Why is my dog so attached to her toy all of a sudden?
Maiya Mraz
2025-06-26 12:08:05
Count answers: 8
If your Retriever grabs his toy as soon as you walk in the door or as soon as a guest arrives to your home, he has probably been passively trained to do so. The lesson was easy to learn: dog brought toy to human, human played tug of war with dog or threw toy, dog had fun, dog learned to repeat. Mothering is a strong instinct in many female dogs regardless if they have been spayed or not. Some dogs, especially females (but males will also exhibit the behavior from time-to-time), play-act mothering with their toys. The toy satisfies a deep instinct to nurture and protect. Chewing On A Toy Is Calming, chewing helps your dog to relax and in the case of puppies, chewing can relieve the pain associated with teething and helps them explore the world around them. If a toy has your scent on it, it may be especially calming to your dog because he feels that a ‘member of his pack’ is with him. The Squeak In The Toy Sounds Like Prey, squeaky toys sound like the cry of prey after it has been nabbed by the predator, that squeaky toy looks and sounds cute to you, but your dog may imagine that he has a baby rabbit in his mouth. Dogs that have been bred for hunting or retrieving are driven by an instinct to hunt and even kill, for these dogs, toys are a substitute for prey that they would otherwise be stalking, killing or retrieving.
Broderick Bruen
2025-06-26 11:34:32
Count answers: 10
The Toy Reminds Them of Your Presence and Gives Them Comfort Similar to kids and their stuffed toys, some dogs like toys that feel comfortable to touch and are plush enough to snuggle with. It’s possible that the toy your pup likes carries your scent or that of the members of the family. Whenever they keep it close, your dog may feel a sense of connection with you. It can be one of the reasons your dog is so attached to the custom dog toy you bought on a whim, as it makes them feel safer during stressful situations such as when there’s a thunderstorm. Holding onto their toy can be your pup’s way of overcoming distress or reinforcing a positive emotion.
The Toy Feels Good in Their Mouth In some cases, you’ll see dogs that like to carry their toys around. They may be doing this because the toy has a particular texture that feels good in the pet’s mouth.
Dogs can be territorial creatures, and their attachment to their favorite toys can be a manifestation of this territorial instinct. It’s possible that your dog sees their toys as their possession, and their affinity for their toys can be their way of asserting ownership and control over what they consider to be theirs.
Henriette Mosciski
2025-06-26 10:36:33
Count answers: 14
Carrying around that toy may be a symptom of false pregnancy. Although most dogs with false pregnancy also have other signs, sometimes all they do is carry around a toy and whine. In one study, 96% of dogs with false pregnancy carried around a toy. It is also possible that this is just a sign of anxiety. Dogs have many different forms of anxious behavior. I cannot tell for sure without seeing her, but it sounds more like your dog is anxious than experiencing a false pregnancy. Some anxious dogs need to be on medicine to help. There are a lot of other things to try first, I would recommend you go through that list and try to find something that will work with her.
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