New and Improved Dog Toys

We have all witnessed the growth of the colorful, cute dog toys available for our pups.  They are seasonal because our dogs love the holidays and would feel slighted if they didn’t receive a toy representative of the special day (that and there’s a lot of money to be made off us humans).  While your dog may have a favorite toy, I doubt it would be for the same reason it would be your favorite.

At my house, the favorites would be along the lines of a paper towel, tissue, plastic bottle cap, stick, and not-to-be-left-out living “toys” (lizards, birds, etc).  So, here’s my question?  Why aren’t dog toys made to resemble more accurately what attracts our dogs?  I know that road-kill toys might not be hot sellers for the humans, but if you could add a little scent and texture to that of the real thing, dogs would line the isles of Petsmart to get them.

Think about it!  If there were dog toy tissues, reading glasses, and anything else a dog might like to steal off the table, the dog could think he was getting away with something and you could just smile as they look at you shocked you aren’t on the move toward them ready for the chase.

Until this is the case, please contact me if you have a dog who counter surfs or has any other inappropriate chewing behaviors.

Patience of a Dog

You may not have thought of a dog as having patience.  Well, they do – or at least that’s what I’m calling it.

If one of my dogs has a toy, regardless of the five other toys available, someone will want that exact toy at that exact moment.  That’s no surprise.  Of course, they want what the other one has.  Among these boys, It’s a constant dance of who dominates who.

After a couple of human-to-dog interventions, they know not to mess with one another, or everyone loses (as in I take the toy).  See, it’s my toy, and I am kind enough to let them have it.  I have also established the rules that go along with toy-play.

This morning, Mac is chewing on a toy as Moby stands patiently by looking for either a safe “in” to get the stuffed creature, or for Mac to get bored and walk away.  He will wait longingly for quite awhile before he loses interest.   He doesn’t make a sound…waiting patiently for the right moment.  I think he actually thinks he “won” if Mac relinquishes the object without care.

I like the thought of that – particularly as we enter the Holiday season.  It’s like saying, “I really want what you have, but I’ll just wait patiently while you enjoy it, and when you don’t want it any more, I’ll take it.”

Thoughts of peace and patience to you this season!

Can a Little Dog be Alpha?

Does breed or size matter in the realm of a dog’s position in the pack?  What if dog’s knew the stories that are perpetuated about their breed?  What if being big and muscular automatically made you alpha dog?

Observing dogs as they live in their world of thought and not mine, it can appear they are being courteous to another dog rather than acting out their role in the hierarchy of the pack.  For example:

The Great Dane is sometimes possessive of her food and toys.  I looked over to see her lying wait by her giant food bowl as she patiently “allowed” the tiny Yorkie to eat.  She circles away from her bowl as she eats, and I’m sure she was surprised to return to see she was unintentionally sharing her food.

While I know it’s not the case, what if she learned from me to pick her battles?  With me being present and observing, this is not one she’d win anyway.  It’s always a learning experience to sit back, relax, and watch as dogs show us who they are.  If I had jumped up startled that the Yorkie would dare eat from the Dane’s bowl, I could have contributed to a nervous response from either or both of them.

Patiently waiting, Melody moved away and the Dane went back to eating.  It could be that Melody is alpha, or that she is no threat so sharing is accepted, or maybe the Dane was just being courteous to a senior family member.

Dog Toys

Do dogs really need toys?  What is it that makes them so appealing?  Do toys replace or fulfill the dog’s need to hunt and chase?  Do they really think the stuffed bunny is a real rabbit?  I guess the answer to that one is obvious.

What’s also obvious is that dog toys are now a huge business.  There are dog toys for each holiday!  We all know how dogs love the holidays and the new toys that are sure to be their possession.  My dogs like Easter because they like to chase rabbits.  They don’t dare chase Santa!

Let’s face it. . .the toys we choose are usually for us.  Personally, I seldom let the dogs have stuffed toys because the disemboweling makes a fine, white, fluffy mess I am left to clean up.  Unlike a real rabbit, they don’t eat these “guts” – or at least we hope they don’t!

The truth – dogs are happy being with us and while they love chewing and playing, it can be a cardboard box or plastic water bottle.  It’s similar to how a small child has to learn that what is in the box is more important (and supposedly more fun) than the box!  Dogs are much the same.  Don’t feel like your dog won’t be happy if you don’t buy expensive stuffed animals.

If all of their toys are left lying around, they are sure to get bored which will lead you to buy even more toys.  Leave out a few at a time and rotate the others.  What was once old will be new again!

Some dogs do get a bit possessive over a stuffed treasure as though they hunted and killed it themselves.  I do believe they fully know the difference between a “real” rabbit and the sherpa bunny.  In case they don’t, I won’t be the one to spoil it for them!