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My 1 yr old (it's actually his 1st birthday today - hooray! ) bernese mountain dog Zephyr seems to have a problem with squeaky toys. He loves toys that make sound, whether they be squeaky or have a bell inside or some other strange sound, but as soon as the noise stops, he whines and whines for ages while he carries the toy around with him! He sounds so pitiful that I usually end up taking the toy away from him, only to receive a "Where's my toy gone?" look. I've tried telling him "It's ok Zephyr" as well as ignoring him, but nothing works! (apart from taking it away, then he stops instantly). I don't know if this is any reason for concern or not, or if it is just one of his little quirks! Any input would be appreciated, thanks

>>My 1 yr old (it's actually his 1st birthday today - hooray! ) bernese mountain dog Zephyr seems to have a problem with squeaky toys. He loves toys that make sound, whether they be squeaky or have a bell inside or some other strange sound, but as soon as the noise stops, he whines and whines for ages while he carries the toy around with him! He sounds so pitiful that I usually end up taking the toy away from him, only to receive a "Where's my toy gone?" look. I've tried telling him "It's ok Zephyr" as well as ignoring him, but nothing works! (apart from taking it away, then he stops instantly). I don't know if this is any reason for concern or not, or if it is just one of his little quirks! Any input would be appreciated, thanks

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I would suggest teaching him a variety of command responses and to retrieve, and playing with him with a wide range of toys. You don't want this to become too focused and turn into obsessive behavior.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47