New toys

Ah Friday; the day we all wait for is finally here once again. My husband and I made a trip to Costco last night where we bought a package of new dog toys for the pooches. As I made my choice carefully; comparing the two different types I envisioned the empty carcasses strewn across my family room in a pool of white fluff; oh well. I bought the toys and brought them home; new toys for all. Dogs love to get new toys; even though they have two baskets full of old and haggard ones already, a new toy is a big happening in our house. A toys life is not a long one in our home but the joy they bring is immeasurable.

We arrived home and I went into the house with an armful of stuff; I tossed the box of toys onto the floor and watched. Luke was of course the first to check it out; he pushed it around a bit and rolled the box over. Although the toys were boxed; both the head and tail end were sticking out for all to see and touch. Next Tilley meandered over to see what this was that Luke was so interested in. She too rolled it around and stood staring; then looked at me with a "are these for us?" look on her face. I put a few more things away while watching the new toy interest displayed by the dogs. Once I was done messing around I gave 100% of my attention to the dogs and the new toys.

Jessie was a late arrival; she finally came down to see what was going on. She started her regular greeting but couldn't find a toy. She is a toy grabber during a greeting; she can't greet you without a toy in her mouth. I yelled at her (she's nearly completely deaf) to come to me. It was at that moment that they all lost it; it was a free for all of grabbing. Luke latched onto one of the toys heads and postured; with his head turned sideways and his body frozen he was not letting this little Jack Russell get all of the goods. Enough was enough "LEAVE IT." Everyone sat focused on the toys; no one looked away in fear of loosing the chance for a new toy.

I slowly broke open the box; there were a few grab attempts which stopped the opening procedure. Once all were under control I commenced the box opening. Things are dished out in the same order always in my house; Jessie, Tilley, Luke and the dogs are well aware of this. So first Jessie got hers; she grabs it and runs off shaking the life out of the new stuffed giraffe. Tilley is next; Miss patient, there is no grabbing with Tilley. I actually have to wing the toy around so that she will grab it; then she quietly takes her toy and lays down with it. She gets to know her new toy from top to bottom and only then will she get on with the gentle mouthing of it.

Now Luke; last but definitely not least. Considering that he is a reactive dog; he does very well to wait his turn but he can wait no longer. He makes a grab which results in a mock disgust from me; he then sits back down and waits. He is rewarded for this with the toy, finally he gets his new toy. You cannot mistake the pure pleasure when a dog leaps tossing his head around like a wild stallion with the toy hanging out of both sides of his mouth. He lays down madly chomping the toy; it's squeaks can be heard across the house. Not long after the chomping commencing and the squeaks are silenced; after all the goal is to kill the toy, at least for Luke it is.

I make myself comfortable and continue to watch the happiness a new toy can bring. The dogs have positioned themselves strategically; enabling them to enjoy their toy while still keeping an eye on the other dogs, just in case. Luke is a "the grass is always greener" kind of guy and eyeballs the other toys continually. He knows that he is not allowed to make a grab for them; but he cannot help but wonder what he is missing out on. The other girls need only to leave their toy unattended for a moment and it is snatched up by the blonde guy. But a simple "leave it" results in an immediate drop where he is left staring at the toy only inches from his face. He will not touch it again; he might turn his head away to assist his urge to chomp the toy for he does not like it when Mom is angry.

Ah the joy of a new toy.