We don't often buy new toys for our dogs. They have a basket full of toys and they only play with their favorites. If you throw one that they don't care for, they may chase it, but once they get there they'll stop and look at you as if saying, "What do I do with this?"
Last night, however, we took a trip through the pet aisles at Target. I was hoping to stumble across a magical brush that prevents any and all shedding. Mike, of course, looked at the toys. I was wandering through the last pet aisle when he came up to me with a toy in his hand, insisting that the dogs would love it (he picks out most of their toys). It was a skunk with no stuffing. I immediately liked it, especially since I've spent the last week trying to clean up Moosy's* insides after his leg was ripped off.
Mike also happened across a bed in the cat aisle that he thought the dogs would love. Chihuahuas like to burrow in small, dark places, such as under blankets or their crates. It's not a large bed and I thought it'd be funny to see them fight over it, at the very least.
So we paid for our pet purchases and headed home.
Wally immediately claimed Skunky as his own. I've never seen his fluffy butt move so fast as it did when I'd throw that toy across our house. He was determined to get it before Penelope.** Skunky has crinkle material in the legs and Wally loved shaking it and hearing the noise. That's what he's doing in the photo above.
He also realized that Penelope couldn't get the toy away from him if he took it into the new dog bed (he's easily distracted, at which point Penelope would snatch the toy away). Until we put their blanket in it, the dogs wouldn't go into the bed. They would stand outside and streeeeetch as far into as they could while still being on the carpet. Fortunately, they like it now, and there is generally one dog napping in there at any given time.
Before any of them would nap in it, Penelope had to investigate. Here she is digging their blanket out of it. We aren't sure if she thought something interesting was in there or what, we were too busy laughing to worry about it.
She then decided if she couldn't play with the toy, she would guard the entrance to the new bed so that Wally couldn't take Skunky inside. Each time he tried she would growl at him and stand in front of the door.
Playing with their new toy probably went on for a solid 30 minutes before the dogs were worn out. By the end they were panting and moving at a much slower pace. As soon as I stopped throwing Skunky, they were passed out.
*The dogs favorite toys all have names. Penelope knows their names and will bring you the appropriate toy. The ones with names are Moosy (a moose), Mousy (a mouse), Ball, and Skunky. I know, the names are really creative.
**Re-Pete doesn't play with toys. My parents' cranky Yorkie didn't like to share toys when he was a puppy, so he is content to snuggle on my lap while the other dogs play with the toys.
