Why does my dog hoard toys from other dogs?

Hoarding behavior in dogs is an instinctive behavior that originated during the time when their ancestors did not have regular meals appear magically, at least twice a day. They were lucky if they ate every few days, and if there was a jackpot of more food than could be eaten at once, these dog ancestors would sometimes take some food and bury it in a safe place for later. You might find your dog’s toys stuffed between sofa cushions, tucked into full laundry baskets, or buried outside in the yard. Wild animals do the same thing today. When a dog’s space is smaller, he is less likely to obsess about running around gathering up things. Sometimes dogs will forget about things if the opportunity for theft is eliminated for at least a few weeks. But all dog owners know that our canine partners have different perspectives on life than our human family members.

Dogs can become worried if they feel that something they value might be taken away from them. This worry can sometimes lead to guarding behaviour, which is a dog’s way of trying to keep their precious item safe. The main reason for guarding is fear of losing valuable items. Taking things away from your dog as punishment or telling them off for guarding is likely to increase their anxiety about losing things. They may become even more worried and feel the need to protect those valuable things even more. Guarding behaviour can include standing over an item they value, with a very stiff and still posture, lowering their body posture if anyone approaches the item, running away with the item, hiding the item, eating their food or treat very quickly, growling or showing aggressive behaviour to protect the item. If your dog shows guarding behaviours, leave them well alone when they are enjoying food or playing with toys by themselves. Always swap the dog's item for something else, being consistent and always swapping items will help dogs learn to share without being worried. If you need to take something from your dog, swap it for something else that your dog considers to be equally or even more valuable.