Overview
- A peer-reviewed Scientific Reports paper led by teams at the University of Bern and the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna tested 105 pet dogs described by owners as highly motivated to play.
- Thirty-three dogs showed behaviors consistent with human behavioral-addiction criteria, including craving, salience, loss of self-control and mood modification.
- In controlled setups, affected dogs fixated on inaccessible toys, prioritized reaching them over eating or engaging with their owner and persisted in attempts when blocked.
- The study found no increase in visible pleasure during play among this group, while owner questionnaires described obsession and continued play despite exhaustion or injury.
- Authors frame the work as exploratory, note a non-representative sample with working breeds overrepresented and call for further research into prevalence, causes and welfare risks.