麻豆淫院

Some dogs show behaviors towards their toys that resemble behavioral addictions in humans, such as gambling and internet gaming, according to a study of 105 dogs published in Scientific Reports.

Behavioral addictions in humans are characterized by compulsive engagement with activities despite negative consequences. Although anecdotal evidence has previously suggested that some dogs display addictive-like behaviors towards toys鈥攆or example, whining when a toy is out of reach and continuing to play despite overexertion or injury鈥攖his study represents the first published scientific evaluation of such behaviors in dogs.

Stefanie Riemer, Alja Mazzini and colleagues identified common symptoms of behavioral addictions in humans from previously published research, such as experiencing cravings and having difficulty stopping or controlling a behavior. They then compared these with behaviors exhibited by 56 male and 49 female dogs鈥攚ho were all described by their owners as motivated to play with toys鈥攖owards a toy selected by themselves at the start of the test.

The dogs ranged in age from 12 months to 10 years old and the most common breeds were Malinois (18 dogs), border collies (9 dogs), and Labrador retrievers (9 dogs). The authors also surveyed owners about their dogs' everyday behaviors towards toys.

The researchers report that 33 dogs exhibited addictive-like behaviors. These included being excessively fixated on their toy, showing a lack of interest in alternatives to their toy such as food or playing with their owner, making persistent efforts to access their toy when it was unavailable, and being unable to calm down for 15 minutes after all toys were removed. When their toy was inaccessible, these dogs tended to spend longer focusing on, and trying to access it, and to prioritize accessing it over consuming food or interacting with their owner.

The authors note that further research is needed to determine the reasons for dogs excessively engaging with toys and whether this can negatively impact their welfare.