Why does my dog cry when playing with a squeaky toy? Dogs can be unpredictable, sometimes they will cry at things that should make them happy. But can there be other reasons too? Let’s find out.
Table of Contents
A squeaky toy sounds like a small animal (like a squirrel or a rabbit). Hearing it gets your dog excited, which is why they sometimes cry or whine when playing with it.
Dogs were bred by hunters to catch prey, and their genetics are the reason for them crying or whining when listening to the squeaky sound made by a toy. Other than being a primal instinct, there are several other reasons, like feeling joyful or being scared of the toy, which is why your dog might be crying when playing with a squeaky toy.
While it is difficult to determine the exact cause of a dog’s behavior, there are few common reasons for a dog to behave in specific ways; read on below to find out the possible reasons why a dog cries or whines while playing with squeaky toys.
Why Does My Dog Cry When Playing With A Squeaky Toy?
There are several reasons including excitement and trying to catch your attention.
She thinks its a prey
The reason for your dog to cry while playing with a squeaky toy would be because it considers the toy to be its prey because of the sound it makes. Squeaky toys are one of the favorites among most dogs, but you may come across some dogs who whine or cry when playing with a squeaky toy.
Dogs were bred to hunt small animals, and the reason for a dog to cry when playing with a squeaky toy would be because of their genetics. The sound coming out of a squeaky toy is very similar to a small animal like a rabbit, and your dog’s natural instinct would be to hunt the prey down. Your dog may feel excited about the hunt, and whining or crying is its response to showcase its excitement.
To Catch your attention
Another possible reason for your dog to cry when playing with a squeaky toy would be to catch your attention. If you find that your dog brings the toy to wherever you are and cries, it is because your dog wants you to play with it.
Dental problems
Dogs play with toys using their mouths, so if you notice them whining or crying every time they try to play with a toy or chewing on it, it might be due to some underlying dental issues. Another reason would be your dog might be in some pain. Get them checked at a vet.
While the whining or crying of a dog is not that big of a problem, if your dog’s behavior is disturbing for you, you can try training them by rewarding them with treats and praises when they stop crying.
Why Does My Dog Cry When I Squeak Her Toy?
Squeaky toys sound like small animals (rodents, squirrels, etc), which makes your dog excited.
Sound of Prey
One of the main reasons for your dog to cry when you squeak its toy is because the squeaky sound is similar to the sound of prey. Dogs were bred to be hunters of small animals, and the squeaky sound made by the toy incites their primal instinct to hunt the animal down. Their crying is a way to show their excitement.
Happiness
Your dog might be happy that you are playing with its toy, and crying or whining is its way to display its pleasure. Some dogs are copycats, and they have to imitate every action and sound. So when you squeak its toy, it may be trying to replicate the same squeaky sound by crying or whining.
Afraid of the Noise
Your dog might be overly sensitive to noise, and when you squeak its toy, the squeaky sound makes it uncomfortable, which is why it cries or whines. Dogs are quite territorial. The toy that you are squeaking might be your dog’s favorite toy, and your dog’s crying might be a way to showcase its displeasure of you touching its toy.
Afraid you might hurt her toy
Another possible reason for your dog to cry when you squeak her toy is that it thinks you might be hurting her toy. The toy in question maybe its favorite toy, and the squeak may sound like you are hurting the toy. It might be crying so that you let go of its toy.
Why Does My Dog Cry When I Give Him A Bully Stick
Dogs get excited over such new toys.
Excitement
When you give your dog a bully stick and he starts crying, it might be to show its excitement over getting a treat. The crying or whining sound that they make makes happy sounds on getting treats.
Displeasure
Dogs love to hide everything they like or own, so their competition doesn’t get their hands on it. When you give them a bully stick, they might like it so much, and since inside your home, they can not find a place where they can bury the treat, they may cry to show their displeasure.
Trying to get more Treats
If you have ever considered their crying as a reason to give them more treats, your dog may consider crying to get more treats from you. Your dog may have any injuries or dental issues that cause it pain while chewing on treats and can be a reason for its crying when you give it a bully stick.
Why Does My Dog Whine While Chewing Toys?
One of the main reasons for a dog to whine while chewing toys is that it is suffering from dental pain.
Chewing is a normal thing in a dog’s life, but if you find them crying or whining while chewing toys, it might be because they have dental issues. It happens commonly in puppies when their baby teeth get replaced with permanent teeth. Whenever they eat their food or try to chew on toys, they will whine out of discomfort.
If your adult dog also shines while chewing toys or food, then get it checked at the vet as soon as possible to avoid any serious dental damage.
One more reason for a dog to whine while chewing toys would be because the dog wants to chew and destroy the toy, and it may not be having any success with it. It might be whining to show its displeasure.
Another reason for your dog to whine while chewing toys would be its habit of whining while chewing anything. It might have developed a habit of whining while chewing on things from its parents or siblings.
Why Is My Dog Scared Of Squeaky Toys?
Perhaps she is afraid of the sound, dogs hate loud noises.
Dogs have sensitive hearing, and even gentle sounds can be louder for them. If your dog is scared of squeaky toys, it might suffer from dog phobias of not liking any loud noises. The noise phobia can result in them whining or trying to hide from the toys.
If your dog is a rescue, then it may associate the sound of the squeaky toy with something terrible, which might be why it is scared.
When your dog acts scared of squeaky toys or anything, try to calm it down by petting or stroking it in a calm manner. Talk to them using a soothing voice to let them know that everything is okay. It is a normal response for every dog parent when they find that their pet is afraid, but this acts as a positive reinforcement for your dog and helps it get over its fear of squeaky toys or noise in general.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my dog cry while playing with a toy?
Probably out of excitement or else to show its displeasure
If your dog cries while playing with a toy, it might be because it has a special bond with the toy, and whining or crying is a way to show its joy and excitement. If along with crying, your dog also brings the toy to you, it might want to play with it.
Dogs have a natural instinct to hide stuff, but inside a home, they can’t find a place to bury the toy, and it can be a possible reason for it to be crying.
Dogs have unpredictable nature, and it isn’t easy to get to the actual cause as to why it is behaving in a specific manner. If you find that, along with crying, your dog is trying to tear down the toy, it might be because of boredom.
Why does my dog whine when he plays with a squeaky toy?
Several reasons: excitement, fear of noise, attention-seeking behavior.
There can be many possible reasons for your dog to whine when he plays with a squeaky toy, with the main being the primal instinct of your dog. A squeaky toy sounds like a small animal when held as prey. A dog considers the sound of the toy to be similar to animals and gets excited about a prey to chase.
Another reason for the dog to whine is that it shows its possessiveness to the toy. Your dog might also be asking you to play with it, and whining maybe its way to grab your attention.
A Few Final Words
One of the main reasons your dog cries or whines while playing with a squeaky toy would be excitement.
The sound made by a squeaky toy is similar to a prey animal when they get caught, and that is the main reason your dog makes a whining, crying, or growling sound while playing with a squeaky toy.
Another reason your dog makes crying sounds while playing with a squeaky toy would be to demand your attention. Thank you for reading the article, we hope we have been able to answer your query at length.
You might also like to read: What To Do When Your Dog Swallows A Squeaky Toy? And What To Do For A Dog That Doesn’t Like Toys?