What do you think of this? (worried/guarding toy like a puppy?)

[tropicalsun]

Our boy Markus has been with us since July. He's become a great citizen at home and has made giant improvements with his reactivity the last couple of months (private trainer.)

Our other dog, a nine year old lab, loves her stuffed hedge-hog squeaky toy. Markus loves squeaky toys, too. However, we learned in his first few weeks with us that there wasn't a squeaky toy made that he didn't destroy in just few minutes. It has been at least 3 months since we've given him a soft squeaky toy. He gets a Nyla bone to chew on instead. Then, last night, on a whim, we gave him a stuffed pink ball. This is where it gets interesting.

Markus took his "ball" to his pillow and mouthed it a little, made it squeak a couple of times, then just set it next him. He was obviously guarding it. Not much later he began to whine. He NEVER whines while on his pillow. After an hour or so, with him carrying the ball wherever he went, he finally got down to chewing on it, still whining a little, until he'd tore it open. We took the ball away to keep him from eating the stuffing and gave him his nyla bone.

Since he obviously loved having the ball we picked up a couple of silly duck/rope toys today and gave each dog one. Markus has been seriously stressed over this. He's keeping the toy with him on his pillow, mouthing it occasionally, an whining from time to time. It seems like he wants to chew on it, but knows if he tears it open he'll lose it, but can't stop himself from tearing it open. We've never seen him behave like this before. He won't go anywhere without the silly duck in his mouth, but is very stressed over the whole deal. It's kind of sad to see what we intended to be treat for him cause him anxiety.

Ever seen this before?

[MaggieRoseLee]

[Courtney]

Interesting...

When my boy was around 6 months old I gave him these rabbits feet that still had the fur attached (would not give them now because the bones are not raw but dry). He would become so stressed out about these rabbit feet he would walk around the house with one in his mouth and whine then desperately try to find a spot to bury it or hide it. Eventually he would settle down and eat it. But when he initially got one he was up in arms.

I guess he looked at it as a high value treat? We have not come across anything else that made him act that way again.

[Lilie]

Have you tried the over sized tennis balls by Kong? They squeak too! They last my boy forever before he damages the squeaker.