Emotional Support Dog Toys? Lajka and the Hedgehog

Hi, I’m Dr. Maja! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my two crossbreed dogs, Lava and Hela.

Every dog I had prior to Lava wasn’t super keen on toys. They would play with the ball or sticks and dig holes in the garden, and that was it. During the puppy stage, well, for the first 2 years of her life, Lava loved playing with toys. Chewing and destroying them was one of the highs of her day. Hela came to me as a young adult, and she also likes to chew toys on occasion. But the newest addition, Lajka, started doing something entirely different that none of my previous dogs has ever done. She loves to carry her toys during our walks.

Maybe It’s Just Entertainment

The first time she did it, I didn’t think much of it. I noticed she grabbed a toy as we were about to step out the front door, and I figured she would drop it. It was a snowy day, and I was more focused on enjoying the scenery, when I noticed her carrying a little stuffed red hedgehog around as if it was the most precious thing ever. And she only dropped it once the whole walk, which was around 45 minutes long. She came upon an interesting scent, and dropped the toy while she was digging a hole. As soon as she finished and made sure there was nothing interesting in the hole, she picked it back up. I assumed she was doing this for fun. Over the next few days, however, she hid this toy in the outside shed and tried to take a stuffed duck toy outside.

Emotional Support Stuffed Toy

Soon after Lajka started collecting toys, she started to have a few favorites and bring them to my bed. She would chew them for a little while and soon fall asleep. She also sometimes carries them around the house, at a pace that almost looks obsessive, as if she’s trying to find a safe place to store them. However, she is slowly starting to realise that the other two dogs and the cats are not very much into her toys, and there is no need for her to hide them. It’s difficult trying to interpret her behavior, having absolutely no info on her past experiences, being a rescue. Based on her scavenging desire, I suspect she had to fend for herself for a little while.

Teasing Friends is Also Fun

Lajka also loves to be the one to initiate playtime with Hela, and they will spend hours playing, both inside and out. When inside, if the weather is bad, they will nibble each other and wrestle, until Lajka grabs her toy and starts a game of tug of war. It’s nice to watch them play and see how Lajka sets the pace. If she’s had enough, the game stops. And if Hela wants to stop, Lajka ignores her cues and continues playing, like an enthusiastic puppy that you can’t say no to, with Hela eventually giving in. Hela has become very fond of her and will tolerate most of her playful behavior. They will even play on my bed, which makes me less than thrilled, as you can imagine.

Lava Observes From a Distance

And poor Lava remains alone in her thoughts. She shows no desire to join in, and will grumpily growl at both Hela and Lajka if they come too close. Lava is more particular about her space and privacy, and although she likes to play with Hela inside, most of her playing occurs outside. She also doesn’t seem thrilled that Lajka is taking over some of her toys from when she was a puppy, but she hasn’t shown any intent to take them back yet. Occasionally she will pick up one of her old toys and chew it, as if to show that these were once hers, but she rarely engages in play with the other two.

It’s a nice balance the three dogs seem to have reached, and I am certain that Lava will show more interest in playing as the days get longer and the weather improves. After all, Lava is more of an independent and dominant individual who values her privacy and is more intent on spending time with people, now that she has matured. But despite that, just seeing how Hela gained a close friend in Lajka, it’s reassuring to see how easily Lajka found her place in this family.