Why does he do this?

[primabella]

Whenever Mickey wants to play his chasing games, like tag, he'll start running but I've noticed that he always has to have something in his mouth. Like, if we're running, he'll stop to pick up a ball, a stick or even my shoe ( ) and then continue playing. I find it a bit odd and it sort of ruins the game because with something in his mouth, I don't run as much because it slows him down or I'll just stop all together because I know he'll need to pant or something. I tell him to drop it and then we'll continue, but then he'll go back and pick something else up. I was thinking maybe it has to do with territorial stuff, like showing me that we could play the game but this ball or toy he's carrying is his. Any other ideas? Or should I just leave him be? *sigh* It just bothers me because he might trip and fall and get hurt or something.

Help? Thanks

[GoldenRetrLuver]

lol, all the dogs I know do what Mickey does....i shouldnt worry too much, I think he just wants to play.

[Kfamr]

Simba ALWAYS has a toy or a bone in his mouth when we're playing. Mostly a bone. If one isn't out he'll dig in the toy basket to find an old bone or something.

[wolfsoul]

Timber does that because she wants me to try and grab it away from her

[Pam]

My Rainbow Bridge dog, Ashley, simply HAD to have something in her mouth when she went to the door to greet someone coming in. Many time I would watch her, as I would come in, frantically search for something to put in her mouth before coming to me to say Hi! I would love to know why they feel the need for this. Dogs! Go figure!

[Rachel]

Originally posted by Pam
My Rainbow Bridge dog, Ashley, simply HAD to have something in her mouth when she went to the door to greet someone coming in. Many time I would watch her, as I would come in, frantically search for something to put in her mouth before coming to me to say Hi! I would love to know why they feel the need for this. Dogs! Go figure!

Tucker is the same way. He will even bark with something in his mouth, albeit a muffled bark. Oh, Pam, sounds like poor Ashley didn't have enough stuffies lying around in each and every room. Poor deprived thing.

[primabella]

lol okay thanks. I was worried he had some kind of obsession with it. lol Thanks

[jenfer]

Yup, same for Chilli too. She M.U.S.T have something in her mouth when she greets people. Sometimes she is in such a rush that she can't make up her mind whether she wants to greet or pick up her toy. haha... Silly dog.

[cocker_luva]

i think that he thinks that if he has something in his mouth that you WILL chase him.

[Cookiebaker]

Yup! Malone is the same exact way!! If we are ingnoring him, he'll just be lying around doing nothing. As soon as we turn around and start paying attention to him, he'll grab the first thing he can find. I think it's cause he wants to play!!

[primabella]

Yeah but we could be in the middle fo a game and he grabs something. As long as it's not some weird thing he's starting that isn't normal I'm okay with it. lol Thanks

[taylorboy]

Taylor loves for me to chase him and the way he gets my attention is to put something in his mouth, always something he knows he's not supposed to have like a shoe or toothebrush or the bar of soap. He knows that I'll try and take whatever it is that he's got so it leads to chasing. Oddly enough he never destroys anything that's in his mouth. However I've started ignoring him b/c chasing after shoes all the time is annoying. But I make sure we play chase other times. I think you hit the nail on the head, he wants you to try and take what he has in his mouth, which leads to you chasing him. Have fun.