibble on you.
- Say “No.”
- Substitute a chew toy for your clothes.
- Remove the temptation (yourself) from the area.
- Give them a timeout.
- Use positive reinforcement.
Positive training options
If your dog is acting out or behaving aggressively, use non-aggressive training tactics such as distraction, time out, toy substitution, or reward to teach your dog. Dogs respond better to positive reinforcement than to negative correction. Ensure that training is calm, kind, firm, and consistent.
You can hand your dog a chew toy or place him in a timeout. Timeout is a great training tool to help dogs understand the link between quiet time and unacceptable behavior. If your dog is fearful, timeout is not the best option. Since dogs are social animals, placing a nervous dog in solitary confinement will only increase anxiety.
If your dog is showing excitement or affection, you can offer alternative objects with which to express their emotions. Chewy.com has great chew toys for teething puppies. Pop the teething toy into the freezer and give your puppy a soothing treat for his gums. If your dog is bored, toss a ball or a frisbee, take her for a run, or reward good behavior with a treat.
Identify and resolve
The ability to identify why your dog nips at your clothing is crucial to resolving the problem. If your dog persists in compulsive mouthy behavior, ask your vet to check out dental problems or OCD disorder. If your dog is aggressive, consult a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist for assistance.
The goal is to positively train your dog and maintain a good balance between authority and companionship. Your dog will love and trust you as you respond appropriately to the situation.
