A study published in Scientific Reports found 33 of 105 highly play-motivated dogs displayed addictive-like behaviour toward toys.

Those animals showed intense toy-seeking, a loss of interest in other stimuli and a preference for an inaccessible toy, the paper reports — patterns the authors describe as resembling behavioural addiction, particularly among working breeds.

The paper examined a group selected for extreme motivation to play and identified a subset that the researchers classified as having a high tendency toward addictive-like behaviour (high-AB dogs). Observers reported sustained focus on play objects and a tendency to prioritize toy interaction over other activities, signs the authors flagged as notable in their analysis.

In experimental tests and assessments included in the study, dogs repeatedly displayed object fixation and intense pursuit even when the toy was out of reach. The report highlights scenarios in which animals persisted in seeking a toy and showed reduced responsiveness to alternate stimuli, a pattern summed up in one questionnaire item that read: “My dog will continue to play with a ball/toy despite adverse consequences,” which the study used to measure persistence in play.

The researchers note that the behaviours were not evenly distributed across the sample; they appeared more frequently in dogs the paper describes as working breeds. That concentration across a subset of the study group shaped the authors’ interpretation that selective breeding for high play or predatory drive may correlate with extreme toy motivation.

Classification in the study separated dogs into low-AB and high-AB groups based on behavioural measures and owner responses, and the high-AB group showed stronger signs of sustained arousal after the toy was removed and an ongoing drive to regain access. The authors observed that many high-AB dogs often prioritised attempting to access an inaccessible toy over eating or interacting with the owner, which the study discusses as a disrupted motivational hierarchy.

The findings appear in a peer-reviewed article in Scientific Reports; readers can view the paper on the journal site for full methodology and analysis. A PubMed entry also lists the study for quick reference.

The study adds a data-driven description of extreme toy motivation in companion dogs and frames those behaviours within the language used for human behavioural addictions, while noting the population examined had been selected for high play drive. The authors document intense toy-directed behaviour and object fixation as consistent elements among the animals designated high-AB.

Future work outlined by the paper suggests more detailed behavioural and welfare assessment in larger, more representative populations will be necessary to map how common these patterns are beyond highly play-motivated groups and what, if any, management approaches might help affected animals and owners.

Source

Original reporting: view the original article.