If your dog has been rolling on your clothes, you might be wondering why and what you can do about it. This post will show you a number of possible causes and what you can do about them.
So, why does my dog roll on my clothes? Possible reasons why your dog rolls on your clothes are that it likes the scent, it is anxious, you have encouraged the behavior, it likes the way it feels or that it is trying to get extra attention from you.
Since there are multiple possible causes, it would help to consider what would make each of them more likely. Once you have a good idea of the most likely cause, it should become easier to figure out what to do in order to get it to stop.
Why your dog rolls on your clothes
Below are a number of possible reasons why your dog has been rolling on your clothes and what would make each of them more likely to be the main reason.
It likes the scent
It is likely that your clothes have a strong scent on them. The reason why your dog rolls on your clothes could be that it likes the scent on them. This would be more likely if it also does things such as roll around on your blankets or bed. It would also be more likely if it tends to roll on clothes that you have recently been using.
It is anxious
The reason why it does it could also be that it is anxious and rolling about on your clothes calms it down due to the scent on your clothes. This would be more likely if your dog tends to do it when you are not home and if it starts to become anxious when you are about to leave home.
Encouraging the behavior
It could be the case that it has learned that the behavior gets rewarded. If you tend to give it things such as toys, treats or extra attention, when it rolls in your clothes, it will likely do it more in order to get more rewards. Instead, it would help to give it rewards when it behaves the way you want it to and to avoid rewarding it when it does not.
To mask its own scent
If it also tends to roll around on smelly things such as grass or mud, the cause of the rolling could be to mask its scent. This is so that other animals can’t smell it when it is near and so that they don’t know where it’s been.
It likes the way it feels
The reason why it does it could simply be that it likes the way that it feels to roll around on your clothes. This would be more likely if it does not do it excessively and if it rolls around in other places just as much.
To get attention
The cause could also be that it is trying to get extra attention from you. This would be more likely if it tends to do it when you are around, when you have not been giving it much attention and if you tend to give it extra attention when it rolls around on your clothes.
Things to consider
Below are some things to consider when figuring out the main reason why your dog has been doing it.
What else happened when your dog first rolled on your clothes
If your dog did not always roll around on your clothes, it would help to consider what else happened when it first started doing it. If your dog started doing it suddenly, it could be due to things such as learning that the behavior gets rewarded or something causing it to be anxious.
What is different when it does it
If your dog does not always roll around on your clothes, it would also help to consider what is different when your dog does roll around on them. For example, if it only seems to do it while you are not home, it could be because it has some separation anxiety and the scent on your clothes makes it feel safer.
What to do about your dog rolling on your clothes
Below are some options you have when getting your dog to stop rolling on your clothes.
Avoid encouraging the behavior
As mentioned above, it could be the case that your dog has learned that rolling around, on your clothes results in it getting rewards. Instead, it would help to try to reward your dog when it behaves the way you want it to, to avoid rewarding it when it does roll on clothes and to try to redirect its focus when it seems likely to start doing it.
Reduce reasons why it might be anxious
It could be the case that it has been doing it due to being anxious. It would help to limit possible reasons why it might get anxious, especially when you are away. Things to do would include feeding it, letting it pee and giving it exercise before leaving it for long time periods.
Keep your clothes out of reach
It would also be an option to simply put your clothes in areas where your dog is unable to get to them such as in a wardrobe or in a laundry basket.