News Animals

Toy-obsessed dogs give clues to addictive behaviors

Dogs at play may parallel some human addictions

A German Shepherd is jumping and playing with a ball on a grassy field.

For some dogs, toys can exert an irresistible pull in ways that may parallel human behavioral addictions.

Photos by R A Kearton/Getty Images

By Laura Sanders

If you’ve ever had a slobbery ball at your feet and a dog’s hopeful eyes asking for yet another throw, then you know that some dogs really love to play. Now, scientists back that up by finding that some pups’ behaviors share features with human addictions.