Why Are Dogs Gentle With Eggs? (4 Motives and Concerns)

With sweet eyes, adorable faces, and unending love and loyalty, it’s hard to not become quickly attached to the dogs in your life. It’s no wonder that they’re the most popular pet in the world. And while each dog might be adorable and lovable they also each have their own unique characteristics.

It’s what makes having more than one dog so fun in my opinion. And I’m lucky enough to have two dogs…I’ll get another just as soon as I figure out how to talk my wife into it!

Having dogs isn’t all fun and games though. You need to take the time to train your dog, understand his odd behaviors, and of course, learn why he does certain things.

Everyone who has seen dogs play knows that dogs aren’t the gentlest animals in the world. But have you ever seen a dog with an egg in his mouth? Surprisingly, many dogs don’t end up breaking it!

So, how can a dog that likes to rough house be so careful? Why are dogs gentle with eggs? The quick and easy answer is the dog is soft-mouthed, gentle by nature, not sure what you gave him, or thinks the egg is a valuable belonging.

Soft-Mouthed

Some breeds have what is known as a soft mouth. This is especially true of breeds like retrievers who were bred to carry birds and other game without damaging them.

But it doesn’t only come down to breed. All breeds can be gentle and soft when they need to be. After all, every breed of dog needs to be able to gently move their puppies without hurting them.

Gentle By Nature

All dogs are capable of being sweet and gentle creatures. Sure, they might bark and growl and sometimes even bite but deep down they don’t want to hurt anyone. (Unless they’ve been abused but that’s a subject for another time)

Some dogs though, carry that gentleness over into how they physically carry themselves and go about their day as well.

Like I said earlier, we have two dogs. Our male dog, Duke, is rough! He almost always comes into a room at full speed, bouncing off furniture as he makes his way around the house. Sometimes even plows through our legs nearly tripping us!

Bella on the other hand is much lighter and softer with her movements. She walks around the house without bumping into things and calmly lays in the yard watching the world go by most days.

Bella is gentle by nature and Duke is…well sometimes it feels like we live with Taz from Looney Tunes.

Not Sure What You Gave Him

When you give your dog something new he doesn’t know what it is. Is it a toy? Is it food? Is it a bone? Your dog doesn’t want to take the chance of breaking it so he’ll be gentle just in case.

Think about it from your dog’s perspective. He’s probably never seen an egg, and certainly never had one in his mouth.

The shell probably doesn’t feel or taste like anything else he’s had in his mouth. And it doesn’t seem chewable so what’s he going to do with it? Probably not bite it. At least not right away.

Prized Possession

To you, it’s just an egg. You’ve seen a million of them. To your dog, the egg is a new and shiny thing that you gave him. He doesn’t want to damage it because he wants to keep it.

Dogs can be funny with what they decide is valuable and should not be chewed up and what isn’t. For whatever reason though, some dogs will think that the egg their owner gave them is top-notch.

Should You Put A Raw Egg In Your Dog’s Mouth?

There’s a trend that seems to come and go on social media where people film their dogs being gentle with an egg in their mouths. Really, you shouldn’t be doing that, especially for something as silly as views or likes on social media.

Keep reading to see why it is probably not okay to put an egg in your dog’s mouth.

Is It Okay To Put An Egg In My Dog’s Mouth? 

It’s not the best idea to put an egg in your dog’s mouth. Even though many dogs are gentle with them, there is always the risk of it breaking on accident or your dog not being gentle with it.

Raw eggs have the potential to carry bacteria that could cause illness.

Trust me! The risk of salmonella is something you want to avoid. If your dog gets infected with salmonella he’ll have symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting. I’m assuming these are not things you want to deal with your dog suffering through.

And it could get even worse (for you) if your dog ends up with contaminated raw egg in his mouth because he will be an excellent carrier and will spread it as he licks things. So, if your dog licks you after having a raw egg, there’s a chance you could become sick too. It’s best to err on the side of caution and feed your dog cooked eggs instead.

Summary: Why Are Dogs So Careful With Eggs?

Dogs are gentle with eggs because they are either trying to figure out what they are, they think they are a valuable possession, or they have been bred to be soft-mouthed or are gentle by nature.

You shouldn’t put an egg in your dog’s mouth because raw eggs can carry bacteria that could make you and your dog sick. It’s best to feed your dog cooked eggs instead.