Dog toys are a multi-billion dollar business. And why not? There are a lot of dogs out there, and they need toys. For young puppies, toys can help with the teething process: chewing on them helps sore jaws and gums feel better. There are toys that are designed to satisfy a dog’s chewing and biting instincts; some of these even help clean their teeth.
Other toys can help keep a dog mentally alert, preventing boredom that’s both unhealthy and can lead to bad behavior. There are simple toys, like rubber balls, that can help a dog get exercise while also having a lot of fun. And then there are toys that a dog becomes obsessed with, for reasons that are often mysterious.
It isn’t clear why a dog might become obsessed with one particular toy. Color? Texture? Taste? With some dogs, it may be that the toy reminds the dog of a puppy, the canine version of a child playing with a doll. Other dogs, of a more predatory mindset, may delight in ripping their favorite toy apart.
In other instances, a toy might be associated with happy memories and provide comfort. We, humans, tend to outgrow favorite childhood toys. But our canine friends, perhaps wiser than us, see no reason to do this. If it was fun before, it’d always be fun.
Here we have an adorable Maltese/Shihtzu named Benji, who will prove that dogs always know who has their back. We’ve posted a video of Benji being asked who his best friend is. It’s short but incredibly funny. This dog definitely has his priorities in order. Check out this absolutely adorable dog showing his mommy over and over again who is best friend is in the video just below. So cute.
