Why is my dog attached to a certain toy?

If your dog is attached to a certain toy, you might be wondering why and what you can do about it. This post will show you a number of possible causes and what you can do about them.

So, why is my dog attached to a certain toy? Possible reasons why your dog is attached to a certain toy are that the toy makes your dog feel safer, your dog likes the feeling or the smell of the toy, or that your dog is anxious and the toy calms it down.

There are actually a number of possible reasons why your dog has been doing it and it might be due to a combination of them. However, there are a number of things you can consider when figuring out the main cause and there are a number of things you can do about it.

Why is my dog attached to a certain toy?

Below are a number of possible causes and what would make each of them more likely to be the main cause.

The toy makes your dog feel safer

The reason why your dog does it could be that it makes your dog feel safer. This would be more likely if it is a toy that your dog has had since it was a puppy. It would also be more likely if your dog gets the toy when it is likely to be feeling insecure such as when there is thunder and lightning.

Your dog likes the feeling of the toy

Another possible cause is that your dog just likes the way that the toy feels in its mouth. This would be more likely if your dog also chews on the toy a lot. and it would be a lot more likely if your dog is a puppy that is teething.

Your dog likes the smell of the toy

Another possible cause is that your dog likes the smell on the toy. This would be more likely if it is a toy that sometimes has treats in it.

Your dog is anxious

Another possible cause is that the toy calms your dog down when it is anxious. This would be more likely if your dog tends to grab the toy at times when it is more likely to be anxious. One reason why your dog could be anxious could be that it has some separation anxiety. This would be more likely if your dog tends to do it at around the same time that you tend to leave home or go to bed.

Possessiveness

It could also be the case that your dog has been doing it because it has been being possessive. This would be more likely if your dog tends to get aggressive when you try to take the toy away from it and if it hides the toy when it is not using it.

Things to consider

Below are some things you can consider when figuring out the main reason why your dog has been doing it.

If your dog has always been attached to the toy

If your dog was not always attached to the toy, it would help to consider what else happened when your dog first became attached to the toy. If your dog started doing it suddenly, it might be the case that there was an event that caused it to start.

If it did started doing it suddenly, it might be because you filled the toys with treats and now your dog is hoping to get treats from the toy, because your dog started teething, or because it learned that it gets rewarded for carrying the toy around.

What is different when your dog leaves the toy alone

If your dog does leave the toy alone sometimes, it would help to consider what is different when your dog leaves it alone. For example, if your dog only seems to carry the toy when you arrive home or are leaving, it could be the case that the toy calms your dog down when it is anxious.

What to do about your dog being attached to one toy

Below are some options you have when dealing with the behavior.

Give it alternative toys

One option would be to give your dog alternative toys that it can make use of. This could be especially helpful if your dog currently only has one toy that it can use.

Avoid filling the toy with treats and wash the toy

If the toy is one where you can put treats in it, its likely that your dog has associated the toy with treats. In this case, it could help to avoid putting treats in the toy and to wash it so that the toy does not smell of treats.

Limit reasons why your dog is anxious

If your dog seems to be doing it because it is anxious, it could help to limit possible reasons why your dog might be anxious. Ways to do so could include feeding it, giving it exercise and letting it out to pee before leaving it.

Take the toy away

Another option would be to take the toy away and see how your dog responds. If your dog doesn’t seem to respond well, it might also be worthwhile to get help from a dog behaviorist in your area.

Why does my dog have a favorite toy?

Possible reasons why your dog has a favorite toy are that your dog has associated the toy with rewards, your dog likes the feeling of the toy in its mouth, or your dog is being possessive.

Why is my dog suddenly attached to a certain toy?

If your dog has become attached to a certain toy suddenly, it could be because your dog has associated the toy with rewards. It might also be the case that something has been causing your dog to be anxious and the toy makes it feel calmer.