Dogs pull stuffing out of toys for a variety of reasons
Dogs tend to tear apart anything they can get their teeth on, including toys. While some dog owners may find this behavior amusing, others may be concerned that their pet is destroying valuable property. There are different reasons why dogs pull stuffing out of toys.
Dogs love playing with toys, but sometimes they take things too far. A recent trend among dogs is to take the stuffing out of stuffed animals to get to the toys innards. This might seem like harmless fun to some dog owners, but it can be a costly endeavor. Stuffed animals are not cheap, and constantly replacing them because of a dogs destructive habits can be frustrating. Some people believe this behavior is caused by boredom or a lack of stimulation, while others think it is simply a way for dogs to get attention. One reason is that dogs are curious and want to see whats inside. They may also try to create a new toy by pulling the stuffing out. In some cases, there may be an underlying medical issue causing the dog to destroy its toys. If you notice your dog pulling the stuffing out of its toys excessively, its essential to take it to the vet for a check-up.
Should I stop giving my dog any toys at all?
If your dog is always destroying toys, wouldn’t the simple answer be to stop giving them to him? While yes, that is an easy answer to the problem, the fact is your dog needs toys to remain happy, engaged, and entertained.
Toys should provide more than an opportunity for destruction. Otherwise, what’s the point of having them? If your dog destroys toys in minutes, this means:
Dog Toys Trigger the Prey Instinct
If you’ve ever seen your dog pick up a squeaky toy in their mouth and shake it like it was its job, then you’ve seen the “shake and kill” instinct in action. This instinct shows that even gentle lap dogs can carry a shadow of that wolf DNA, sometimes triggered by squeaky toys. The high-pitched squeak wakes your dog’s dormant prey drive and compels him to shake, chomp, and dismantle.
In the wild, the shaking serves as a way to disorient and immobilize prey. If your dog is a hunting breed like a Labrador retriever or beagle, you won’t be surprised they just can’t help themselves when destroying every plush toy that crosses their path. It truly is instinctual.
Dog pulls stuffing out of toy.
Dear Cathy: Why does my dog rip and tear apart his squeaky toy? I spend a lot of money on stuffed animals so he has something to shake and play with, and then he goes around and rips them apart so all that is left is stuffing and a broken squeaker. Is this something I can train him not to do? Its costing me a fortune.
Dear Dave: After I read your question, I laughed. Then I walked around my house and counted five stuffed animals lying lifeless on the floor, including a one-armed orange monkey and a snoutless stuffed pig.
Dogs love squeaky toys because it channels their natural hunting instincts. Once upon a time, dogs hunted and killed their prey. When they captured small animals, they would shake their bodies to kill them and, sadly, animals made squeaking noises when that was happening. This was obviously satisfying for the dog.
Shaking and ripping apart a stuffed animal gives your dog a similar satisfaction. So once the squeaker is gone, some dogs will stop playing with the toy, even if the toy is still mostly intact. Other dogs, however, may continue pulling apart the stuffed animal until all of the insides are strewn across the floor.
This hunting/play behavior is not something that can be trained out of dogs. While it does cost a fortune, when you witness the sheer joy a dog feels at getting a brand new stuffed animal to shake and de-stuff, I imagine you will be willing, like the rest of us, to shell out the money to get another stuffed animal for your guy.
Dear Cathy: I have two dogs that are constantly looking out of our homes windows. A while back, you mentioned moving into a new house and covering the windows to keep your dogs from barking at everything outside. What do you use for the windows?
Dear Jane: You can plant bushes, but they take time to grow. In the meantime, cut white poster board as inserts for the bottom of the windows to see if it will calm them. You can try window film on the lower window, but put the reflective side inside so they cant see out. A more permanent and attractive option is to install top down window blinds. They open from the top, keeping dogs from seeing passersby.
Send your pet stories and questions to Cathy M. Rosenthal, c/o Features Department, San Antonio Express-News, P.O. Box 2171, San Antonio, TX 78297-2171 or [email protected]. Cathys advice column runs every Tuesday. You can read her blog, Animals Matter, at http://blog.my sanantonio.com/animals/. Cathy is the author of several childrens books on pet care.