Dogs Get Hooked on Toys Like Humans on Gambling, Study Says

A new study called “Addictive-like behavioral traits in pet dogs with extreme motivation for toy play” has found a seeming link between how humans get hooked on gambling and how dogs seem to be too keen on stuffed animals.

Dogs’ Drive to Play Is Akin to Gambling Addiction

Published in Nature Scientific Reports, the study was a collaborative effort between the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna and the University of Bern and suggests that the way dogs and humans become obsessed about their respective activities can be down to the same brain chemistry.

“This pattern mirrors human behavior, where many people engage in potentially addictive activities such as gaming or gambling without consequences, while only a few develop a genuine addiction,” Alija Mazzni, the University of Bern study lead, noted.

The study observed how dogs responded to their favorite stuffed animal and how they acted when the scientists tried to take it away from them. The sample of dogs featured 105 participants (dogs who were “obsessed” with their toys).

At least 33 dogs showed “addiction-like” behavior. When deprived of their toys, but covering the toys in boxes, some dogs even destroyed the boxes to get to their toys.

Dogs Refuse Food to Keep Playing

The scientists tried to tempt some dogs with food to distract them, but the 33 aforementioned dogs refused to interact with their owners or try the food treats, focusing on the toys instead.

“The findings back up individual reports of addiction-like play in dogs, the researchers say. Just like behavioral addictions in humans, the compulsive drive to keep going even when it causes harm is a key feature,” the study noted.

However, addiction in dogs can also be hereditary, with the study suggesting that addiction in dogs can come spontaneously and could also be due to either training, probably suggesting environmental factors.