My dog Oskar has a whole box full of stuffed animals in all different sizes and colors. He even knows them all by name. As soon as I tell him "bring Goofy " he knows immediately and brings me his stuffed animal. But why do dogs love stuffed animals so much?
What makes stuffed animals so attractive to dogs that they cuddle with them, nibble on them and even lie down to sleep with them? Some dogs gently carry their stuffed animals around, while others have only one goal - the stuffed animal must be dismembered. But no matter what behavior your dog exhibits, we dog owners can all agree that dogs really love stuffed animals.
Reasons why dogs love stuffed animals
Since we can't easily ask a dog why he loves stuffed animals so much, we can only rely on theories here. For example, it is known that especially retrievers like to carry things around in their mouths.
The Labrador is actually a hunting dog for small game. He was bred to bring the ducks to the hunter after the shot. On the other hand, especially young animals practice hunting by playing with them when they shake cuddly toys around.
Terriers, for example, are known to love to chase and follow their toys, shaking them wildly and then happily destroying them. A dog that lovingly and gently carries her cuddly toys from A to B might treat them as if they were her offspring.
Either way, we can be sure that dogs just love to play and collect things. Plus, it's a great employment opportunity for our pets.
When it comes to stuffed animals, you should make sure that they are safe for your dog. The material should not be able to cause gum injuries and should not contain small parts or elements that your dog could swallow or even choke on. In addition, you should wash the cuddly toy once in a while.
Conclusion
It is completely normal that dogs love cuddly toys, like to carry them around or even destroy one or the other once. However, if your dog behaves aggressively and you have certain doubts, it would be advisable to talk to a dog trainer or even a vet about it.