If your dog loves toys that make sounds, squeak, and even beep when he chews on them, you’re not alone. Just visit the dog toy section of a specialty store to find out for sure: the shelves are full of sound toys of all types, sizes, shapes, and even different materials: from those made of hard plastic to stuffed animals that sound when they are squeezed.
Why you should let your dog sniff quietly during your walk.
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While some dogs prefer one type of squeaky toy over another, the question is: why do so many of them love toys that make a noise or squeak when they chew on them?
The secret: this sound stimulus “is a reinforcement for your dog,” explains David Menor, PhD in Ethology and member of the Clinical Ethology group at the University of Cordoba. The logic is as follows: “Every time I squeeze the toy, it sounds. I squeeze it again, and it rings again: somehow, it’s as if the toy has some life in it,” he explains.
Let’s think of it this way: When something we do feels good (and is fun, too), we want to do it again. So when your dog chews on the toy, he hears a sound that triggers a natural reward switch, which is pleasant and comforting. So he chews it again.
In fact, several scientific studies conclude that there are certain sounds, such as those emitted by many of these toys, that activate the reward centers or systems in your furry friend’s brain. This gives him or her an immediate feeling of well-being, which also helps to release dopamine: a neurotransmitter responsible for pleasurable sensations and relaxation.
In other words: chewing on his squeaky toy makes him happy. And those pleasurable sensationsThe beep of the beep encourages your dog to keep doing it, setting up a cycle or spiral of reward. It makes doggy sense!
That beeping sound awakens your dog’s hunting instinct.
And it may be related to his hunting instinct. In fact, the toys that both dogs and cats appreciate the most are the ones they can gut, or get things out of, so they like the food puzzle type toys, where they can get food out of them.
This also explains, according to Menor, why many dogs try to tear or tear apart their toys. It’s not just chewing on them: it’s also natural behavior for your dog or cat to bring you their freshly chewed toy.
And your dog probably gets your attention, too.
There may be one more clue. The sound that these toys make also sometimes captures our attention. If your furry comrade is chewing on his squeaky toy near you, there’s a good chance you’ll look at him and play with it – or even toss it to him to chase.
“If every time he chews on his toy, the dog gets our attention and we make it easy for him to play, chewing on a squeaky toy can become a way for him to communicate with us,” adds the ethologist.
Even when it’s to tell him to back off a bit, your friend will have gotten some of your attention: and, in any case, that extra attention can reinforce his enthusiasm for his toy, and make it even more interesting.
Not everyone likes them: other dogs are scared of them.
Important: not all dogs like squeaky toys or toys that make sounds, because some dogs are afraid of them. If this is the case with your furry friend, don’t force it. Simply try to offer him a different type of play – there are so many to choose from!
Remember that, as well as being a dog and having tastes and needs typical of his species, he is also an individual. That is to say, he has his own tastes and preferences, and even his own unique fears.
“It’s important to remember that, as much as most dogs like toys that make noise when they chew on them, it doesn’t happen to everyone – there are those who are afraid of their toy making noise, or squeaking,” warns Menor.
Caution with dog toys with whistles
If your dog loves squeaky or squeaky toys, it’s not uncommon for him to chew on them and destroy them. In this sense, always look for those that are resistant and the right size.
Many of these sound toys are of low quality and the areas that contain the whistle or the sound gadget end up breaking, so they can get stuck in the fang or, even worse, be swallowed, and cause an obstruction in the digestive or respiratory tract.
Therefore, it is important to always look for a toy that has been designed specifically for dogs, as it will be more resistant, and hard enough so that it does not happen. And, therefore, is prepared to resist the happy bites of your doggy friend.
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