Category: Play

What are some dog toy sounds that your pup absolutely can’t get enough of? What are some sounds that he or she despises or fears, and why? Why do these noises have the particular effect they do?

Dog Toy Sounds that Canines Love

Can you imagine what type of sound or noise your dog loves to hear the most during playtime?

The “Squeak”

Have you ever wondered why dogs love that squeaking sound their toy makes so much? Is it because the squeak resembles a happy, cheerful human parent congratulating them, or constant enthusiastic praise?

Perhaps they love dog toy sounds that squeak so much because they resemble prey animals. Think about it for a second!

Dogs are predatory animals, and each of their main senses have evolved to augment their tracking and hunting prowess. The squeak of a bone toy also resembles the squeak of a small animal.

Cats love toys that dart around like injured prey. It may be gruesome to imagine, but that doesn’t make it any less true. So why not dogs? Have you ever asked yourself exactly why a dog likes playing games of tug so much, and how this resembles natural hunting activities?

If you were to ask a professional behaviorist, he or she would probably tell you dogs love squeak toys because they help to satisfy their natural prey drives.

Why Do Dogs Chew Out the Squeaker?

After all is said, dogs are predatory animals. It may not be fun to think about, but wild wolves will sort of tear at an animal until it succumbs. Dogs likely inherited this instinctive ambition from their ancestors!

With the vast majority of dogs, obsessing over removing that squeaker is going to be due to age-old prey drives.

Then there is the instant gratification a dog would get from completing that “puzzle” and winning the prize in the middle! Have you considered purchasing a squeaker bone or ball from your local grocery store?

What should you do if your dog chews out that squeaker? Make sure you take it away from your pup! Most dog squeakers are made of hard plastic and you don’t want little Max swallowing it.

What is a Dog’s Prey Drive?

A prey drive is exactly what it sounds like, though it can be a little more complex. A prey drive is essentially a dog’s motivation to perform hunting-related tasks or activities. Many dogs were bred specifically to enhance their prey drives, like small game hunting dogs.

Some breeds, like the Pug, weren’t bred for their prey drives at all! Some breeds with higher prey drives that might enjoy the squeaky toy more are:

• Australian Cattle Dogs
• Basenjis
• Beagles
• Bullmastiffs
• Doberman Pinschers
• Jack Russell Terriers
• Rhodesian Ridgebacks
• Samoyeds
• Shiba Inus
• Siberian Huskies
• Weimaraners
• Whippets

What to Do If Your Dog Fears Squeaky Toys

Your dog shouldn’t automatically fear the squeaky toy or squeaky sound. If the little one is petrified of the noise, you first want to ask yourself why. What is causing such intense fear?

Your dog probably associates some sort of unpleasant experience with the sound. Some dogs with less of a play or prey drive might also find the sound unsettling.

Have you tried locating a toy with a quieter or softer squeak?

You’ll need to counter condition (change the conditioning to the opposite) by desensitizing (getting your dog used to) the sound he is afraid of. Move slowly and use plenty of praise as well as treat rewards!

The goal is to combine the sound your dog is currently afraid of (the squeak) with something he desires enough to endure that fear (the rewards).

Dog Toy Sounds: The “Whistle”

The whistle is another high pitched play sound that our dogs might love! Imagine the hunting whistle and what it might mean to a hunting dog, or the whistle that indicates play is coming. In a way, it is really the meaning this whistle holds for the dog more than the whistle itself he loves.

Dogs love High Pitched Sounds

High pitched sounds (not too high) tend to attract attention and make dogs happy! We use a higher-pitched tone of voice when we praise our dogs, and they often relate this to excitement.

Dog Toy Sounds Your Pup May Dislike

What dog toy sounds are feared or hated? What sounds absolutely drive our dogs up a wall?

You always want to avoid anything that might frighten or startle your dog. Is the toy sound so loud, it is scary? Does your dog associate this sound with something unpleasant? Dogs will often form associations, just like humans do, with objects.

Most dog toy sounds don’t resemble fireworks, or any loud bang, but that would certainly be up there with the all-time most hated sounds ever!

What is a Noise Phobia?

A “noise phobia” is an abnormal, extreme reaction to a particular sound or sounds. Common examples could be thunder and/or fireworks, but these can develop around any noise your dog finds particularly distasteful.

How do noise phobias develop?

These usually stem from environmental factors or past trauma. Puppies that are poorly socialized can develop these later in life. In other words, puppies never exposed to these sounds when young, in a controlled, happy environment, might fear them later.

Your dog might associate a sound with a particularly disliked or traumatic event. A dog left home, already suffering from separation anxiety, might develop an extreme response to that chirping alarm that just happens to go off, for example.

Types of Dog Toy Sounds

The Squeak

We covered this in the first portion of our article. Most dogs love a toy’s squeak because it resembles prey and stimulates that prey drive!

The Whistle

Imagine the sound a Nerf Football makes as it sails through the air, whistling through the wind! Dogs love to chase objects, and dogs bred for retrieval would especially love this. Some retrieval type breeds include:

• Golden Retriever
• Labrador
• German Short-haired Pointer
• English Springer Spaniel
• English pointer
• English setter

The Plop

Can you imagine the sound a tennis ball makes as it hits the water? Many dogs, especially those bred to swim, love hearing this sound!

Do you have any dog toys at home that can float? Does your pup love to swim out and grab them?

The Boing

Sometimes “bouncy” balls will have exaggerated bounce noises, or your dog might hear this sound from the television. Is this a special sound your squeaker toy makes, instead of the regular squeak?

The Wobble

This is a unique kind of sound for one particular type of toy (Wobble Giggle Ball Toy). This toy is made to emit something between an underwater bubble sound and stepping in a puddle. Some dogs love this curious little device because it makes noise when they push it along with their nose (like an animal), while others find it unsettling and don’t enjoy it.

Dog Toy Sounds that are Educational

What does it mean for a dog toy sound to be educational in the first place? How can a sound teach a lesson?

These sounds usually indicate something is coming and are often used during some sort of dog training session. In other words, a professional would call them markers.

The Dog Clicker

The “click” or a dog clicker is a perfect example! Most trainers use the dog clicker to mark when a desired behavior has been accomplished. The “click” tells the dog he did something right, and a treat reward is coming!

Clickers were actually first used to train marine animals and are extremely useful as a marking method.

Imagine it takes you about 4-5 seconds to reach into your pocket and pull out a reward for your dog. You want to reward the behavior just completed, but because it has taken so long to grab a treat, your dog completed a whole new behavior!

Now he’s confused. Which are you rewarding him for?

It may take a few seconds to reach into your pocket and grab a treat, but it takes only a mere fraction of a second to push a button! There is absolutely no room for another behavior to occur.

The Potty Bell

The potty bell is another educational training sound we often use. Your dog noses/brushes the bell, it dings, and this tells you he is ready to go outside. Your pup has learned to associate this sound with outside “potty”’ time!

• Can you whistle like a toy? If you’re able to whistle, use this to your advantage when training! What are you using your whistle to indicate? What meaning does it hold for your dog?

What is a Marker?

In dog training terms, a “marker” is used to mark different types of behavior. You’ll mark the behavior with some type of sound, letting your dog know what he did was correct. Most markers are usually followed with a reinforcer, like praise or a treat.

Dog Toy Sounds – Wrap Up

Dog toys sounds can be fun and attractive for your canaine friend but some may create fear and anxiety. Try different toys and watch how your dog reacts to the different sounds. This is a trial and error process as dogs don’t react the same way.

It is true that it can be complicated for a dog owner residing in an urban environment to walk his dog in complete freedom. Indeed, it can be rare or even forbidden to be able to let your dog roam without a leash in town. But an unleashed indoor dog park may be around your corner as they are starting to open up in different big cities.

We are therefore going to explain in this article how dog parks work and how you can turn the outings at the park into a fun experience.

Dog owners appreciate outdoor city parks for the convenience and location. An unleashed indoor dog park is somewhat different but the rules are rather similar. The parks are a real place of learning, dogs can run there as much as they want, meet new congeners and therefore work on their socialization. The parks are obviously fenced to keep dogs in a limited area and keep them safe.

Before entering a dog park

It is obviously preferable that your dog is in good health, vaccinated and protected by various parasites (fleas, intestinal worms, etc.).

It is not recommended that you take your dog to the park if he is a brawler or has anxiety problems (we advise you to read our article on anxious dogs to work on this problem before going to the dog park). Do not bring your bitch if she is in her heat period as this could cause fights between the males and your outing to the dog park will turn into a disaster.

Before entering the park, we advise you to systematically walk around the park. By going along the fence of the park, the dogs already present will be able to meet your little companion while being separated by the fence. This is called customary presentations. While the dogs are meeting, take a good look at your dog’s behavior. If he does not want to approach the dogs, do not insist, it is better to stay outside and work on his acceptance of the congeners. Likewise, if you notice threatening behavior towards your dog or conversely your dog growls in front of some dogs in the park, you should leave and come back later. Finally, if all goes well, you should enter the park without worry.

When entering the dog park

Entering the unleashed indoor dog park is often hectic because when your canine friend gets in, he becomes the new kid on the block and all the other dogs in the park want to come and smell him. Entering the park must be done as calmly as possible, in order to avoid conflicts or anxiety. If there are several entrances to the park, try to take the least crowded one and the furthest from the big group of dogs.

Avoid at all costs getting in the park while your dog is still on a leash. A dog on a leash cannot create a safe distance (of his liking) between him and another dog. In addition, if you are pulling on his leash you may create a level of stress and it may not put him under the best conditions to meet new congeners.

If a few dogs run right up to your companion while still on a leash, it can quickly escalate. So your entry into the park must be done peacefully and not in a hurry, by entering from a less crowded side so that you can remove your dog’s leash quietly and give him time to “take the temperature”.

By the time you remove the leash, your dog is still calm. Without necessarily requiring him to be seated, you should be able to unhook the leash without having to twist yourself in all directions because your dog agitated. Finally, once your dog is untied, whatever his reaction, whether he stays on observation or goes off like a rocket, start walking.

Behavior to adopt at unleashed indoor dog park

First of all, as said before, you must walk as soon as you untie your dog. As dog trainers explain, the fact that you remain static when you let go your dog will automatically signal that you will not move and that he can always find you at the same place. If you are also moving, he will keep his attention on you so as not to get lost.

The fact that you are also walking around does not create an area for the dog to defend. Some dogs quickly acquire a notion of territory and by remaining static you promote the appearance of a private space that your dog might need to defend.

Always pay attention to your dog. In addition, the fact that you are moving instead of being static will make you more attentive to him. Each dog owner should be attentive to the experience of his little companion in the park. This is even more true for young dogs. It is not uncommon to see some puppies sending some form of signal to their owner that they need help when they feel overwhelmed or threatened. While you are chatting with other dog owners, always keep an eye on your canine friend.

Have the right gut reaction

Do not bring your dog’s toys at the unleashed indoor dog park. It is better to give your doggie the opportunity to develop his behavior through games with his congeners. Dogs are very good at playing with each other on their own. In addition, a toy can very quickly turn into a treasure to protect for your dog and become a source of conflict.

In a public outdoor dog park you need to collect your dog’s droppings. In a private indoor park, you may not be allowed inside the fences and the staff will probably take that responsibility. You should know what are the rules prevailing before going in.

Learn to read you dog’s emotions and needs

Learn to decipher canine language. Many dog owners get stressed when they hear their dog growl. However, a growl by itself is not negative. It is a sound used by the dog that others understand very well. If your little companion growls, don’t punish him. You would likely stress him out (for no reason) and it may cause him to become aggressive without warning.

The warning growl is good canine behavior. It is used to avoid conflicts. If another dog is growling at yours, analyze your dog’s behavior. If he leaves or offers signs of appeasement, all is well, he has mastered dog language. If, despite the other dog’s warnings, he does not calm down, do not hesitate to call him to order and teach him to respect his canine friends.

How to react in the event of a conflict

Dogs have many appeasement signals to stop conflicts and you should know what they are. This will be useful to manage tense situations. The moment a fight breaks out, your own behavior can influence the outcome of a conflict.

First and foremost, NEVER use your hands to try to separate two dogs. The risk of accidental bite is too great and the damage can be terrible. Screams are useless because they accentuate the crisis more than they appease it. Stay zen, while being clear and firm about what you are asking your dog.

When a two-dog fight breaks out, use your voice first and give firm orders to pull them apart. Then if the voice is not enough, use objects such as a leash and a stick. Once separated, move the two brawlers away to calm them down, take them for a spin to calm their cardio and their emotional state. Check your dog to ensure he has not been injured.

An unleashed indoor dog park is usually much smaller than one outdoors and the maximum number of dogs allowed is a lot lower. Nevertheless, a general fight remains the biggest risk. A two-dog fight begins and all the dogs present arrive to either bring order or participate. Stopping a general fight is extremely difficult. We must do everything to avoid it!

The experience of the staff is very important but your responsiveness is essential. So in the event that a fight happens and your dog is not part, go get him and pull him away from the tension area.

Know how to anticipate your dog’s movements. Pay attention to what is happening, to movements, looks, signals that the dogs are exchanging. Before a fight, they emit a lot of signals. By knowing how to decipher them, it will allow you to prevent unpleasant situations and outcomes.

an unleashed indoor dog park remains a fabulous place for your dog to socialize, which is essential to his education. At a young age, it is important to make him meet his fellows to learn the language and as he grows up he can continue to practice and stay familiar with it. You will also be able to understand your four-legged friend better and you will learn his behavior in different situations.

Dog parks, what a superb invention where our dog can finally enjoy his freedom, since many of us do not have a large yard. But not without respecting proper dog park rules!

Dog parks allow our dog to find playmates and add to that, an easy way for us, to make him burn his energy. However, it’s not uncommon for us to hear a lot of horror stories happening at the dog park. Some dogs behave inappropriately in the park, and few owners are informed of the correct behavior!

This is what causes, in my opinion, several incidents. For that reason, I came up with the 10 dog park rules to follow to ensure your visit at the park will be an enjoyable experience for your dog and yourself!

# 1 – Prepare and plan

Before even going to the dog park, I recommend that you burn off your dog’s excess energy. Some dogs need it badly in order to be able to politely introduce themselves to other dogs and to be able to respect the canine language of their comrades. It also helps a dog’s self-control in a tense situation. You can go for a leash walk with your dog, throw the ball at him or do a clicker workout.

Make sure to choose an ideal time to go to the park, ideally when there is not too much traffic and when the heat is not at its peak. Most parks offer a waterer for dogs, otherwise consider bringing water for your dog.

# 2 – Dog park rules: No sick or injured dog!

It is important not to contaminate the park, so if your dog has diarrhea, cough (kennel cough), or even worms, do not go to the park. Think about others who use this place.

If your dog is injured, has discomfort or a simple ear infection for example, your dog could become more irritable or aggressive. If there is pain, your animal may be the nicest in the world, the fact remains that he could react badly.

The same goes for females in heat. Avoid the park during such period, as it could end badly if she runs across a male that is not neutered. This could also create conflicts between several males hanging in the park.

In short, we want a dog in great shape and healthy condition so that we can really enjoy their play sessions with their canine friends.

 

# 3 – Dog park rules upon entering the play area

Before going in, you should always check who’s in the park. What kinds of dogs? What kinds of humans? It is not ideal to mix small and large dogs together. There is too great a risk of accidents and serious injuries (physical injuries, games between dogs that turn into predation, etc.).

Observe the interactions between dogs

Is there a dog that’s too intense and aggressive in his interactions with others? Do dogs in the park have posed and thoughtful attitudes? Does it look like they are playing sound games where there are breaks and everyone continues in their turn? Or is it always the same one that could become irritating to others?

How many dogs are there? If there are more than 10 dogs, the risk of incidents increases enormously! Many behaviors are accentuated by the presence of other dogs, which can promote aggressive behavior, conflicting and predatory behavior!

Observe your dog’s behavior

Does he want to go in the park? Did you know that by pressuring your scared dog, you can worsen their perception of the environment and make the situation worse. If you feel your dog is uncomfortable, you should leave because after all, you are going to the park for his pleasure!

When you get to the park, take the time to walk one or two laps around the park enclosure. This will allow you to observe the reaction of your canine friend and the behavior of the other dogs!

# 4 – Avoid conflicts at the dog park

In order to avoid conflicts between dogs, do not bring toys and if you bring treats for your dog, only give them to your dog and in his mouth and especially not between 2 or more dogs. Be careful not to drop them on the ground. Think about dogs with allergies!

In addition, it could prevent a quarrel between the dogs. Even with the owner’s permission I would avoid giving food to other dogs so that they understand that they don’t need to compete for it because they will NEVER have any.

All dogs tend to do resource protection, this is normal and natural behavior, so walk around the park to remove tree branches lying on the ground which are great natural toys that often bring conflict.

# 5 – Simple dog park rules at the entrance

Are you finally ready to enter the park? If you bring more than one dog, enter the park one dog at a time. Close the doors securely behind you at all times and unfasten your dog’s leash.

It is very important that your dog is unleashed and free to meet his comrades, this gives him the means of escape in case of discomfort instead of having to face the adversary (to attack), which could be quite unpleasant.

In short, before leaving the airlock to enter the park, wait for the entrance to clear or ask people to call their dogs back to them in order to clear the door. We don’t want your dog to feel overwhelmed while entering the park.

# 6 – Are dog parks safe? Prevention is key!

Get in the habit of turning off your cell phone because your attention must be constantly focused on your dog’s behavior. It is important that dogs and handlers learn dog language and the rules of a good game.

If you must go out of the park, hand over the responsibility of looking after your dog to someone else or take your dog out with you. Respect and politeness between humans are essential as conflicts between humans will create tension amongst the dogs.

In addition, the stress that you could impose on your dog (screaming, even hitting him) could spark a fight. In short, keep your dog calm at all times and this will help mitigate conflicting situations.

If your dog runs into a conflicting situation with another dog, put the leash on and leave. In such cases, conversations between dog owners are seldom respectful. Your best bet is simply to leave and come back another day.

However, take note of what triggered the conflict so that you can avoid it next time around (for example by picking up the branches that are lying around).

# 7 – Is your dog a victim or a stalker?

If your dog is the victim of another, become your dog’s safety point by “protecting” him and then take your dog away. In the long run your dog will understand that if he joins you in case of discomfort, he can count on you. This gives your dog one more option instead of getting into a fight.

If your dog is the stalker, he always chases the same dog without letting himself be pursued. He does not respect dog language. He gets way too intense in his interactions and he tries to ride one or more dogs. Try to pull him away gently and calmly and distract or redirect his attention to something else.

If that does not work, walk him out of the park, isolate him for a few minutes in a calm and neutral manner and in a suitable place. He will eventually understand that his behavior is inappropriate.

If your dog shows intense aggressive behavior, hides under a bench or under a table, seeks your comfort or is afraid of other dogs, you should leave. In short, if you feel that your dog has no fun at the dog park, then do something else!

# 8 Kids at the dog park: Good or bad?

It is not ideal to have children at the dog park. Dogs are crowded, and your attention should be solely on your dog. Children are susceptible to greater injuries due to their fragile skin and their size. So, it is highly advisable to keep children away from dog parks. In addition, not all dogs are comfortable around children.

# 9 Dog park rules: when and how to leave

If you see that there are too many dogs, if you perceive that your dog is no longer interested in the park, or just doesn’t want to play with his mates anymore, it clearly signals you should leave.

The rule is simple, you should leave the park when things are going well so that your dog keeps a positive feeling of the activity. Also, do not put the leash on in the park but rather in the park’s airlock. Do not forget to close the doors securely when you leave.

# 10 Socializing or not socializing your puppy at the dog park?

I do not recommend to socialize your puppy at the dog park. It is far too crucial of an age in a dog’s life to take such a risk. It’s best to focus on less but positive interactions at a young age. Rather, I recommend a kindergarten class for puppies where dog trainers will supervise interactions in a structured and positive way, rather than a park where rules are more or less respected.

In a perfect world

Even if your dog is very friendly with his comrades, know that it is not essential for a dog to interact with other dogs if all his needs are met. Despite the fact that I like the idea of dog parks, I don’t deny that often times they are a bit of a free for all environment.

The most serious conflicts that we can notice often take place because the limits of another dog who does not want to play are not respected, games turn into predation and dogs fight for resources.

The ideal thing, for maximum security, would be to go to a park, daycare or boarding house supervised by professionals who have up-to-date methods. They can often prevent a conflict that might erupt and guide you on the best way to intervene. In addition, it could help you and your dog understand that it is not always the one who gets angry who is at fault!