When you come home after a long day, your furry friend may greet you with something special – a favorite toy in their mouth. This is a common sight for pet parents. But do you know why dogs bring you their best dog toys and the significance behind this gesture?

Dogs greet us with their toys for many reasons. Common reasons include asking for attention or waiting for playtime.

Is it normal for your dog to bring you a toy?

Image source: Jesper Brouwers

Yes, it’s completely normal if your dog is bringing you toys. For dogs, bringing you a toy when you walk in the door could be a sign of affection and excitement to see you. Your dog may also be trying to engage you in a game, fetch, or tug-of-war after missing you all day.

While not all dogs exhibit this behavior, it is perfectly normal for them to express their joy this way.

Do dogs always want to play with us?

While our dogs love to hang out with us, they don’t always want to play. When a dog brings you a toy in his mouth, it doesn’t always mean he wants to engage in playtime. Sometimes, they simply want to show you the dog toy that they cherish or get your attention.

Why does your dog bring toys to greet you when you get home?

1) Instinctive dog behavior

Bringing a toy to you is a natural behavior for dogs, coming from their origin as pack animals. This action reminds us of their basic hunting instincts, where in the wild, dogs would bring items or prey back to their pack.

According to experts, this instinct varies from breed to breed and dog to dog. In a domestic environment, this behavior sometimes translates to dogs bringing you something like their precious toys to show trust, friendship, and pack loyalty.

2) Pack Mentality

Dogs demonstrate a strong sense of belonging to a pack. When you come home, your dog recognizes your role as the pack leader by bringing his favorite toy to his mouth. In the wild, it was essential for every dog to show respect to the leader, and this behavior carries on into their lives as pets.

For many dogs, giving you a toy as soon as you get home can be seen as a sign of respect, similar to offering a precious object to a revered pack member. It’s your dog’s saying “Hey leader, I got this for you.” He simply wants to make a good impression.

3) Seeking attention

Dogs bring things when you enter the door to get attention, especially if they’ve been alone for a while. When left alone, your dog gets bored. By bringing a toy, your doggy may be trying to tell you that he’s been waiting around all day and wants to play.

According to the American Kennel Club, other attention-seeking behaviors include wagging their tail, barking, or nipping at you. He is simply looking for extra attention.

4) To show affection

Bringing you a toy is also a way for dogs to express their affection and happiness when you return home.

Unlike us, dogs don’t know how to hide their feelings. When dogs bring you toys, it usually means they’re happy to see you. Their overexcitement is evident not only by their gifts but also by their overexcited tail wags and slobbery kisses.

5) You’ve encouraged the behavior

Dogs repeat behaviors that have gotten them positive attention or reactions from their owners. If, in the past, you reacted enthusiastically when your dog brought a toy, they might think you are pleased by this action. As a result, they continue this behavior, associating it with your arrival and seeking a similar positive response.

How to respond when a dog brings you a toy when you come home

Image source: Samia Liamani

If your dog loves to present you with toys at the door, acknowledge their gift and respond positively. How you respond can reaffirm the bond between you and your pup.

While you might not completely understand the gesture, dogs like to bring us random things because they love us. Respond by giving your dog verbal praise, a smile, a treat, or even a butt scratch, to show that you appreciate their gesture.

Reasons why your dog brings you random objects

In addition to their favorite toy, dogs may also bring you other objects as a means of sharing their discoveries and seeking your attention.

Another reason is their playful nature and desire for social interaction. Dogs may bring random items to initiate a game and seek attention. This behavior reflects their natural inclination for play and interaction with others.

Additionally, dogs may bring random objects because they are bored or excitable. This may be common with high-energy dog breeds like German Shepherds and Golden Retrievers.

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According to Pet Educate, dogs bring random objects to their owners due to instinctual behavior, a longing for interaction and play, and sometimes as a response to boredom or excess energy.

Conclusion: Should you encourage the behavior?

Seeing your dog waiting for you near the door with a chew toy in his mouth is adorable. However, whether to promote this behavior or not depends on many factors including the kind of dog you have and your preferences.

Don’t scold your pet if you don’t want your dog bringing you objects. You can redirect the behavior and teach your dog to do something else when you get home. However, this behavior is not a harmful one.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my dog grab a toy when I come home?

Your pup may grab a toy to show affection, seek attention, or ask you to play tug-of-war with him. 

Why does my dog bring me his blanket when I come home?

If your dog starts bringing his blanket to greet you, he might try to comfort you and make you feel secure. For many dogs, their blanket represents a safe space  and they may be trying to say “Take this hooman and be safe too.”

How do dogs choose their favorite person?

Dogs pick a favorite person based on their interactions and experiences with that person. Many factors influence this choice including provision of care and comfort, quality time spent, and feeding.

As time goes by, dogs form strong connections through positive experiences and interactions, resulting in the choice of a favorite person due to familiarity, trust, and mutual affection.

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