They’re so expensive and so important for work and other important occasions, so why does your dog keep biting your suit jacket? Does it mean your dog is mad at you if they’re chewing on your suit coat? Will your dog grow out of chewing on your suit jacket, or is there something unrelated to age that’s causing this problem?

Worry and wonder no longer, because today we’re going to answer all of the questions you have about this aggravating destructing chewing problem. Most importantly, we’ll tell you how to stop your dog from chewing on your suit jacket for good! Keep reading below for all the information you need!

Why Does My Dog Keep Biting My Suit Jacket?

Your dog keeps biting your suit jacket because they’re going through a subset of anxiety known as separation anxiety. Your dog chews on your suit jacket to relieve these feelings because the process of chewing releases soothing endorphins for them. Your suit jacket is also comforting because it smells like you, even if it’s fresh from the dry cleaners.

Less likely explanations are that your dog is just bored and doesn’t have a proper outlet like a chew toy, or that they’re still teething (if your dog is under six months old still) and the fabric of your suit jacket feels nice and eases their pain.

But regardless of why they’re doing it, you obviously can’t allow this to continue because your suit jacket was likely very expensive, and you need it for work, important social events, or giving presentations in school. Do not give your dog an old suit jacket to chew on, as this gives them the idea that destructive chewing is okay and does nothing to address the root issue.

You may soon find your dog is chewing up purses, chewing up your debit and credit cards, chewing up your keychain, and maybe even going after something that’s similarly soft and chewy like your suit jacket, such as chewing on your laptop bag.

To stop your dog from chewing your suit jacket and other expensive, needed, and not easily replaceable items of yours, skip to the last section now where we’ll give you the exact steps to follow.

Is My Dog Mad at Me if They’re Chewing on My Suit Coat?

Your dog is not mad at you if they’re chewing on your suit coat. Dogs do not chew out of revenge or anger. Your dog is chewing your suit coat likely due to separation anxiety, which causes them to feel very stressed when you’re not around, either because they always feed the need to protect you or to be protected by you.

Your dog chews on your suit coat to relieve this anxiety because the process of doing so releases endorphins which makes them feel better. You’ll likely also find they’re going after other items of yours that carry your scent and are nice and soft and chewy. Skip to the last section now where we’ll tell you exactly how to get to this problem at its root and stop all their destructive chewing.

Will My Dog Grow Out of Chewing on My Suit Jacket?

Your dog will not grow out of chewing on your suit jacket unless they’re teething and still under six months old. But even in this case, there’s a very good chance that your dog would continue chewing on your suit jacket and other items even as an adult because you’ll have taught them it’s okay, and chewing things will still continue to feel nice and be fun.

If your dog is already an adult and has been chewing on your suit jacket, then obviously they are not going to grow out of this behavior. You need to address it immediately or their problem is only going to grow and escalate into destroying other items of yours. Continue to the next section where we’ll go over the steps you need to be following.

How Do I Get My Dog to Stop Chewing My Suit Jacket?

To get your dog to stop chewing your suit jacket:

1. Keep your suit jacket stowed away when not being worn. Don’t throw it on a hanger by the door or over a chair when you get home.
2. If you catch your dog chewing on your suit jacket or sniffing around it, immediately give a calm but firm “no” or “stop.”
3. Do not yell, clap, or get angry. Your dog is doing this because of anxiety, and these reactions will only make their problem worse.
4. Place them into time-out in their crate or a closed-off room with no toys for 10 minutes.
5. Let them out, then redirect them to a proper outlet, like a quiet chew toy.
6. When they choose their toy, immediately reward them with pets, praise, and a small treat.
7. Make a 50/50 mixture of water and distilled white vinegar in a spray bottle.
8. Spray it on your suit jacket in select areas like the cuffs, or mist it up into the air and flow your jacket through the mist.
9. Vinegar is safe to use on clothing and actually helps to protect colors.
10. The smell will go away after about an hour, but the scent will remain for your dog who will continue to be deterred.
11. Make sure that anyone else in the home is also following these steps with their own suit jackets and clothing.
12. Be patient and consistent.

This should get your dog to stop chewing your suit jacket, but you’ll still need to address their underlying issue of anxiety. If you don’t, your dog is just going to find something else of yours to go after to chew up and relieve their worries, and you can’t be going through these steps with absolutely every single item in your home.

And to properly get to the root of your dog’s problem, we should first quickly talk about what makes them tick to begin with. Dogs are pack animals, and in every pack there is a pack leader. But when your dog experiences anxiety and responds by destructively chewing up your suit jacket and other items, they are definitively telling you that they don’t respect you in this role.

If they did, they wouldn’t get anxious or worried, even when you’re not home. They wouldn’t destructively chew your suit coat or anything else. They would only chew to relax, and only the things which they’re allowed. They wouldn’t engage in any other type of stress-related misbehavior.

And they would obey your commands at all times, and they would do so happily.

You win. Your suit jacket wins. But your dog especially wins, because you’ll have freed them from all of the stress and anxiety which they’re currently carrying around on their little shoulders 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Sounds like a no-brainer, doesn’t it?

“Of course, but how do I do any of this?”

You should watch an excellent free video series on this exact subject — how to be your dog’s pack leader — by a renowned trainer named Dan. In his series, he explains everything you’ll need to know in ways that are very simple to understand and teach to your own dog, and he gets immediately to the point so that you can start seeing these crucial changes in your dog in no time.

Start watching Dan’s free training series now by clicking here. And don’t stress, because no, you’re not going to have to yell or be mean to your four-legged little buddy. Dan uses only 100% humane and loving methods at all times. Not just because it’s the right thing to do, but also because it’s the fastest way to achieve permanent changes in your dog’s behavior.

I’m sure you’re ready to quit worrying about your dog chewing up your suit coat and other important items, so I’ll let you begin now. Best wishes with everything, and thank you for reading our article on how to stop your dog from chewing on your suit jacket.