# Dog afraid of squeaky toys ???



## OwnedbyACDs (Jun 22, 2013)

Because nothing else is on, I am watching the DW episode where he is in Australia and he works with that dog that is afraid of play and squeaky toys.

My question is what causes a dog to be that afraid (maybe someone can post the video link because I am mobile I can't) of play and squeaky toys if they didn't come from a hoarding situation or something like that? What would cause such an adverse reaction to toys when they haven't had a bad experience? So some dogs just have that kind of temperament where thy Re that sensitive? I have had dogs from abusive situations that aren't that bad, even the cameras were enough to out her off play!

In fact when All the toys were squeaking bear and Josefina started getting excited lol.


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## Kyllobernese (Feb 5, 2008)

I have had dogs that were scared of squeaky toys and they certainly had not had a bad experience with them, just had not seen or heard them before, it is not unusual. I just don't happen to have any squeaky toys. When someone gave me a soft plastic one shaped like a shoe that squeaked, Kris was not scared of it but she could not figure out where the noise was coming from. It is the only toy she has not chewed up because she does not like it when it squeaks.

A dog with high prey drive usually is excited because they connect the noise with prey. As far as playing if the dogs are not played with with toys some do not know what to do with a toy and just ignore them.


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## Kayla_Nicole (Dec 19, 2012)

This is normal for dogs that have never seen or played with toys. Especially for dogs that are fearful in other ways already. Any new thing can be scary.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

I think there's about a thousand reasons why.

Rose was afraid of clickers. She is just that sensitive to noise. She came through it with a muted clicker and also learning the click meant good things.

Summer hid when I'd squeak the ball. Why? Once I was throwing the ball for Mia and accidentally pegged Summer in the face. So she's learned that squeaky balls are scary when combined with me (I'm a clutz, sorry!). So now if I play ball with Mia, I treat Summer as I do so. 

Summer also did not play and I think it was just because it was never fostered in her. She did as a young pup but not when I got her at 4 years old. She had no idea what to do. I think some dogs just don't know what to do with toys. I have had to teach her step by step what to do with toys


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

And for the record what one dog finds scary is different for another dog. I've pegged Mia dozens of times playing ball and it doesn't phase her at all. On the other hand, Summer is the dog that has falled head first off agility obstacles, been slammed in the face by the teeter, etc and popped back up for more in an instant. Mia can't do that.


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## OwnedbyACDs (Jun 22, 2013)

Yeah I have pegged Josefina tons of times with the chuck it ball lol ... Thankfully she "blames" it on the ball and takes it out on it LMBO ... Silly dog.


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