Squeaky Toys Speak To Dog Instincts
The excitement your dog feels when he plays with squeaky toys is related to his wolf ancestry – it goes back to a time when wild dogs had to hunt and kill prey to survive. Hunting is just a natural part of being a dog, even if they no longer have to hunt to survive. The squeaky noises of prey animals would help dogs locate their next meal – and the noises the prey animals made during the kill were very satisfying to a hungry dog. “Hunting” a squeaky toy gives your dog the same type of satisfaction. It’s a safe way for your dog to give his natural instincts a good workout. And the more the toy squeaks, the more excited your dog becomes.
That’s why so many dogs will try to “kill” the toy by destroying it and pulling out the squeaker. A good squeaky toy can provide lots of fun play and mental stimulation for your dog. It’s one of the reasons why they are an all-time favourite. But when you purchase a squeaky toy for your dog, you always need to put safety first. Make sure the toy does not have a lot of pieces that can be chewed off and swallowed. Look for features (eyes, nose, etc.) that are embroidered onto the toy; ones that are attached via buttons or stitches can be pulled off. Also, once your dog chews through the toy, he could swallow the squeaker or the fibrefill stuffing inside.
This can be very dangerous and result in a trip to the emergency room. That’s why it is so important to supervise your dog’s play. With Kind Regards Pam Naude K9 Communications Dog Behaviourist/ Force Free Dog Trainer PAT ( Pets As Therapy) Area Co-Ordinator and Behaviourist for Durban Doggone Safe Bite Educator for Schools Durban Member of the Animal Behaviourists of SA Mobile: +27 83 628 88 04/ WhatsApp Office: 031 572 5146 Facebook: K9communications-doggyminds
