Dogs are treasured companions in the UK, where more than 200 dog breeds bring joy to households. In 2025, there are 13.5 million dogs in the UK, with 36% of households owning at least one, according to The Good Kennel Guide. Yet even with our furry companions around us every day, there are still some behaviours that can leave us scratching our heads. One of these is when your dog picks up seemingly random items and brings them to you.
Many of us assume they’re “showing” us something, but an experienced dog trainer has explained that’s not the full story. Kerry, a Gloucestershire-based dog trainer from Howl School for Dogs who is APDT UK-accredited and focuses on welfare, ethics, and kindness, has finally settled the debate and explained the real reason behind this behaviour.
She has explained in a TikTok video that has received over 16.1K likes and more than 200 comments that dogs often bring objects not to show them to their humans, but it is actually in order to “manage their big feelings,” which can include excitement, stress or worry.
She said in the TikTok video: “I just thought I’d jump on because I keep seeing people say, ‘Oh, the dog’s carrying this over to show me.’ They’re not actually doing that. What they’re doing is they’re holding objects to manage their big feelings. You often see dogs doing this when a visitor arrives, and they go and grab a toy and hold it in their mouth, and everyone’s like, ‘Oh, the dog’s bringing something over to show me.
“They’re not, they’re actually doing a really intelligent thing. They’re managing the big feelings that they’re having by holding objects in their mouth.”
In the video, reposted by Howl School for Dogs on TikTok, a dog named Lucy repeatedly walked in and out of the bathroom carrying different objects, from a juice bottle to an ice cube tray, while her owner is taking a bath.
While the owner initially thought Lucy was just showing her things, Kerry explained that the behaviour was likely linked to big feelings.
She said: “With this dog here, their human is in the bath, so they might be feeling some big feelings around that – a bit of frustration, maybe a bit of anxiety, a bit of worry, maybe a bit of low-level stress. So they’re managing that by holding things in their mouth and carrying it in and out of the room.”
One TikTok user commented: “My rescue lab does this, bless her, she gets so excited, she has to pick something up to help her with her feelings. She was locked in a stable for the first 3 years of her life; now she’s living her best life.”
Someone else wrote: “My dog always grabs his bunny when anyone enters the home, takes it to the couch, and then barks at them. I always thought it was a play invite, but I guess he’s just managing his excitement!”
Another person shared: “My girl does this out of excitement. Just before a walk, she has to grab her bedding and run down the garden… then starts shredding it. Adorably frustrating.”