US EditionDogs can be hooked on toys in ways that resemble human addiction
Researchers from Austria and Switzerland found 33 of 105 dogs showed addiction-like behaviors, prioritizing toys over food and social interaction, indicating a possible genetic link.
- In a Scientific Reports paper released Oct. 9, researchers found that some dogs exhibit addictive-like toy behaviors, with Mazzini saying, `We found that actually, yes, some dogs do go to extremes and show like addictive-like behavior.`
- Riemer and colleagues recruited 105 toy-motivated dogs and ran 14 behavioural tests to probe anecdotal 'ball junkies' and excessive toy focus.
- Thirty-Three dogs showed addiction-like tendencies, demonstrating fixation, ignoring food or owners, persistent access attempts, and failing to calm for 15 minutes after toy removal.
- Researchers urged caution, noting it is too soon to give dog owners advice and warning some dogs' welfare could be harmed without gradual replacement of toy-focused play.
- The findings position dogs as a rare spontaneous model for compulsion, as researchers found they appear to be the only non-human species with such traits, highlighting genetic and puppy influences alongside behavioural addictions in humans.
40 Articles
40 Articles
They threw the ball a dozen times and their dog still brings it back? Maybe it's a game-addicted specimen. As with humans, this can be dangerous for four-legged people.
They threw the ball a dozen times and their dog still brings it back? Maybe it's a game-addicted specimen. As with humans, this can be dangerous for four-legged people.
It Turns Out Dogs Can Actually Get Addicted to Their Favorite Toys
Researchers at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna found that about one-third of the 105 dogs studied displayed addiction-like tendencies toward their toys. That includes those balls, the stuffed squirrel that squeaks, and the rope you used to play tug-of-war with them. In a series of tests detailed in Scientific Reports, researchers placed dogs in situations where their favorite toy was made inaccessible. They were placed on a high she…
Laity have long suspected it, now a study shows: Some dogs have an almost compulsive relationship with balls, sticks or plush animals.
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