Sucking to Self-Soothe

Dogs have so many curious behaviors that are fun to watch. Some dogs may develop the unique habit of sucking on toys. While it may seem cute, sucking toys may not be a habit your puppy will outgrow with time. It’s not unusual to find an adult dog still sucking on their toys.

So, why do dogs suck toys? Dogs suck toys as a way to self-soothe. Your dog could be bored, anxious, or missing a familial attachment hence reverting to sucking toys as a self-soothing mechanism. If your dog’s inclination to suck toys ever puzzled you, let’s look at why this happens.

1. Missing their mom

Sucking a stuffed toy could be your dog’s way of getting the comfort they would get from nursing. Puppies are born with a natural ability to suckle. Suckling during the early stages of life is not just for nourishment. When puppies nurse, they also derive comfort and a sense of safety from the suckling.

Once weaned, puppies don’t always outgrow the need for comfort suckling. They tend to resort to sucking on their toys or other soft objects. The sucking offers the same feeling as nursing, so this becomes an entrenched behavior. If your pup was separated from its mother too early, they are more likely to develop sucking behavior as a self-soothing mechanism.

2. Anxiety

Like humans, dogs suffer from anxiety sometimes. A loud noise, a crowd, certain people, or anything else could trigger your dog’s anxiety. It’s natural for your dog to try to self-soothe when distressed, which can lead to carrying toys in their mouth or sucking them. If you notice that your dog sucks their toys when agitated or distressed, the behavior might be caused by anxiety. The sucking behavior might be your pup’s way of self-soothing. For example, dogs with separation anxiety tend to suck on their toys or blankets when left alone. You may also notice your dog doing this when around other pets or some people. When this behavior develops as a coping mechanism for anxiety, it is essential to determine the circumstances that trigger your puppy’s anxiety. Finding the cause of the anxiety will make it easier to address the sucking behavior.

3. Teething

Teething can be quite uncomfortable for your dog. Dogs will often resort to sucking soft objects to soothe their gums. If your puppy suddenly began to suck on their toy, it could be due to teething. When sucking behavior is triggered by teething, your puppy will also chew and gnaw at different objects. In most cases, this behavior stops once the pup is done teething. Make sure to provide your pup with lots of chew toys designed for teething puppies. The toys can help with the discomfort and keep the dog occupied.

When to talk to the vet

If the sucking turns into a behavioral problem, (preferring to suck on a blanket as opposed to eating or sleeping; flank sucking, or sucking/licking the flank area until it’s raw and hairless; etc), talk to your vet about anti-anxiety meds. You can discourage the sucking tendencies through training, but make sure to address the root cause of the anxiety as well.