As of three years ago, 125 families currently reside in the United States. Over 60 million of these households live side-by-side with man’s best friend. Everyone loves to see their precious pooch having the time of their lives, and that tends to be done with a squeaky toy in tow. But why do canines love to their canines’ to chew up anything that squeaks? According to Wag!, a site dedicated to the servicing of dogs, the answer is in their genes. They state, “it seems to go back to nature when dogs were in the wild and they would hunt for prey and kill. Prey make noises and some of them even squeak, and these sounds helped dogs find their prey.” Wolves were not given their food in little bowls set aside on the ground in the kitchen. They had to hunt for every meal in order to stay happy and healthy. Their prey’s squeaking was one indicator of where it might be hiding. On top of that, when the animal was being eaten alive, their squeals would alert the predator that they were effectively killing the animal they had captured. So when your furry friend is tossing around a little fuzzy skunk, it was actually reenacting a kill and what it would have both looked and sounded like.
But this might be a rather dangerous thing, both mentally and physically for the dog. The squeakers in a toy stimulate the hound’s prey drive, making it crave the ability to go in for the kill. Most of the time, this is no big problem, as the dog is simply too small or too slow to cause any real damage. But in breeds such as the greyhound and the bull terrier, who have notoriously high prey drive, this can become a real issue. Sasha Rodriguez, a junior in Dunellen High School, reports never playing with her dog because, “he tends to bite me. He doesn’t like me. I did [training} once with a toy and then he bit my wrist so I gave up.” Her dog of five years, named Luigi, is a jack-russell terrier and chihuahua mix who goes wild over any type of toy. Squeaky toys only heighten this hunger to hunt and attack, and can easily overcome any basic training the dog might have. This might lead to them being more likely to chase down every squirrel or rabbit they see, which might end with them on the hospital bed after running into traffic and being hit by a four-wheeler. Or in a slightly more morbid scenario, the dog might even hunt down a person and initiate an attack on a small child. This would only lead to the hound getting put down, and that is not a happy ending for anyone.
On a more health-related note, squeaky toys can be the direct cause of suffocation or injury within a dog. Sharp teeth coupled with a strong jaw is a recipe for fluff covered floors. But when the dog tears open the toy, they have immediate access to the little squeaker inside. If the little part gets swallowed, there is a good chance it will end up obstructing the animal’s airway rather than making its way to the stomach. If the dog were unsupervised when this happened, it could lead to suffocation and death in mere minutes. But let’s say the toy makes its way to the stomach. It is typically plastic, and cannot be digested. And due to the fact that it has small protruding parts, the animal’s insides may get cut up and internal bleeding can occur. The only fix to this is an expensive and emotionally draining surgery where the outcome is only the matter of a flip of a coin.
While dogs may love their toys, it is important to note that they aren’t exactly the safest methods of entertainment. Be sure to supervise the dog’s behavior when playing with the toy, and take it away if the play turns vicious. Also, throw away any toys that have been split open and whose insides are easy to access. This will help ensure that your dog will not be able to get their paws on anything that has the potential to kill them. Safety and fun must go hand in hand if you want to avoid a visit to the vet.