Why does my dog carry his toy everywhere? Here’s What to Do Next

Should You Stop Your Dog Carrying Their Toy Around?

As long as your dog is healthy, happy, and not displaying signs of being overly possessive of his toy, there’s no need for you to stop him carrying his toy around. If, however, you notice your dog is becoming aggressive if you try to take the toy away, it might be time to consider other options for him to find comfort for himself. You also don’t want your dog to remain anxious, bored, or with teething pain, if you can provide relief.

If your dog suddenly starts carrying around the same toy as a new behavior, it could be he’s seeking relief from:

Anxiety. Many dogs will carry toys around to relieve anxiety (see above).

Boredom. Some dogs will find comfort in carrying a toy around if they are bored – these dogs need more mental and physical stimulation.

Teething discomfort. Young puppies will chew on anything as a way to relieve teething pain, and they can carry around a favorite toy for hours to seek relief.

Maternal instincts. There are female dogs who will carry a toy around as if it were their baby. They will often also prepare a nest for their ‘baby’. Sometimes you will need to address this if you think your dog is experiencing a false pregnancy or is emotionally confused – this tends to happen in unspayed females (see below).

In the above cases, you’ll want to address the causes of this behavior before trying to change the behavior itself.

For example, if your dog is teething, there are puppy-friendly chews and toys you can provide for him that can bring him relief.

If your dog becomes possessive over his toy to the point where he gets aggressive if anyone tries to take it away, you’ll want to nip this behavior in the bud (see below).

Here are a few things to check to help you discover the cause of his toy-carrying behavior:

Has your dog started doing this suddenly? Is he quite young? He could be teething.

Does your dog tend to do this at the same times of day? What else happens at these times? Maybe you always leave at a particular time and your dog is feeling anxious.

Has anything changed at home recently? Have guests come to stay? Has your dog’s routine changed, such as less exercise or moving to a new home? Any of these things can cause stress for a dog.

Have you unknowingly rewarded this behavior? Did you spot your dog carrying a toy and then give him a treat or some extra cuddles? He may have learned that carrying toys is something you want him to do.

Why does my dog carry things in his mouth?

There are various reasons why your dog likes to do this. The most obvious one is that he wants to bring you a present. Other causes are a preference for the object, teething, and anxiety.

Your Dog Is Expressing Maternal Instincts

Some dogs – especially intact females – may start carrying a toy around as if it’s their baby.

Is your dog in her heat cycle when she does this? If she’s been spayed, was it within the last three months? She could be experiencing a false pregnancy.

Some non-spayed female dogs can ready themselves emotionally for puppies even when they’re not pregnant.

They will change their eating habits and seem only interested in their ‘puppy’, often mothering it.

14 Signs Your Dog Doesn’t Love You (Even if You Think They Do)

I have spent a lifetime observing dogs and the things they do and have had many years at Holiday Barn Pet Resorts to channel that curiosity. The knowledge gained from working with Dog Trainers and other animal experts that we encounter through this business does not make me a dog psychologist, nor does it make me a dog behaviorist or trainer. But it has provided me a unique opportunity to gain priceless insight on some interesting dog behaviors. Dogs and their “relationship” to toys is one of those intriguing and sometimes puzzling behaviors.

It is rare to find a dog that does not like toys of some kind. Even if it is not the kind of dog toy we generally think of, i.e., the plush, stuffed variety, most dogs will gravitate towards one type of toy or another. Or they may make their own toy out of a non-toy item, like a balled-up wad of paper, or a stick. There could be a deep-rooted attraction to their toy of choice, which we will discuss, but sometimes it is nothing more than just pure fun. What are the reasons dogs choose the toys they do, and what are some of the more puzzling reasons a dog will act “peculiar” towards a particular toy?

Toys are actually important to your dog’s development. We seem to know that instinctively, because one of the first things we do when we get a dog is go buy them a toy! Toys provide our dogs with mental and physical stimulation. If they are bored, they will reach for their toy. If they need to chew, they will go for a toy. And if they just want to rest, they may curl up with a toy. Toys satisfy a need in our dogs.

Often, I witness my own dog heading into the living room and interacting with his toys, whether he is shaking them, rolling over them, or just laying his head on one of them to take a nap. You should see his face when I start straightening the living room and putting his toys in the toy box. It’s like he’s saying, “Hey, those are mine!” I think he takes comfort in knowing his toys are all around him. Maybe it gives our dogs a sense of belonging to have their things intermingled with our things in the home.

Toys often satisfy an instinct in our dogs. Retrievers, for example, because of their desire to “retrieve” may be instinctively attached to a ball or frisbee. Many dogs, particularly hunting dogs, enjoy squeaky toys because they sound like prey when they pounce and chew on them. Then you have the female dog that can have an emotional attachment to a toy that reminds them of a puppy. And of course, some dogs just prefer a good-ole chew toy, just because they like to chew!

Sometimes toys will evoke a peculiar response to a toy. It is one of those things that make us cock our head to the side and say, “hmm.” Why is my dog acting that way? Is it normal? Should I take the toy away? Let’s examine some of these scenarios.