Obsessing isn’t just for humans. In a study out today, scientists have found evidence that dogs, too, can become addicted to certain objects—and especially, their favorite toy.
The researchers observed dozens of dogs as they interacted with their most prized toys. About a third of dogs exhibited addiction-like behaviors, such as becoming especially agitated when the toy was kept from them, they found.
These findings might come as no surprise to dog owners. But the researchers say their work is the first to empirically document the phenomenon.
“This is the first scientific study on addictive-like behavior in dogs,” study author Stefanie Riemer, a behavioral biologist from the Messerli Research Institute for Human-Animal Interaction at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, told Gizmodo.
Ball junkies
Riemer notes that many pet owners and trainers use a (rather on the nose, it turns out) nickname for dogs that seemingly just can’t get enough of their toys: “ball junkies.”
But it’s never been clear whether this sort of behavior actually mirrors how addiction manifests in people. “After all, just being highly motivated, or highly aroused or very toy-focused does not imply an addiction,” Riemer notes.
Scientists already knew that it’s possible to induce addictive-like behaviors in animals like rats, which has allowed us to better study potential treatments for substance use disorders or other addictions in humans. But it’s still an open question as to whether animals besides humans can develop addictions naturally, the authors said.
To test their hypothesis, the researchers tried to apply the criteria we use to determine addiction in humans to dogs.
The study involved 105 dogs, with the most common breeds being Malinois, Border Collies, and Labrador Retrievers. All of the dogs were described as toy-motivated by their owners. For the experiments, the researchers used toys the owners said their dogs would likely love the most, and also included the dog’s favorite toy at home if the owners brought it with them.
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