Hi, I’m Dr. Karyn! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my five funny dogs, Poppy, Bailey, Kodah, Ned, and Fred.

Not every dog loves toys, and different dogs like different toys; something the pet supply industry knows all too well. In my house, the Labradors love tennis balls, Kodah loves anything that shoots water, Fred loves donuts, and Ned…well, Ned’s a little bit different. Ned isn’t all that interested in any of your traditional dog toys, but that doesn’t mean he’s not into playing. He just prefers to play with the things that everyone else leaves behind.

Living with five cats, hairballs are about as certain as death and taxes, and if I don’t find them first, you can bet that Ned will. For reasons known only to him, Ned likes to pounce on, carry, and chew on these fuzzy little tumbleweeds, and if I don’t catch him in time, he’ll even try to eat them. Nice.

Although he’s not a fan of toys as such, his other odd little fixation is on anything that falls off – or more likely, is chewed off – any other toys. Legs, ears, antlers, and tails have all found their way into Ned’s itty bitty mouth, the focus of his adorable prancing game for one. You might assume that it’s because parts of a toy are a better size match for my smallest pet, but he’s played with larger pieces and ignored smaller toys. For some reason I can’t fathom, for Ned, the sum of the parts is worth more than the whole.

Recycled Fashion

The other day, whilst embarking on my biannual wardrobe cleanout, I came across the detachable faux fur trim from an old jacket. I had a theory, and Ned quickly proved it correct. This length of fur, being one part of a whole, has become Ned’s most treasured possession and favorite plaything.

There’s only one thing better than his kittenish pounce as I drag the fur along like a cat toy, and that’s watching the pure glee on his face as he dances and prances around with it on his own. For some reason, he has more fun playing by himself than when I get involved to make the ‘toy’ dance, and that suits me, as it means I’ve managed to make more videos than I’d like to admit.

Given that even the most indestructible of indestructible dog toys inevitably succumb to the tenacious chewing of Kodah and Fred, the good news is that Ned always has a steady supply of ‘parts of toys’ heading his way. Unfortunately, despite best efforts, there is also a fairly regular drop of hairballs that keep me on my toes. I might not quite understand the appeal of these ‘bits and pieces’ for my teeny Chihuahua, but if he’s happy, then so am I.