They say, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”. And it turns out the same could be said about man’s best friend!
A recent study conducted by psychologists at the University of Florida reveals that for nine out of ten dogs, their beloved toys come only second when it comes to food.
There’s no doubt that most dogs love toys – they can grab them, shake them, chew them, and cuddle them. But the new study showed that most dogs respond better to food than toys.
For the study, researchers recruited a total of 10 dogs. And they chose six foods and six toys that they think dogs generally like.
![Feeding bowls and pet toys on yellow background](https://www.dogingtonpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Feeding-bowls-and-toys-for-pet-on-yellow-background-1024x683.jpg)
The six foods used by the researchers were: hot dog, carrot, cheese, kibble, hard dog treats and soft dog treats. As for toys, the researchers chose: a ball, a tug toy, a squeaky toy, a bone, a stuffed animal and an empty plastic water bottle.
Each dog had to choose their favorite toy and food from the choices presented by the researchers.
A series of other experiments were also carried out. In these later experiments, the dogs had to work harder to get their reward.
In these experiments, most dogs gave up earlier when offered their favorite toy reward, but were motivated when offered their favorite food reward.
The study concluded that dogs prefer food to toys and that food is a more effective reinforcer of dog behavior than toys.
The study authors also wrote: “These findings have important implications for dog owners and trainers, suggesting that using food as a reinforcer may yield better results in dog training.
Some dog trainers suggest using toys rather than food in training to avoid excess calories and to make the experience more mentally stimulating for dogs.
So, researchers suggest that if dog owners follow this advice, the key is to not let toys compete with food.
![An image of an adorable brown dog waiting to eat chewy snacks from the owner's hand](https://www.dogingtonpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/An-image-of-adorable-brown-dog-is-waiting-for-eat-chew-snacks-stick-from-owner-hand-1024x683.jpg)
Dr Nicole Doreylead author of the study and lecturer in the psychology department at the University of Florida, told University of Florida News, “I was surprised, but no one had previously studied how dogs work for toys rather than food.”
While studies on dog preferences regarding man attention to food have been conducted in the past, this study was the first of its kind.
“I think the next study should look at these three things – attention, food and toys – and what dogs really prefer when training. » » said Dorey.