Dog Chew Toy Causing Dog To Be Aggressive?

Question

I have a two year old Pekingnese male dog. He's pretty much into playing with any of his toys that he can chew on. But, he found this one toy, a latex dog toy that we bought at Walmart for 92 cents. It's shaped like a hippo. Anyway, he's been playing with it for two days and if you try to take it from him, he is very aggressive, wants to bite. We finally got it away from him and now he's antsy and running all over the place. It's a Made in China toy (big suprise, huh) and I just wonder if it's treated with something that is causing him to act like this. It's just odd behavior. Anyone experience this with their dogs with a certain toy? Thanks!
Ann :)

Everyone that is bashing me, let me explain. It's this ONE toy and it's not his behavior that is an issue otherwise. He's very trained and very well behaved. I'm saying this because he's agressive when he has the toy, NOT after we took it away from him. He's not letting anyone near him, he's not letting you get to the toy. If you're just walking by him, he feels the need to protect it. We did take the toy away and he's not being agressive anymore, but he's very hyper now that it's gone and is madly searching the house for it. He's looking all over. He has tons of toys that he plays with and all of them, he likes to share and play with us so that we interact with him. This toy has taken him over almost. He won't take to any other toy now, he won't greet people when they come in the house, he just wouldn't stop chewing on this toy to even notice. It was odd behavior for him. He was acting odd only when this toy was with him. Thank you so much everyone for your great replies!! :)

And I know you aren't bashing me, I didn't mean to state it that way. It's just a couple of people kinda jumped on me about blaming the chinese. Well, why not, we can't even have kids toys this year without worrying about high lead content and this toy was made in China, so what else would I believe? And, also one person said he got aggressive because I took it away from him. I didn't take it away and then he got aggressive, he got aggressive with the toy. Just wanted to clarify!!!

Answer 1

I doubt the toy being made in china has anything to do with it. it's like saying if you're blond you're automatically stupid? The dog is aggressive because he is possessive of what he thinks is his. What your reaction is when the dog acts aggressive is a big factor - if you have fear and flinch to back away then the dog has already picked up that you scared he may bite - he has the upper hand. Be assertive when you remove something - don't let it get attached to any one toy - alternate between days - I always keep my dogs toys in a box - letting them just chew at it is also not a good idea - there are choking hazards - what if they break off a part and swallow it? i only let my dogs play with toys supervised, once play time is over, the toy goes back into the box. try that.

Edit: see how many thumbs down i get just mentioning the blond factor? how many of you see it as demeaning when it is just used as an example? We blame china for having high lead content - why can't we blame the manufacturers for moving all the labor to china for cheap labor cost - cutting many US workers from their jobs so they can gain more? and have little to no quality control?

But furthermore, you need to think past the toy and observe your dog's behavior as whole - instead of thinking inside it's the toy it's the toy, think about correcting the behavior - if your dog has this behavior to one item, it can have that same behavior in other areas as it eventually escalates - use that toy to teach your dog what is acceptable and what is not. What you stated "when we walk close" that is already signs of agression due to possession already - he thinks that you will take it away so he is guarding before you even have the chance to attempt to remove it - that is initial signed of possession - aggression isn't when after you remove the toy, aggression due to possession starts before the removal.

Answer 2

I had a peke once and he was very aggressive about all or any toys. His nature changed a lot when we lost dad but the assertive nature of the dog requires extensive disipline.

There ARE toys and dog chews and cat toys that are completely un-labeled. The toy mouses we give our cats do not identify fur flavors or contents. Some have card board others are probably rabit.

What I do know is Pigs Ears cause an extensive aggresive streak which i blamed on the hormones injected in the pigs ears for fattening up.

Could be they roll the plastic toys in something similar to win your pets favor.

Bottom line is we stopped giving the dog his toys and took his food away because his aggressive tendencys made him a poor pet.

After severe retraining he was a different dog, but, it was hellish for 2 months, anxiety, snit fits, and the distribution of waste products all ended after that.

So, I guess im saying its not the toy, you have no control and no way of knowing whats there, its the dog you can change.

good luck

Answer 3

Google "possession aggression in dogs" and you'll find some good information. Here's one site I found: http://dogs.about.com/cs/disableddogs/a/possession.htm

I doubt it's treated with anything funky- at least not something that would elicit this behavior. Chances are, for whatever reason he REALLY likes this toy (hmm...now ya got me thinking, wasn't there a Chinese kids' toy that was laced with the date rape drug? That *could* explain why he REALLY likes the toy...addiction?).....LOL, there is really no telling, besides having the toy tested for chemicals and I wouldn't even know where to begin there.

All I know is that every dog I've ever owned or spent any time around....they DO have a tendency to form "inexplicable attachments" to a particular toy....for WHATEVER reason. I had a dog that was never much of a "toy" lover, but we got her a stuffed hedgehog and that became her "baby" (though she never growled at me if I took it from her, granted she was my Obedience/Agility competition dog, she definitely understood who was the leader :) That toy becomes their favorite, and when a toy is particularly coveted, possession aggression can surface. My dogs "share" all their toys with each other very nicely, unless it's edible, then they are amazingly possessive (but again- the HUMANS can take things away from them)....they both have to have "their" chewie bones and God forbid one should try and take the other's.

I would definitely reccomend taking this toy away from him, for good....first step in correcting a behavior is removing the source. Then do some work with him on having him "give up" things he likes. Possession aggression happens when the dog hasn't been taught that you are THE BOSS :). You're the human, you're the leader, he needs to learn that you (and ideally any human) can take ANY toy or treat away from him at ANY time and he must not be aggressive. Good luck!

Answer 4

Our Cattledog was almost the same way with a rubber purple dinosaur. He didn't get aggresive over it, tho. It was just his very favorite toy to play with. He LOVED tug'o'war with the thing. :-)

However, the dog being aggresive over you taking the toy is absolutely unacceptable. Was he actually trying to bite you or just going after the toy?

Your dog needs to know that YOU control the toys & goodies. Allowing him to think he can bite at you over a toy will lead to bad mojo down the road.

When you play games with the toy make sure you ALWAYS win and wind up with the toy.

Answer 5

Okay, wait a sec...did you try the "Flexible" Nylabones, or the "Durable" Nylabones? Of all the dogs we've had in rescue, only one Saint Bernard was ever able to chew off the end of a "Durable" Nylabone (they have a red stripe on the package, instead of the green on the Flexibles). And we have some STRONG chewers--we rescue English Bulldogs and Saint Bernards. In our home, because we have some strong chewers and some light chewers, we separate everyone for toy play time and give them a toy (bone, kong, whatever) that is appropriate for their chewing power, and then take the toy away when they are all going to be together in the house again. For the strongest of chewers (and I'm talking about the Saint Bernard who chewed through the refrigerator door--seriously THROUGH it, not just on the side--and chewed down a tree in our backyard (like a beaver), the Durable Nylabones and black Kongs do the best. If you haven't tried the "Durable" Nylabones, give it a whirl. I have never known an English Bulldog, even my strongest chewer who destroys EVERY toy we give him (only the black kong survives!) can't break off a big piece of Nylabone. We also give them beef marrow bones (get them from your butcher--they are raw, so they don't break and splinter) for a special treat about once a month--any more often than that and it can be too rich for their tummies. However, I watch strong chewers like a hawk during their first time with them especially to be sure they can't break them. If they can, I take them away immediately. If they get through the bone without any issues, then they are on the good list. :) Good luck! I know how frustrating it can be to find something to stimulate your strong chewer! Our Angus went into surgery in June for severe bowel obstruction from chewing off a piece of a black "indestructible" rubber kong style bone...within seconds of giving it to him, he had pulled off a piece and swallowed it before we could get up from the couch and cross the room to him to take it away. :(

Answer 6

My peke-a-poo loved his soft squishy lil' minature doggie basketball ball more than anything in the world.

Our Schnauzer just loved to bark.

My Tibetan Terrier hates balls and loves plush squeeky toys more than anything on the planet except for steak or sleeping on the bed or greenies.

Agressiveness? Hmmm..... I'm not an expert, but I never accepted that. I never hit or was mean, but I just never accepted that they demanded from me. I always acknowledge their requests for attention, but I don't always give them exactly what they want (which in my current lil' boy's case is about a thousand treats per night--lol).

But I DO spoil them rotten!

Okay--I've just read your addendum. I apologze if I misunderstood you at first. You need to remove the toy if it is that serious and 1.) Call your vet. 2.) Have the toy tested for toxcicity.

And now that I read more--my 15 lb. peke-a-poo mix was very aggressive toward other animals, although he wouldn't have dared aggress on me. And I refuse to hit an animal! I'm wondering if it is a peke thing. But he would never harm me even though my husband was afraid of an attack in the event he tried to break up a fight between the peke and the schnauzer (who only wanted to go away and lay down--lol)

Answer 7

There are certain toys made in China that contain black ink that have high levels of lead. One of the symptoms of lead poisoning in dogs is hyperactivity. I would report it to Wal-Mart and see if anyone else has had a problem. Throw the toy away!

Answer 8

No chew toys in my house, my male is very aggressive, not with me but with the other dog.

Answer 9

not so far with my do, he is kind of lazy and does not wanna a play all day, but i gave him toys from the 99 cents store cause my budget is really limited about toys...maybe he just got attached to the toy, im sure is just a phase.

Answer 10

I had a poodle once that I bought a latex caterpiller with little spiny things all over it and he took that with him everywhere. For rides in the car, visits to friends and families homes, to bed, outside, everywhere. Let him have the toy, he loves it and you might want to go to walmart and stock up on a few more of them for when that one bites the dust.