Why does this rescue dog do this?

[Opinicus]

Is there anybody still watching this NG?
--

--
Bob
The people your parents warned you about

[cshenk]

Opinicus wrote:

> Is there anybody still watching this NG?

I am.

[Opinicus]

On Sat, 07 May 2022 12:22:20 -0500, "cshenk"
<csh...@virginia-beach.net> wrote:

> > Is there anybody still watching this NG?
> I am.

Glad I'm not the only one! Here's the question:

I've got a cocker spaniel that I rescued from a shelter when he was
about a year old. According to the people at the shelter, his former
owners had never let him inside the house but always kept him in the
yard. He also looked like he'd never been groomed in his life.

For a couple of weeks in his new home (properly cleaned, groomed, and
inside of course), he never showed any interest in anything (like toys
for example) that wasn't edible. And then one day after returning from
our evening walk, he raced over to the toy box, pulled out a squeaky
ball, and began playing with it maniacally. It was like a logjam had
broken. After that he pretty much became a "normal" dog except that
he's developed a habit of bringing a toy to bed with him at night.
Sometimes he'll "sneak" the toy into the bedroom/bed long before
bedtime so it's there when we retire. He doesn't want to play with it;
he just wants it to be there, it seems.

What is going on here?

[cshenk]

I'd say he feels safe at last and since he is still a puppy
technically, his sense of fun has come back,

I think many dogs sleep with a toy.