Reuse Stuffed Animals As Dog Toys

My poodle "Fluffy" (now passed on) taught me that she loved "babies". She found a dirty little teddy bear and would not part with it. I got it away from her when she went to sleep and washed and dried it and put it back in bed with her.

After seeing she wouldn't get far away from that "baby", I started watching for new "babies" with no moving parts that could come loose or hurt her. I got them for 25 cents apiece at the end of the day at garage sales. After a couple of trips coming home with one on a Saturday, she knew which friend went with me. If we went out together, she'd wait for me and her new "baby".

In the last few years of her life, she never hurt one of her babies. She would hide them here and there, but if a thunderstorm or other bad weather came, everyone of those babies was in her bed under her!

Also if I brought her a new "baby" from the store, she'd ignore it! It had to have been pre-loved. Her favourite was a pink and purple elephant the same small size as her teddies. That day, the only thing I saw the right size was that elephant and I knew she'd be waiting.

So that's my tip, look for toys that are sold at the end of the day, just a small one for a small dog. Probably not a good tip for big dogs. I now have a Shitzu cross and she takes her babies all over with her too!

By Annie from Kitchener, B.C.