meta : pup

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earlier this week a post discussed Meta’s current favorite toy, the Lunker.

here is a more detailed breakdown of how her toys rank :

#1 : the Lunker

the reason this toy ranks so high is not due to its weight because it’s pretty light [we had a theory that the heaviest toys were the most popular] but rather due to its multi-faceted-ness. it’s a floating throw thing that also stands up to heavy chewing

as well as a nylon rope chewy complete with knots

and overall it’s quite durable given the razor sharp pup teeth that have been chewing on it for nearly four weeks now.

#2 : tennis ball

timeless in its simplicity and legendary for its usability, the tennis ball almost never fails to capture the fancy of most any pup. just like the old marketing campaign for Penn : “you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all”, these babies satisfy consistently like no other object on the planet.

#3 : the rope toy

the rope toy is perhaps the most reliable of any of these toys because it’s designed for one thing and for one thing only : chewing.
that, combined with good weight, means this toy sometimes pitch hits as her favorite and is the first toy she’s learned the name of.

#4 : unknown toy

this toy was a gift from Ellie and no one seems to know from where it came. we do know its hard plastic composition and weight have outlasted both a rambunctious Lab as well as our sharp-toothed lil girl, thus far.

#5 : the jangley

this toy holds up for both its “jangley” sound and its 3D shape which seems to hold Meta’s interest well. it’s very light, however, which, like the Lunker, throws out the notion that heavy toys are always the most popular.

#6 : the Kong

another heavy one, this toy was a favorite of our Border Collie, Fiddle, and remains quite popular with Meta, too, for its unpredictable bounce and textured, pliant surface. both are great qualities for puppies while chasing and chewing.

#7 : blue bone

this odd toy enjoys very little attention but when she’s onto it, she’s onto it. it’s not very good for throwing as it doesn’t bounce much but its spiky, rubber surface seems to be just the ticket at times when the other toys are just not doing it for her.

there are, of course, another half-dozen or so toys in her collection but they just don’t measure up the way these do.

the simple truth : there is no single deciding factor as to why one puptoy excels over the others.

just like with people, so with pups : the battles of taste shall never be won.

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theo is our dear friends’ [jennie and joe] pup who loves to play gently with meta:

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Meta takes walks with us in the morning and in the evening and is learning to walk right beside us while taking in the sights and smells of the world:

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When you get a new puppy, one of the first things to do is BUY TOYS!

Thing is, some toys the pup will like and some not. Some toys, however, the puppy will LOVE.

Of the dozen or so toys we’ve acquired for Meta, her favorite by far is THE LUNKER by Ruff Wear, in medium size and the color of blue shown here:

We believe she likes it so much for three main reasons:

1. it has not only a sort of chewy, baggy part, but also a nylon rope with a good knot on the end that’s great for chewing, teething puppies.
2. it makes a great sound when dragged across the cement floor in Fort Awesome, which is very appealing to puppies and makes her want to chase it.
3. the name – who wouldn’t love a toy called “The Lunker”?

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