In 1956, prize-winning puppeteer Shari Lewis appeared on the Captain Kangaroo children's show and debuted a new...well, it was basically a sock with eyes.(1) She called it Lamb Chop, though, and her ventriloquism was a big hit with kids.

Imagine what she would think if she knew Lamb Chop toys were a big hit with dogs.

It's a science mystery why, but dogs love them. Dogs who like to cuddle are obsessed with it, as are dogs who want to destroy things. They like the squeaks, the softs, and perhaps that it almost resembles an animal. Dogs get obsessive-compulsive a lot, according to a new paper.


Image: Reddit

Researcher tested 105 dogs to see if anecdotes that dogs, like humans, had compulsive engagement even with negative consequences, were true.  Dog owners certainly report their dog will keep playing with a toy even if they are injured or exhausted so the team identified common symptoms of behaviorist addictions in humans, like experiencing cravings and having difficulty stopping or controlling it, were similar in dogs.

The pet pool was 56 male and 49 female dogs(2) who were described by their owners as motivated to play with toys and they were allowed to select a toy at the start of the test. Owners were surveyed about their dogs’ everyday behaviors towards toys. 

They found that a lot of dogs, 33, exhibited behavior that was considered addictive; excessively fixated, a lack of interest in alternatives such as food or playing with their owner, trying to get the toy if it was unavailable, and not calming down 15 minutes after all toys were removed.

Does it really impact their well-being? Not unless whoever makes those Lamb Chop toys goes out of business, and that seems unlikely.

Citation: Mazzini, A., Senn, K., Monteleone, F. et al. Addictive-like behavioural traits in pet dogs with extreme motivation for toy play. Sci Rep 15, 32613 (2025). https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-18636-0

NOTES:

(1) Her work led to 12 Emmy Awards, 7 Parents' Choice Awards, a Peabody Award, the Action for Children's Television Award, and the John F. Kennedy Center Award for Excellence and Creativity, among many others. Like many artists, she had multiple talents. She also co-wrote a 1969 episode of Star Trek, "The Lights of Zetar."

(2) Ages 12 months to ten years old. The most common breeds were Malinois (18 dogs), Border Collies (9), and Labrador Retrievers (9).