How to Stop a Puppy From Pulling Clothes Off the Line

Laundry in the wind is enticing to a puppy.

Laundry blowing in the wind is very inviting to a puppy. Dogs have an instinct to chase, and movement of any kind can trigger this instinct. Teaching a puppy to stop pulling clothes off the line is a challenging task that requires preparation, time and patience. Some breeds may be easier to train than others, but most puppies should be able to learn to co-exist with the clothesline in the backyard.

Things You'll Need

• Balloons
• Old towels, sheets or clothing
• Clothespins
• Air pump

Instructions

1. 

   A crate with a chew toy is a safe place for the puppy.

   Relocate your puppy out of sight of your preparations.

2. Create hanging "hiding places" for the balloons you'll use in Steps 3 and 4, using old towels, old clothes or old sheets. Hang the old towels on the line in the normal fashion and hang a second set in line with the first set from the same clothespins. Hang old sheets in a sling-like fashion. Hang old clothes with pant legs in which balloons will fit.

3. 

   Use the pump to blow up the balloons.

   Blow up approximately 15 to 20 balloons using the air pump. The more balloons you use the better the effect will be.

4. 

   Hang the balloons close together for more pop per inch.

   Attach the balloons to the hanging laundry with clothespins. Hang the balloons between the towels, near the bottom. Attach balloons inside the pant legs or on the inside of any shirts. Fill the "sling" of the old sheets with balloons.
   Keep the balloons out of sight. The idea is for the dog to go after the laundry without noticing the balloons and then be frightened when the balloons pop.

5. Repeat Steps 1 through 4 daily until your dog learns to leave the clothing alone.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not give the puppy access to real laundry on the line during the training period. If she gets a chance to attack real laundry with no balloons even once during the training period, it will set back your training.

• Pet stores sell devices that can give a mild shock or make a mousetrap-like noise, and these could be used in place of the balloons, at considerable expense.

• Real mousetraps are very dangerous to a puppy.

• Do not leave the puppy unattended in the yard with the balloons.

• This training requires a lot of repetition before it works. Some dogs may never be fully laundry proofed and should be kept inside while laundry is drying on the line.