Squeaks and Squeezes

Because we hit up so many different locations on Ray's birthday tour, we amassed quite a collection of doggy birthday presents.  He got treats, an antler split, a smoked bone, a squeaky snake, and a Squeezz Stick in addition to his big-boy food. 

Naturally, I knew that a lot of this would need to be rationed out because just like a child, Ray would get too excited over all of the toys and end up playing with none of them.  So, the antler he received right away.  I found a nice thick one with nubs on it so that it would last longer than a regular split antler.  Regular splits last less than a week around here and full unsplit antlers are I-don't-have-anything-else-to-play-with-so-I-guess-I'll-play-with-this toys.  Splits are so much more instantly gratifiying it seems, so when we start feeling like Ray is overloaded on bully sticks, we try and encourage the antler use.

The snake was a hoot because it's billed as being indestructable and each section contains a squeaker that is supposed to continue squeaking even if punctured.  The eyes lasted about 14 minutes before they got picked off, the head has a gaping wound in it and each squeaker is nearly flat and completely soundless.  The nice thing, though, is that there is no stuffing in the snake.  Glad we had a coupon for that one.

I was feeling pretty good about the Squeezz Stick, too.  It's a Kong product and had a recessed/protected squeaker in it that might hold up better.  It did.  It took nearly 4 hours of play before the squeaker stopped working and nearly the same amount of time before Ray picked one of the nubs off enough to leave a gaping hole in the toy. 

My intent was not to be negative, and I'm certainly not trying to disparage any toys or companies, this is just more of my frustration in finding fun and functional toys for Ray.  I feel like the person who wants to wear cute shoes but is only able to wear orthopedic footwear.  There has to be some toy with a squeaker that lasts longer than a few hours out there.  Anyone? Anyone?  Bueller?

Puppy Breath

For some people it doesn't last long enough and for others it lasts too long.  I do like puppy breath, but I don't love it in that I didn't notice it was gone until one day there was just...nothing.  Probably because he is still so young and because he is a chewer, he has nice white teeth and his breath smells like air. 

Clean teeth and a happy smile.




I've read that rope toys kind of act like a floss and help keep plaque off of the teeth and if that is true, Ray should have some nice white chompers for life considering his obsession with his rope toys and any game of tug he can engage in.  But the other day, I realized I stick my fingers in his mouth all the time.  Ray likes to "hide" things in his mouth.  One of his favorite things to play with is an empty plastic milk jugs and the moment he gets the lid off, I say "Uh oh" and he usually knows to drop it right away.  Recenty he has begun to hold it in his mouth, back past his molars and between his teeth and cheek.  If I say, "Ray, what's in your mouth?"  He turns his head away very nonchalantly as if to say, "Nothing, I don't know what you're talking about, Mom."  Usually I can get it by trading, but a few times I have just dug it out of the depths of his "massive Pit Bull jaws."  I think he kind of likes that game.

Anyhow, I realized the other morning that all of this exploration in the depths of Rays mouth had probably set him up for some good hygene habits, so we dug this out to and started to use it.

We're not up to the whole mouth yet, but are getting a pretty good portion of it because, after all a nice helping of poultry flavored tooth paste?  YUM!

Do you brush your pooches teeth?