It’s nothing new that canines love their owners’ shoes. Maybe sometimes even a bit too much. But have you ever wondered why? Well, there are three main reasons: the smell, the consistency, and the opportunity.

First of all, your shoes smell. Even if you don’t think that they do, your doggo has a very sensitive nose and it can pick up smells that people can’t register. So when your pal chews one of your shoes, it’s enjoying your smell directly. That’s how much it loves your smell. You could (and probably should) take it as a compliment.

Secondly, some shoes are made out of materials that are waaay too similar to chew-straps and jerky, according to Stuff. Shoes are chewy. Dogs love chewing stuff. It’s simple mathematics. And if you’ve got a puppy, well, it just doesn’t know better and will cut its teeth on pretty much anything. That’s where decent training comes into play.

Finally, if you don’t want your dog to chew your shoes or to stick its nose into them—You. Simply. Can’t. Leave. Them. Lying. Around.

Anything that your dog can reach, it’ll be curious about. If after a hard session at the gym you come back, kick off your shoes and just leave them on the ground, the chances are, your doggo will at least sniff them. So place your shoes somewhere higher up if you don’t want a platypup roaming around the house. Though they do make for some amusing photos...