There was an existing trend way back in 2018 where pet owners placed an egg in their dogs’ mouths to see if they would break it.
Surprisingly, most of the dogs were gentle enough to keep the egg from shattering, and this left pet owners in awe.
The whole trend lasted for a few months, and experts argued over the safety of the movement for dogs.
But the real question that lingered after all this time was: will a dog protect an egg?
Will a Dog Protect an Egg?
The simple answer is yes and no.
But there are many existing reasons behind these answers, which we will tackle below, so stay tuned!
1. Yes, depending on the breed
It is no longer a surprise to know that breeds play a significant role in identifying the temperaments and attitudes of dogs.
Their species will highly influence their capacity to protect an egg.
A class of dogs is referred to as soft-mouth dogs, which does not suggest that their mouths are made from cotton.
But it is a way to describe dogs with a high sense of bite inhibition.
These dogs are the ones bred to be hunting companions of early hunters, who are tasked to retrieve the game without damaging its flesh from their teeth.
Dogs belonging to this category are more likely to protect an egg, especially if it is under their bite’s grasp.
Here are examples of soft-mouth breeds:
- Labrador retriever
- Golden retriever
- Poodle
- Cocker spaniel
- Springer spaniel
- American water spaniel
- Irish setter
2. Yes, if they are trained.
Another reason that dogs will protect eggs is obviously if they are trained.
Even dogs outside of the soft-mouth categories can have the ability to protect eggs from breaking if they are trained.
A pet owner followed suit in the trend and boasted of their Siberian Husky being very patient and gentle in keeping the egg’s integrity while in its mouth.
With the proper amount of socialization and training, dogs can learn to inhibit their bites, which will reflect in how they play and, based on our current context – how to protect an egg.
3. Yes, based on the relationship of the dog and the egg.
Dogs can be very protective.
Although it is pretty much intuitive for their social group, a.k.a. The family that looks after them.
Canines will go the distance to protect their masters and whatever they believe is theirs.
In this regard, if they view the egg as a personal toy and have developed a sense of ownership over it, expect them to be protective at all costs.
4. Yes, it is based on reinforcement.
As mentioned above, dogs put high regard on what their masters are feeling towards them.
And this energy can be harnessed and reinforced towards the protection of an egg.
Positive reinforcement — If you reward the dog for keeping the egg safe from damage or cracks from their jaws, they will associate the preservation of the egg with rewards, thus protecting them.
Negative reinforcement — If the dog breaks an egg and you portray a look of displeasure or scold them. It will most likely yield and be more careful the next time around.
5. Yes, out of respect for their owners.
Pets will do their best to fit in and be accepted in their social group.
A combination of this inherent desire, along with proper training, will yield positive results.
Suppose you will observe the pet owners that practice the trend.
They are the ones that give dogs the egg; this means that dogs will express added custody to get their owner’s approval.
6. No, if they think it is food.
One of the funnier fails is the German Shepherd that bit the egg hard.
It is not indicative of the lack of training per se.
The dog thought it was food, to begin with.
If they think it is food, expect a hard bite to follow.
7. No, if they are untrained.
Some dogs are naturally bred to be soft-mouthed.
But not all Labs and Spaniels will faithfully express their calling without some level of training or orientation.
8. No, if it is too much for them to handle.
Believe it or not, some dogs will shun the eggs because it is more significant than their head.
But that did not stop Watson, the Boston terrier, from impressing everyone else with the egg challenge even though the egg is almost as big as his head.
9. No, if it is not worth their time.
Finally, you can never expect dogs to put up with you all the time, especially if they do not get something out of your whims.
They want to be fab like the fabulous dogs they are, like Mr. Henry, a French bulldog.
They only gave the egg a few kisses then walked away.
How Do Dogs Know to be Gentle with Eggs?
It is quite amazing to see a dog being gentle with eggs.
But why are dogs gentle with eggs? What could be the reason? The reasons mentioned in the previous section already outline some of the great reasons as to why are dogs gentle with eggs.
But it is important to note that all those reasons came about because of dogs’ innate sense of right and wrong, or how to play nice with others. However, sometimes they need a boost to push that innate sense out. Once a dog is taught to be “kind,” they will learn to be gentle with their own kind. The same applies to eggs.
For example, a dog may not know that it cannot play roughly with another dog because the other dog will get hurt. They need to be taught that these things are not acceptable.
Another reason is simple – instinct. It may sound strange, but many people have reported this phenomenon occurring in their homes and it just seems to happen overnight.
The natural stimulus is one of the reasons why are dogs gentle with eggs. This means that they are more than likely to be gentler with an egg than their own offspring.
So, how do dogs know to be gentle with eggs?
It is because it is innate. But sometimes, this sense is not as strong as it should be meaning that owners have some work cut out for them from the get-go.
Is The “Egg Challenge” Dangerous?
Although it might be amusing to see our dogs applying their bite inhibition training to eggs, it is not a fail-safe trend.
And we advise owners not to do it for two reasons:
1. Choking hazard
If the pump fails to be attentive to the egg, it might lodge down its throat and pose health risks.
Something the pet and its owner would very much like to avoid happening.
2. Salmonella poisoning
Salmonella can be present in and out of the egg.
And if there are bacteria traces on the shell, this can lead to infections resulting in vomiting and diarrhea.
Key Takeaway
It is pleasing to observe dogs being protective and gentle with how they handle eggs—an outward proof of the results of their training and good ownership.
However, there are other avenues to showcase this instead of using eggs as health concerns are associated with the latter.
A gentle reminder for pet owners who plan on following suit to the 3-year-old trend.
