Now Playing: Dog Toy Story

TRUE: I once had a customer return a toy because the dog had pulled out a little bit of stuffing. I told her she was welcome to return the toy any time, but she really should take it back to her dog because the dog was having fun with it. The lady came back two years later! She said - I want you to know I was surprised by what you asked me to do, but I gave the toy back to my dog and it has been her favorite ever since.

"I'm looking for something indestructible for my dog." If I have heard that once, I have heard it a thousand times. There are currently 357 responses that run through my head. The response I pose today is "Why?"

Before I talk about toys, let me talk about dogs. Every dog is different and every one of them plays in a different way. But one thing they have in common is that they really enjoy a good "kill." Okay, I said it, it's out there. Your sweet Cupcake is a killer. Be it a squirrel, mouse, mole or bird the result is the same - death. Maybe there is a dog out there that has a great time chasing a squirrel, then stops, thanks the squirrel for a good romp and goes on about his day. The rest, well, they just aren't satisfied until the squeaking stops.

Dogs need toys that provide entertainment. If you ever find the elusive indestructible toy, there is a high probability that your dog will be absolutely bored solid by it. She wants a toy that mimics play, one that gives as much as it gets. Here's my take on dog toys: they mimic woodland creatures. Dog toys are fuzzy, they are often small and roundish, they have voices (i.e. squeaks), and they can move very quickly (either by you throwing it or the dog thrashing it). So it really should come as no surprise that your dog finds joy in successfully gutting it, destroying the squeak and tossing the remains all over the house. Perhaps even taking a celebratory roll on the carcass. This is how your dog is entertained.

Here's a final thought: for most us movies are entertainment. Ticket $10, popcorn $5, drink $3, we'll ignore candy and the cost of a babysitter, that's $18 for 2 hours of entertainment. Roughly $.15 cents a minute. So think of these numbers the next time you are looking for a dog toy. Start to finish, will the toy meet or exceed a $.15 cents a minute value? A $9.00 toy only needs to provide 1 hour of happiness, anything longer and you are doing better than a trip to the movies.

Remember - destruction is irrelevant, have fun.

Ric Sommons
Owner - Dolittle's

NOTE: No woodland creatures were harmed in the writing of this blog. Thank you.