For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for February 15, 2015

When good intentions go bad…

Ah, the doggie toys from hell.

“No good deed goes unpunished.”

Well, “Hello” to Farley. It has been quite a while since we seen the family pet.

This is so my dog. Except my dog would then have the toy dismantled within 11 seconds, and then carry the squeakerless carcass of it around for the next year or so.

Same with my dogs. The longest a squeaky toy has lasted with my black lab is 3 minutes. And it was one of the “tough” toy brands. He is OCD when he gets a new one, and will not leave it alone.

Ellie you brought this on yourself. The doggie had second thoughts about the toy. Leave well enough alone.

My dog loves squeakies. He will work a squeaky for an hour at a time. I think of it as music and tune it out. He has a great time and isn’t getting into trouble or asking me to throw his frisbee and I get to do something else for an hour. I’m great with that. Even if I’m watching TV I can tune out his squeaky and I actually enjoy hearing it because it makes him so happy.

Dog Schmog! Anyone portrayed as a ‘parent’ should have learned this lesson via their kids long since!

Lynn’s Notes:

My friend and graphic guru, Kevin Strang, has a dog named Oden. Oden is a large, lovable yellow lab with a sweet disposition. Oden likes squeaky toys — especially rubber chickens, of which he has several. He doesn’t bite through them, he squeezes them carefully, enjoying the sound they make with obvious pleasure. He squeezes them in a way that kind of communicates his thoughts. Rapid squeaks suggest playfulness, longer sighing squeaks, thoughtfulness…loud defined squeaks mean boredom has set in or a snack is required. It’s funny. I often go to see Kevin and we’ll sit in his studio working out a colour scheme for a calendar or an illustration. Oden will sit beside my chair and squeak his rubber chickens to his heart’s delight. Kevin will likely not be reading this so I can tell you that as much as I love his dog and as funny as I think the chickens are…I often wish that the *#@

Why impulse purchases are dangerous.

My dog loves her squeaky tennis balls. She has 4, and likes to chase them, but won’t bring them all the way back to me. So, the game has evolved to working with 2 or 3 at a time. I throw it, she runs like the wind and brings it back, holding it, and wagging. I tease her with a second one – she drops the first one, and I toss the second one, etc., etc., etc., until she’s panting with exhaustion. If I don’t stop I’m afraid she’ll have a heart attack!

My dog will chew on her toys and if she hits the squeaker will jump, drop the toy, circle and then pounce on it and try and find the squeaker again.

Toys with squeaking gizmos in them should not be left with the dog with no supervision. Dogs are known to eat the squeaker and it can cause a serious blockage.

My cats do the same thing. Also, when one cat is playing with a particular toy, the other two want to play with THAT toy; no other one will do even if it’s identical (we usually get two of each).

squeak!

You gave that noisy toy to Edgar, come on feel the noise!

Good Boy Farley! You got the Elly-bashers out in record time!{K-9 High Five}

should have though of that before you bought it

SPOILER!

If Farley was fixed, there would be no Edgar!

We don’t get squeaky toys for my dog. We get ropes and real animal bones. Things that will last a long time! ;)