MY PET WORLD: 'PUGINESE' TRIES TOO HARD TO PLEASE

By Steve Dale | 17 July 2009

Q: When I come home, I'm greeted enthusiastically by my 9-month-old Puginese (Pug/Pekingese mix). As soon as I walk in, he grabs a toy, runs around the house with it for five or 10 minutes, making an excited, crying sound.

When our dog visits a friend's dog who doesn't like other dogs, and is territorial and growls, he does the same thing (carrying a toy in his mouth and vocalizing). Why?

A: "Lots of dogs exhibit this behavior," says Dr. Gerrard Flannigan, a veterinary behaviorist. "In my experience, the mouthy retrieving breeds - who like to have objects in their mouths anyway - most often do this.

Herding dogs do this, and tend to be more vocal. But any dog of any breed or mix might carry around an object to feel comfortable, as a kind of security blanket. Clearly, your dog is excited when you come home, and may not know what else to do - so he celebrates with a favorite toy."

In the case of visiting your friend's dog who doesn't like other dogs, Flannigan says whining with a toy in his mouth is your dog's appeasement gesture, which might be induced by anxiety.

But why bring your dog to see another dog who doesn't enjoy canine friends in the first place? Such visits may be placing undue stress on your dog, and perhaps might even put your dog at risk of being bitten.

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