“Playtime’s Over” is the Last Thing Dogs Want to Hear. Addiction Might be the Cause

You thought you were tiring out your high-energy pup. Now, you find yourself tired, with a sore arm from throwing tennis balls and pulling tug toys. “Pawsome” for one, not so for you!

However, this behaviour closely resembles addiction. Behavioral biologist Stefanie Riemer and her colleagues exposed 105 dogs to three different toys—a ball, a plushie, and a tug toy. The dogs played with all three, and finally, the one that got the greatest attention was chosen for the experiments.

Then the scientists placed the toy on a shelf and measured the dog’s reaction, such as whining, jumping, and looking up. In a different test, the dogs were provided a puzzle filled with dry food, and a separate closed box which had a toy inside. Some dogs checked out the box and pawed at it, completely ignoring the food. Scientists also took note of how long it took the dogs to calm down once the toy was away. 

Riemer used a scoring system and tallied the performances of the dogs. Thirty-three of the dogs displayed addictive-like behavior, reports Riemer. 

Riemer says, “I think the reason why the dogs want the toy so much is really because it’s associated with this exciting play.” Just like humans, dogs cherish good feelings too, and playing seems to give them that. They are obsessed with playing, not with the toy itself.

Working or herding dogs, such as terriers and shepherds, displayed greater intensity in their drive for play. High focus and perseverance are key traits of these dogs, and motivating them through play is an excellent method.

It is still not clear how many dogs get addicted, but it is somewhat rare. In a survey involving 1,600 dogs, only 3% showed addictive-like behavior toward a toy.

Human addiction and the addictive-like behaviors in dogs are way different, and equating the two is incorrect. Addictive behaviors in dogs are quite underexplained. However, the results provide a definite answer about the importance of play in a dog’s daily routine. It enhances the bond between a dog and a human, and what’s better, if “man’s best friend” bonds even further.