Behavior

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4 min read

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Why Do Dogs Cry When They Get A New Toy

Behavior

|

4 min read

|

Why Do Dogs Cry When They Get A New Toy

Common

Normal


Introduction

It is a Friday afternoon and you decide to head on over to the pet store to buy your dog a new toy. You noticed that she has not been interested in playing with her other toys lately. Once you come home, you greet your dog and give her the new toy you just bought her. Your dog looks at you and the toy, wiggling with excitement. Your dog's body begins to shake and she also tries to jump up to grab her new toy while crying. When dogs receive new toys that they like, they will express themselves in many ways. 

The Root of the Behavior

Toys are exciting for dogs. Dogs love to have new items to chew on, to occupy their time, and you may even notice your dog sometimes carries her toy around like it is her friend. Yet, it probably seems a bit peculiar that your dog would cry when you gift her with a new toy. Although your dog's crying may bring you some worry, there is actually a good reason for it. When dogs express their emotions, they use their bodies. Crying is a common way that dogs express positive emotions, such as happiness, joy, and excitement. This has been the primary form of communication between dogs and humans. With their crying, you may also see their bodies squirm, their tails wag, and they may even jump up a bit. This is all normal because your dog is expressing her excitement for what is occurring. 

If you give your dog a new toy and she begins to cry, there is nothing to worry about. Your dog is happy and excited about this new toy that she has just gotten and she has no other way to express her excitement than through crying. When your dog begins to whine, you may see that she is excited over her new toy by adding other body movements with her crying. You may see your dog rub her head into your side, lick your cheeks, or even jump up on your lap. She is trying to show her gratitude and appreciation for this gift. Your dog may simply be crying and excited because you, her pack leader, gave her something amazing. Sometimes, dogs will cry for other reasons but if you are giving your dog a new toy, there is no reason why her crying would not be from excitement and therefore, there is nothing to worry about.

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Encouraging the Behavior

If you are giving your dog a new toy, you should expect her to be happy and joyful about it, especially if your dog loves her toys. When you see your dog crying and think it may be for something else, you should first analyze why she is crying. If you are giving your dog something, most times her crying will be out of excitement. If your dog is crying when you give her a toy and she is not interacting with the toy, her crying may mean something else. When this happens, you want to allow your dog to express her emotions to you. If your dog’s excitement comes through crying, then it is suggested to allow her to cry, but do not push her to cry more than she already is doing. Your dog can show excitement in many ways and she does not need to cry to express that. You also want to make sure that your dog does not continuously cry when you are giving her a toy. Greet your dog when she is expressing her feelings to you. You also want to make sure that your dog does not create a habit of crying when she is in need of something or is using her emotional expression to get attention. 

Other Solutions and Considerations

If you bring your dog a new toy, most times you would expect her to react in a way that is responsive to your gift. Yet, it is important to know that the personality of your dog will play a part in her reaction. If you bring your dog a toy and she loves it, she may just wag her tail and rub her head into your side. Your dog may even bring the toy up to you to play with you. Yet, do not be concerned if your dog does not whine when you give her a toy. Crying is just one way that your dog expresses her emotions, but every dog is different. 

Conclusion

Dogs are interesting in how they interact with the world they live in. From wagging their tail to crying, our precious animals will express their emotions and needs in any way they know how. If crying is how your dog does it, you do not have to be alarmed. It is perfectly normal for your dog to shed a few tears over a new toy. 

Written by a Golden Retriever lover Erika Seidel

Veterinary reviewed by:

Published: 03/20/2018, edited: 01/30/2020

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