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hi there

My dog ( Minnie) who has just turned 2 years old has suddenly stoped eating and has become very protective of a stuffed toy dog that i got her. I think that SHE thinks it's her baby. I tryed taking it away from her only she bacame extremly stressed out looking for it everywhere.
What should i do?
Her thinking it's her baby doen't worry me much, only the fact that she doesn't eat and doesn't seem like her happy self.

Please help! Leslie

Hi Leslie

A few questions...

How long has Minnie had the new toy?
Has the eating issue only started when the new toy arrived?
Is Minnie eating anything at all?
What about drinking?
What are you feeding Minnie and have you tried alternatives?

I would not worry too much about the attachment to the toy as such (unless that IS the reason for the eating issues). Our Border Collie boy 'Taj' has an attachment to a stuffed toy (lambie) and has had it since he was a young pup, it is his toy and he keeps dragging it around with him

Hope to hear from you soon with more details of the above and I am sure others here will offer some advice as well.

Cheers

Greg

Thanks greg

Minnie recieved to stuffed dog toy about 3 weeks ago and didn't like the toy. This behaviour only started 4 days ago with the eating issue. She drinks water and only eats when i force her (i hold the raw chicken wing in her face) and she used to be a huge smackoo fan, Only hearing the packet open she will be waiting at your feet for the treat. Now she wont even go anywhere near the kitchen and she will sniff the treat and then walk away back the that stupid toy!.

She USED to eat eukanuba( for sensative stomach) and advantage(wet food for sensative stomach) and once or twice a week a raw chicken wing. And of course her daily fix of 2 smackoo strips.

I just went for a walk with her and she wasn't all that keen on going. When we left our place she kept on stoping every couple of steps and looking back home.

I also washed the toy to get rid off her smell but i could do it properly as she became quicky worried and went crazy looking for it.

If the stupid thing isn't next to her she wont sleep, she will keep you up all night whinning.

I also wraped the toy in one of her jumpers and she shreeded it trying to get the toy out. It's like she has become obsessed with it to a point that she has become depressed.

Very worried Leslie

is the bitch desexed? If not could she be having a phantom pregnancy?

Yep......she is having a phantom pregnacy... We went to the vet and thats what was she was diagnosed with......(how funny). She is even producing milk! And the toy she was using as a fake baby,trying to nurse and everything.

The food issue was because she was concentrating so much in looking after the fluro green stuffed toy that she was to worried to eat. So the solution was simple.......take the toy away and any other toy. (so she doesn't start nursing something else). And i have to get her desexed. So i now have to wait untill her heat is over to get her operated on. So no toys untill that day (sorry Minnie). Thanks everyone for your help.

like many people here there are a myriad of solutions, depending on what is really driving the behavior.

Some breeds will attach to things more when other parts of their life are not being fulfilled - particularly working dogs who are very smart and just want to be useful.

There could be a whole host of issues, but at least with the feeding, I wonder how much Minnie gets walked off lead? I find that dogs walked a lot and who play well with other dogs are usually very well adjusted and have a large appetite for food. Neurosis and food or toy guarding can be started by boredom or a game, and when there is nothing else to do it becomes real.

Wow, I didn't know that a dog could actually get phantom pregnancy. Could you please tell me what the signs and symptoms of phantom pregnancy are? I've never had a dog experience that and I'd like to be informed so I can keep a watchful eye out. Also, what could I possibly do in case my dog would have that?