Why is My Dog Carrying a Toy in the Mouth and Whining?

The world of dogs at times seems to be split in two: dogs who carry their toy to their favorite spot and relax and gnawing on it, and dogs who appear to become restless pacing around whining and whining and whining, what gives? There are several explanations for such a behavior, but one is for sure: the dog is definitively not whining as a form of complaining because it wanted a better toy!

Because dogs cannot talk, we can ultimately only make assumptions for their behavior. The age, gender and breed of the dog may be factors to keep in mind when looking at specific dog behaviors. When it comes to whining while carrying a toy, these factors come into play.

For instance, if the behavior is carried out by an unspayed female it may be she is exhibiting the first signs of a false pregnancy. A false pregnancy takes place after a dog has gone through heat and no matting and fertilized eggs occurred. A female in false pregnancy may therefore engage in mothering behaviors such as carrying toys around as if they were her pups. She may therefore form an emotional attachment to her toys and whine as she carries them around looking for a place to nest.

However, the nice part of understanding canine behavior is that there are no rules set in stone. Male and spayed female dogs or female dogs not actively undergoing a false pregnancy may also carry toys and whine but for quite different behaviors.

For instance, It could likely be the toy is perceived to be quite high value and a dog may be whining for some time, until he eventually decides to lay down and enjoy chewing on it. There are dogs who when given high value items such as bones, will whine and walk around for some time, almost as if looking for a safe place to bury it. Then they eventually calm down and decide to play with it.

If your dog does not seem to normally have an instinct to hide stuff, it could be that he instinctually knows that there is something he is supposed to do with his treasured toy but he simply can't figure out what that specific action might be (especially if he never saw another dog dig some treasures).

Some dogs, on the other hand, seem to be so excited about having a new toy they do not know how to express themselves and this generates whining sessions.

Another possible cause of all the commotion may be a dog who wants to play. It could be the dog wants to play with the toy and the owner and whining is the dog's way to express its desire to play. If you play with your dog fetch, your dog may come with its toy in its mouth requesting a fetch-session. If you do not pay attention, he may whine. If the whining gets your attention and you toss the ball, then the whining is reinforced and will likely be repeated every time the dog wants to play. However, this is different behavior than carrying a toy aimlessly around. A dog actively seeking a play session is more likely to carry the toy and bring it to you to share.

Some dogs see squeaky toys as high value items, especially those breeds who have been bred to hunt. Labs and Goldens for instance, were breed to retrieve waterfowl so a squeaky toy may mimic a downed bird.

As long as your dog does not become protective of the toy, this is quite an innocent behavior, but it can get annoying, especially if your dog notices it brings your attention. If it bothers you, you can try to invest in toys that are more interactive such as Kongs. With a Kong, you fill it up with goodies which encourages the dog to actively seek out its contents. This leads to the dog laying down and working on it, rather than carrying it around aimlessly. A win-win situation for all!