Addicted to toys: Why some dogs can’t stop playing

Some dogs do not just love toys. In a new study of 105 pet dogs, about one in three showed addiction-like patterns around a single favorite toy.

The work was conducted by teams in Bern, Switzerland and Vienna, Austria. It is an early look at a hard question, and it does not label dogs as clinically addicted.

Dogs show toy addiction

The research was led by Alja Mazzini of the University of Bern (UB). Her team watched toy-motivated dogs when the toy was available, hard to reach, or removed.

Thirty-three dogs fixated on the chosen toy and ignored food or social play. Many kept trying when blocked and could not settle for 15 minutes after removal.

These patterns track human criteria such as loss of self-control. Mood did not shift upward more than in other dogs when play was allowed.

The sample covered youthful and older pets across many breeds. Malinois, Border Collies, and Labrador Retrievers appeared most often among the participants.

How the dogs were tested

Handlers first let each dog pick a preferred toy. The team then staged short trials with tempting alternatives like food or friendly play.

“Two dogs actually managed to destroy the box containing their toy, illustrating the intensity of their motivation,” said Mazzini.

The approach tied lab scores to owner reports, so the same dogs that fixated in tests also tended to fixate at home. That crossover boosts confidence that the signals are real.

The researchers recorded specific behaviors every minute during testing, focusing on signs of craving, fixation, loss of self-control, and mood changes. They combined these related observations into a single, practical measure of addiction risk.

When dogs show addiction

Experts use the term behavioral addiction, a behavior that continues despite harm, driven by rewards. Medicine currently recognizes a narrow set of these conditions.

The World Health Organization describes gaming disorder as impaired control, prioritizing gaming over other activities, and persisting despite negative effects.

The dog results line up with parts of that picture. Strong toy focus, difficulty stopping, and persistence when the toy is unavailable match the core signs.

Researchers also caution against overreach. This was an exploratory project, and harm over months or years was not measured.

Why toys trigger craving

A classic review explains incentive sensitization, the idea that cues can supercharge wanting more than liking.

In dogs, the sight or sound of a prized toy may take on high value and pull attention hard. That cue driven pull is called incentive salience, when cues grab attention and drive approach.

Cues that predict play can grow unusually powerful with repetition. The stronger the cue, the more it can tip choices when another reward is present.

This helps explain a stubborn pattern. Some dogs kept trying to get a toy on a shelf even when treats or friendly play were available.

Why some dogs crave toys

Trainers often use toys as payment because many dogs work eagerly for a ball or tug. A working dog review notes that strong play motivation is common in detection programs.

High arousal can be a double edged sword. It can lift drive, yet it can chip away at inhibitory control, the mental skill to pause an impulse.

The new findings help sort healthy drive from excess. When toy interest starts to crowd out food or social engagement, it may be time to rebalance routines.

Breeding choices may matter too. Working lines in some breeds have been selected for strong object play, a trait that amplifies toy value.

Dogs and addiction links

Large scale research has mapped attention deficit hyperactivity patterns in dogs, including impulsivity and attention issues.

The overlap is not proof of a shared cause. It does raise testable ideas about shared brain circuits and traits.

Future studies can probe how impulsivity, cue sensitivity, and stress tolerance travel together. That work can refine training and support better welfare.

The team behind the toy study also proposes next steps like choice tests that trade distance from the owner for access to the toy.

Future research directions

Physiology can add missing pieces. Heart rate trends, stress hormones, and sleep after heavy play may show how hard the system is working.

Genetics may matter for motivation and arousal. Careful work can separate what training builds from what lines inherit.

Field studies can watch dogs at parks and in working kennels over months. That timeline may reveal whether strong toy focus drifts into daily costs.

Shared methods will help labs compare notes. Agreement on measures can turn a promising signal into a solid tool.

How owners can help

The study’s message is not anti-play. It is a reminder to keep variety, rest, and social time on the table alongside fetch.

“Many people play with their dogs using balls or other toys, but only a small subset develops addictive-like behavior,” said Professor Stefanie Riemer.

For trainers and veterinarians, the data create a clearer language. Signs like prolonged fixation, ignoring food, and inability to settle offer concrete flags to track.

Clinicians can log cool down times and attention shifts after play. Consistent patterns across visits could mark when enthusiasm is tipping into strain.

The study is published in the journal Scientific Reports.

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