Toys that bore dogs
New research has revealed why dogs find some toys boring after just a few moments, while others become firm favourites.
The study, carried out by a research team at the University of Bristol's Veterinary School, found that dogs perceive toys in the same way that wolves perceive prey - they prefer those that either taste like food or can be torn apart.
Co-author of the study, Anne Pullen, said that dogs toys should be "soft, easily manipulable toys that can be chewed easily and/or make a noise."
Toys that quickly cause boredom, on the other hand, are those with hard, unyielding surfaces and those that do not make a noise when manipulated.
However, as no single toy characteristic altered the test results much, it was suggested that growing accustomed to the stimulus qualities of a toy - whether smell, sound, colour or texture - is what most often causes dogs boredom.
Co-author John Bradshaw explained: "For an animal as social as a dog, toys only become really existing when they are part of a game with a person. Few toys will sustain a dog's interest for long if the owner is not around to offer encouragement.
"If a dog has to be left on its own, it is most likely to enjoy toys that can be chewed, make a noise when played with, or are designed to be eaten as they disintegrate (such as a chew)."
The study is published in Animal Cognition.
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