All Chihuahuas love toys. I especially love stuffed animals that squeak. I have quite a collection.

Toys vs. Daddies

Toys make my life interesting and give me something to do. But toys are not a substitute for my daddies. In fact, being able to play games with my daddies make my toys even more fun. That’s because all dogs are social animals and love attention.

My stuffed mouse and porcupine are my current favorites. I also have a bunny, hippo and other various animals, but don’t find them as fascinating.

Toy Repair Hospital

Sometimes I manage to make a hole in my stuffed toy and pull out the stuffing. That is even more fun. But it is a solitary game. Once my daddy finds me doing this, that toy quickly vanishes. There is a toy hospital drawer in the kitchen and a sewing kit. After a while the toy reappears but the hole is gone. The challenge is for me to find or create more holes.

I also have a Kong toy. It has an odd shape and is made of hard rubber. There’s a hole in one end. It’s a pretty boring toy, except when my daddy puts a treat inside. It’s actually wedged in the hole. I eat the treat as much as I can.

The object is for me to learn how to get the entire treat out. Sometimes it’s too much work. I’ve taught my daddy how to get the treat out for me. It’s a simple trick. I take the Kong to daddy, lay it at his feet, and scratch at his leg. Eventually he gives in and gets the treat out for me. He never eats it himself. I guess he’s being nice to me. It’s fun to teach daddy a new trick.

Chuck-It, and daddy will throw it back

Another favorite toy is my Chuck-It ball. It’s a colorful, mini tennis ball. The perfect size for us little Chihuahuas. They seem to be multiplying. First I had one, then two. Now I have four. Five if you count the one I chewed up a bit. I don’t know where it is now, but I’m sure it will show up sooner or later.

The trick is to carry the ball to one daddy and toss it. He either throws it so I can retrieve it, or he kicks it with his foot. Either way, I get it and bring it back. I take turns going from one daddy to the other. Sometimes the ball gets stuck under furniture or something. I find that by staring at it for a time usually brings a daddy over to retrieve it. Daddies are fun to control. I get them to do all sorts of things for me.

Every so often I get a new toy. At first it’s fun, but I usually go back to my favorites. I’m a creature of habit. They say you should recycle your dog’s toys. By that I mean, take some away for a while and bring back old toys I haven’t seen in a while. It’s supposed to make them seem like new again. How stupid do you think I am. I can tell when a toy is new or not. New toys usually come in a plastic bag and have to have a tag to be removed. And there’s no slobbery smells on them yet.

Safe toys are best

Make sure your toys are sturdy. You don’t want your Chihuahua to eat a squeaker. I recently got one out of a toy and created a new toy for myself. Until my daddy stole it. I never did see that squeaker again.

For more information, read “Dog Toys: How to Figure Out What Your Dog Likes Best”