New study suggests why dogs are fussy with toys

New research has revealed why dogs find some toys boring after just a few moments, while others become firm favourites.

The study, carried out by a research team at the University of Bristol's Veterinary School, found that dogs perceive toys in the same way that wolves perceive prey - they prefer those that either taste like food or can be torn apart.

Co-author of the study, Anne Pullen, said that dogs toys should be "soft, easily manipulable toys that can be chewed easily and/or make a noise."

Toys that quickly cause boredom, on the other hand, are those with hard, unyielding surfaces and those that do not make a noise when manipulated.

However, as no single toy characteristic altered the test results much, it was suggested that growing accustomed to the stimulus qualities of a toy - whether smell, sound, colour or texture - is what most often causes dogs boredom.

Co-author John Bradshaw explained: "For an animal as social as a dog, toys only become really existing when they are part of a game with a person. Few toys will sustain a dog's interest for long if the owner is not around to offer encouragement.

"If a dog has to be left on its own, it is most likely to enjoy toys that can be chewed, make a noise when played with, or are designed to be eaten as they disintegrate (such as a chew)."

The study can be found in Animal Cognition.