Why Does My Dog Steal My Shoes? (6 Reasons)
If you haven’t been able to play with your dog or go out for as many walks as usual lately, they may just be looking for a way to get your attention. Your dog may know that you put your shoes on before you leave the house, and stealing a shoe can stop you from leaving.
If your dog knows that once they grab the shoe and run away, you’ll stop what you’re doing and chase them, they may view this as a game and consider their behavior successful since they got what they wanted.
How to Stop It
If you think that your dog is stealing shoes because they want attention, try to schedule more time throughout your day to focus on your pup. Even if it’s just for a few minutes, give your dog pets, playtime, and walks. If your dog still tries to steal your shoe, don’t react. Ignoring the behavior will not give them the attention that they want, making them less likely to repeat the act.
Your Dog is Teething
If you have a young dog that is teething, he may be taking your shoes because he needs something to chew on. Teething is an uncomfortable time for any young pooch as the deciduous teeth are being replaced by adult teeth.
Maybe shoes aren’t the only things your dog is stealing to chew on. Your dog may be grabbing everything within his reach to sink his teeth into. The good news is that teething is temporary and ceases once all the adult teeth have fully grown in.
How to Remedy the Behavior
When dogs are teething, they do lots of chewing. A good way to stop your dog from chewing on your shoes is to give him a special chew toy. An even better idea is to get several chew toys so you can leave them around the house, so your dog always has an appropriate item to chew on when the urge strikes.
Playfulness
Another reason your dog could be stealing your shoes is because they want to play. A dog quickly learns that taking something that belongs to you will lead to a fun game of chase, so if they want to play, they will find an item that you care about to run around with.
Many times, shoes are left on the ground within reach of your pooch so that is something that is easy for them to grab to get you to play.
Common dog problems – stop dog from eating or stealing shoes
If your dog keeps taking your shoes, you might be wondering why and what you can do about it. This post will show you four common reasons why dogs do it and what you can do to get it to stop.
So, why does my dog take my shoes? Possible reasons why your dog takes your shoes are learning that the behavior is rewarded, teething, anxiety, boredom, or because it likes how the shoes feel in its mouth.
It is possible that there is a combination of causes at play. However, there are some things you can consider when figuring out the main causes and there are many things you can do about them.