Okay, so my dog, Max, he’s a golden retriever, and a lovely one at that, started this weird habit a while back. He got this plush toy, a little bear, that he’s just obsessed with. But it’s not just playing – he sucks on it. Like, really sucks on it. At first, I was wondering why is he doing this?
I watched him for a few days. He would carry the bear everywhere, and then he’d just lie down and start sucking on it, like a pacifier or something. I started to get a bit worried, not gonna lie. It was cute at first, but then I thought, is this normal? Is he okay?
So, I did what every responsible dog owner does. I start to pay more attention. Here’s what I noticed:
- He did it mostly when he was chilling out. It wasn’t like an all-day thing. More like when he was settling down for a nap or in the evenings.
- He seemed super relaxed when he did it. Like, his eyes would get all sleepy, and he’d just drift off.
- The bear was pretty much soaked. I mean, this toy was his go-to for this sucking thing, so it was pretty damp most of the time.
Then I talked to a couple of friends who have dogs. One of them mentioned that her dog used to do something similar when he was a puppy. She said it might be a comfort thing, like how babies suck their thumbs. Also found some people said their dogs do the same thing when they are bored.
And then the lightbulb went off. Max was weaned pretty early. I remember the breeder mentioning it. Maybe this was his way of self-soothing? It made sense. He wasn’t doing it all the time, just when he was relaxing or maybe feeling a bit anxious.
So I started to do something different:
- More playtime. I figured maybe he needed more stimulation, so we started playing more fetch and going on longer walks.
- New toys. I got him a few different toys to see if he’d switch it up. Some squeaky ones, some chew ones, just to give him options.
- Watching for stress. I tried to pay more attention to when he was doing it. Was it after a loud noise? When I left the house? Just to see if there was a pattern.
Honestly, the extra playtime seemed to help the most. He still sucks on his bear, but not as much. And he seems happier overall. I guess it’s just his little quirk. As long as he’s not hurting himself or the toy, I figure it’s fine.
It’s funny how these little things can freak you out as a pet owner. You want to do everything right, and when they do something weird, you panic a little. But sometimes, it’s just them being them. Dogs have their own little ways, just like we do.
So, yeah, that’s the story of Max and his bear. It’s not a big deal, but it was a little journey of discovery for me. I learned a bit more about him, and maybe that’s what being a dog owner is all about. Just paying attention, learning, and loving them, quirks and all.
