I have learned an important lesson this week. Apparently, pathetic is the way to win over the hearts of dog lovers, because my most pitiful post on record was honored with the 2008 Bloggie Doggie award for Best Dogarazzi! Ironically, because of my busy week wrapping up my old job, I spent the least amount of energy on that post. One picture, one FlickrToy effect, and a rambling diatribe of pity and boom — internet recognition! With this newfound knowledge, Ted will now use his manipulative tactic more than ever. We can only hope that it will be for good, never evil.
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A couple of weeks after we got Ted, we took him for his first trip to the pet store to pick up a tag. It was then that I realized that JG is a big softie at the pet store, and despite my best impression of a bad cop, we have always left with a new toy. On this first occasion, we bought a big, blue rope toy after Ted nosed around in that section, but his interest in the toy once we got home was rather fleeting. I chalked it up to his mouth being so small, and set the toy aside for when Ted might grow into it.
How times have changed! Playing with the rope toy has become one of Ted’s new favorite activities. It is the closest thing we can muster to playing outside, and I enjoy it very much because I can stand in one place or sit on the edge of the couch while Ted jumps for the toy. Even before we got a dog, I knew that I would not be the one who was going to run around with him in the back yard. I was content to sit with with our hypothetical dog and pet him, but I’m glad that I can handle this action.
Ted sits quietly until I tell him to “go ahead,” at which point he lunges at the toy with surprising brutality. He is incredibly adept with balancing on his hind legs, and he catches the bottom of the toy with his paws with such force that he has occasionally ripped it out of my unsuspecting hand. Then, I have to go over and yank the toy back, so that I can assert my dominance, and it’s annoying for everyone. Ted makes the funniest, would-be ferocious noises as he goes after the toy, as though he is trying to prove that he really is a big dog, and not a small terrier as in reality. Of course, me cooing, “Who’s a scary doggie?” probably doesn’t help his delusion.
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9 comments
It’s physically impossible to leave the pet store without at least one new toy. I am so thrilled that Henry actually plays with every single toy we have (until he pushes them all under the oven, one by one). Before we had him, they just sat around the house, lonely and unloved. And yet, I still bought more every. single. time. It’s a disease.
Oh, the cuteness! Congrats to Ted! And also, good call on the issue being the size of his mouth and not genuine lack of interest in the toy. You should be a doggie psychologist or something.
Smalls is awfully ferocious with her toys, too. She growls like the tough girl she is and even barks at Ben to let him know that she is about to try to remove the toy he’s chewing on from his mouth. She’s a real killer, that one. (ha!)
Does Ted ever hold on so tight that you can lift him off the ground just by pulling the rope up?
You can consider me won over. Adorable.
Oh man, our dogs LOVE the rope toys!! We actually have to keep an eye on them though, because they’ll sit there and worry the knot loose and then eat a huge pile of string which is not so great for puppy internal organs!
Our dogs really aren’t into the toys….we have TONS of toys, but they’d just rather with each other.
He does look like he has small dog syndrome, but very cute with it.
My husband is a major pet store softie too. Specifically the Petsmart on 202 just shy of the PA border? Yeah, we have to play with the kittens EVERY TIME we go there.
Those photos are so cute… I can just hear Ted growling at the rope!
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