Okay, so, picture this: I’m chilling at home, you know, just a regular Tuesday, and I noticed my dog, Max, going to town on his plush toy. Not just playing, but like, really suckling on it, like a baby with a pacifier. It kinda weirded me out, to be honest.
I started watching him more closely. He does this a lot, especially when he’s settling down for a nap or when he seems a bit stressed. It’s not all the time, but often enough that I got curious. I mean, he’s a grown dog, not a puppy anymore. So, I decided to do some digging.
First, I observed him more. I noticed that it wasn’t just one toy; he did it with a few different ones, mostly soft, plushy types. Then, I tried to see if anything specific triggered it. Sometimes it seemed like he did it when I left the room or when there were loud noises outside. It felt like a comfort thing for him, you know?
Next, I did what any normal person would do: I went online! There are many ideas about why dogs do this. Some folks said it could be because they were taken from their moms too early. Others mentioned anxiety or even just boredom. It’s a whole mix of things.
Armed with this new information, I tried a few things out.
- I bought him some new, interactive toys, like those puzzle ones where they have to work to get a treat. The idea was to keep him busy and maybe distract him from the suckling.
- I also started taking him for longer walks and playing with him more. I figured more exercise and attention couldn’t hurt, right?
- Whenever I saw him start to suckle, I tried to redirect his attention. I’d call him over, offer a different toy, or start a quick game.
Honestly, it’s been a bit of a mixed bag. He still suckles on his toys sometimes, but it does seem a little less frequent now. The puzzle toys definitely help, and he seems more relaxed overall with the extra playtime. He still does that and it seems to help him to relax, I just let him do it.
I guess it is not really a big deal in the grand scheme of things. As long as he’s happy and not, like, swallowing parts of the toys, I’m not too worried. Dogs are weird, man. But they’re our weirdos, right?
