Tasha and Her Stuffed Toys

by Leslie
(Redmond, WA)

My dog Tasha, an almost four-year old Golden Retriever, just embraces stuffed toys. If I give her one, or if she finds one, she immediately takes it in her drooling mouth, as if she’s retrieving a waterfowl. After proudly showing off the toy and making loud satisfied whiny noises, she starts the process of demolishing it.

Tasha eagerly takes out all of the stuffing by chewing on the toy, and then happily carries around the limp outer shell in her mouth.

I think dogs should be sort of spoiled, so I like to give Tasha the chance to destroy a stuffed toy now and then. I buy the cheapest toys I can find, knowing that they will last only for a short time. The thrift store has a few toys, and the pet store has a small group of stuffed animals on sale. Squeaking toys are the best, and they must have a soft fuzzy texture to be appropriately mouthed to death.

It doesn’t take Tasha very long to destroy whatever stuffed animal I give her. As she chews apart the toy, I pick up the scattered pieces from the demolition.

Sometimes in the summer, Tasha gets out of the yard, and immediately goes next door to the neighbor’s yard in search of any toy left outside. I’m sure that some very unhappy child is missing his or her favorite toy. Tasha brings home the toy proudly, only to start chewing it up right away.

With the exhilaration of chewing a stuffed toy, Tasha is a very happy dog.


Nancy's Notes -- Great story, Leslie! Tasha is a beautiful, happy Golden gal. Great tip on where to find cheap toys, too. Thanks for sharing!