Everytime I have the list of dogs, and I am ready to start Communication Classes, someone ask me "Why do you allow owners to bring toys in the field? Isn't it dangerous?". Dogs do not fight for a piece of plastic. Yes, food can be dangerous. Food changes the perception of the dog of the interaction, because food is associated with survival. A ball is not. So, why should dogs fight for a piece of plastic? In most cases, dogs don't. When it happens, in my experience, the reasons are: the toy brings into the surface a latent conflict; the social conflict increases the dog's need for that toy, as a coping strategy; a dog can also be anxious, excited, frustrated, or just unable to effectively decoding the other dog's communication. Kandji, my german shepherd, would attack an unfamiliar dog that dares to grab his toy, but will never harm Brick, my staffy, or me. The relationship, matters. In this video, a young and pretty self-confident Basenji meets for the first time a golden cross, a neutered adult male. What I really like in this interaction, is how they are using the toy as a mean to define their relationship. Enjoy!
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