Why Is My Dog Obsessed with Stuffed Animals?

Does your dog become obsessed with stuffed toys? Does your dog carry stuffed toys around the house with them in his mouth? Or protect a stuffed toy when someone goes to grab it? Does your dog tear stuffed toys into pieces? Many dogs react differently to stuffed toys. This article will cover what their behavior means, when to allow them, and which stuffed toys are great for your dog.

Dog Carries Her Stuffed Toys Everywhere

Have you ever wondered why your dog seems to carry toys around with him more than other dogs? Some breeds of dogs are known for carrying stuffed toys around with them and taking better care of them than other breeds. Most of the time, these dogs are often used for hunting, such as Labradors and retrievers. These dogs have a strong innate reaction to hunting. After finding the prey, they will carry the remains of the prey in their mouths with great pride and care. This skill is loved by duck hunters around the world. It is completely normal if your dog carries stuffed toys around with him and takes care of them.

Why Dogs Suckle

Sucking - another way of saying breastfeeding or lactation - is when a puppy sucks milk from its mother's breast. Typically, puppies need to suckle from their mother until they are 6-8 weeks old. One reason your dog may still be suckling milk as an adult could be that your dog was weaned too early. A stuffed toy feels similar to its mother, providing them with the comfort they are missing. If your dog is weaned too early and sucking on a stuffed toy, it means that your dog has developed a connection with the toy and sees it as its mother. If this is the case, start desensitizing your dog's attachment by taking the toy away from time to time and giving your dog plenty of cuddles. When you leave the house to run errands, feel free to let your fur baby cuddle with them while you are out. If you allow this behavior to occur in small amounts throughout the day, it will hardly cause any harm.

Another reason your dog may be sucking on a stuffed toy could be that your dog is showing signs of separation anxiety when you are away from home. If your dog starts showing signs of affection for a stuffed toy before you leave the house, it is safe to say that your dog may be suffering from separation anxiety. Once you come to this conclusion, you can start taking steps to help their anxiety and eliminate this behavior.

Conclusion

Now that you know why your dog is obsessed with their stuffed toys and why they are important to your pup, you can shop with confidence when buying a new stuffed toy for your dog. Remember, always supervise your dog when he gets a new stuffed toy to make sure he doesn't tear it apart and swallow some of the parts that could be harmful. After your dog exhibits the type of behavior he would with his new snuggle buddy, you can decide if you can leave him alone with the toy.