Damn Beaver!

I love meeting all of the doggies that come into the shop every day. We have our awesome regulars like Emma, Max, and Zoe, and we are also treated to a steady stream of doggies on vacation. It's so funny to see these travelling dogs, many of whom have been stuck in the car for days on end, prance into the store as if they've been here 100 times.

One of the best doggie moments in the store was the day that Bissell the dachshund got to pick out his own toy. His owner Michelle placed 4 of our Fluff and Tuff plush toys in a row on the ground and then let Bissell loose to pick his favorite. I will never forget the absolute joy and excitement on his face as he went from one toy to the next (and then back again) before settling on Nuts the Squirrel (good choice, buddy).

You can never go wrong with Nuts the Squirrel

How do dogs pick their toys? What is it about the shape, size, squeak, and fur that appeals to one dog more than another? I'll never be able to figure it out.

Our extremely lucky dogs act as the official toy-testers for the store, so I've seen everything in the store be cuddled, chewed, tugged, squeaked, and slobbered on. And while they love almost every toy we've given to them, there are a couple of favorites.

As I've previously mentioned, all of the Fluff and Tuff toys are adored in my house. Sometimes when John and I get home we will find what we call a "Fluff and Tuff Graveyard" in our living room, in which no less than 7 toys will be strewn all over the floor. It's hard to beat these toys on the love-factor.

The only other plush that can hold its own next to the F&T is the Dam Beaver toy from West Paw. This little guy is Barksdales FAVORITE. He even knows the toy by name ("Where's Dam Beaver?!" John and I will ask him before he runs out of the room on a mad hunt for his best buddy). I have no idea why he loves this toy so much -- to me it looks just like every other plush out there. But to Barksdale, Dam Beaver is untouchable.

And that's all that matters.