Your journalism is exceptional. Thank you for that. But this pet blog is..beautiful. It's one of those little narrative nuggets I rolled around in my head a few times like savoring a chocolate. <PRESSES SUBSCRIBE>
Our 12 year old dog Romeo is like Shiva in Destroyer mode—no toy is safe. But it doesn’t seem to be about getting the squeaker—he’s more into disemboweling the toy and spreading stuffing near and far. Our 11 year old Ozzy still has all his puppy toys. He fossicks around in the huge flower pot where the toys live until he finds just the one he wants. Then he brings it out, and squeaks it to get our attention. At which point we are required to throw it for him to fetch (he is a Husky, not a retriever of any stripe). Then when he’s through w/ that (4 throws max) he lies down w/ the expectation that we will get down on the floor and scratch his chest. Toys for him are basically “person bait”. Although he does lie w/ his head on them like a pillow. Romeo, surprisingly, never touches Ozzy’s toys.
My dog Bobby does this too but then he carries the squeaker around in his mouth like a prize for a while, sometimes pausing to throw it up in the air or bat it around! It’s very cute.
I have been fortunate to witness this multiple times and I have been an accessory to the murder/mangle of toys. Would love for a vet to weigh in on the genes/traits/instincts that result in some dogs being maniacal about this like Pegs vs. other dogs. Is it breed related?
Your journalism is exceptional. Thank you for that. But this pet blog is..beautiful. It's one of those little narrative nuggets I rolled around in my head a few times like savoring a chocolate. <PRESSES SUBSCRIBE>
Our 12 year old dog Romeo is like Shiva in Destroyer mode—no toy is safe. But it doesn’t seem to be about getting the squeaker—he’s more into disemboweling the toy and spreading stuffing near and far. Our 11 year old Ozzy still has all his puppy toys. He fossicks around in the huge flower pot where the toys live until he finds just the one he wants. Then he brings it out, and squeaks it to get our attention. At which point we are required to throw it for him to fetch (he is a Husky, not a retriever of any stripe). Then when he’s through w/ that (4 throws max) he lies down w/ the expectation that we will get down on the floor and scratch his chest. Toys for him are basically “person bait”. Although he does lie w/ his head on them like a pillow. Romeo, surprisingly, never touches Ozzy’s toys.
My dog Bobby does this too but then he carries the squeaker around in his mouth like a prize for a while, sometimes pausing to throw it up in the air or bat it around! It’s very cute.
Charlie, I *love* the way you write about your dogs. Please never stop.
I have been fortunate to witness this multiple times and I have been an accessory to the murder/mangle of toys. Would love for a vet to weigh in on the genes/traits/instincts that result in some dogs being maniacal about this like Pegs vs. other dogs. Is it breed related?
The Universal Destroy the Damn Squeaker ritual-we have one of those too, it is quite a sight-cat nip for some dogs. LOVE Peggy-you go girl!!