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Once your puppy gets comfortable in their new home, they can sometimes get into a little bit of mischief
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Socks, shoes, and shirts often start disappearing, and sometimes you find them shredded or even strangely piled underneath your bed
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So why do dogs steal socks, shoes, and other clothes? Is that normal
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We will find out in this video of BeagleCare. I ran a poll on our Instagram page, and believe it or not, 91% of parents agreed that their dog does this
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So this behavior is pretty common. However, there is more than one explanation for why dogs sometimes turn into socks and shoe bandits
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and more importantly, what you can do about it. It's simply fun for them
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Let me explain. The moment your dog runs away with your socks, what do you do
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You run behind them to get your thing back, right? Well, that's super fun for dogs
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So next time whenever your dog is bored they will simply steal one of your items to get your attention They may also do it because of the smell What you need to keep in mind is that our dog has a nose that is anywhere from 1 to 10 times more powerful than us
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That means they'll likely catch your scent on your used items, like your clothes and socks
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And by taking them away when you aren't looking, your dog has secured a new toy that smells like their favorite person in the world
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It would be kind of flattering if only they weren't chewing on those things too
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Another reason could be their hunt and hide instincts. A strong survival instinct in dogs is their urge to hunt and hide
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Before dogs were domesticated, they were out in the wild, and whenever they found prey too large to eat right away, they would tear it off into pieces and hide it from other animals
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In modern dogs this instinct isn as useful but it certainly still there and that why they often take our things and hide it under the bed inside their crate or even in the corner of your backyard Separation anxiety Not all hiding or thieving behaviors are as lighthearted unfortunately and seeing these behaviors out of the blue
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can sometimes be a big red flag that something is wrong. Dogs that don't get enough attention
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or are left alone for long periods can develop separation anxiety. Remember that dogs are pack
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animals, and this is easier to understand. They really aren't wired to spend too much time alone
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In fact, with adult dogs, the longest recommended time to be left alone is only five or six hours
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while puppies under 10 weeks can't be left alone for more than one
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Separation anxiety can cause your dog to get clingy, or they might steal some of your things
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just to have your scent close. Now let's discuss how to deal with each of these scenarios
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Many dogs, including Groot, does this just for fun. A good way to discourage this is by not paying attention to them
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whenever they steal your things Personally I okay with Groot taking my things for fun It has become a game in our house now My Groot grabs a sock whenever he gets a chance and we all run behind him It super
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fun and refreshing for us, too. They may often do it for the smell, too. Well, in such cases
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you will have to teach them to behave correctly by redirecting them to a toy every time they try
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to grab your things. As far as hunting and hiding, your best bet is to bring some of the new toys to
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your dog's hiding spot and call them over. Take back your item in front of your dog, give them one
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of their toys, and then give your dog a treat. Repeat this whenever you find your dog's stash
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This will teach your dog that it's okay to hide things, as long as it's theirs. Finally, for
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separation anxiety, it's going to be best to involve a dog behaviorist. They can suggest some
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good strategies that can help. But in the meantime, try to ensure that your dog is not left alone for
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long periods. Before going, don't forget to like this video and subscribe to our channel for more
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Beagle Care videos. Later
