Wow, that title sure makes me sound like a Mean Dog Mom.
Ahem. Well, here’s the deal. Nellie LOVES toys. Every time she gets a new toy, she is ecstatic. “THIS one,” she seems to say, “Is the best toy EVER!” She throws it in the air, leaps around, rolls around on it to make it squeak, and then joyfully prances around the room, holding the toy high in the air and chomping on it so it goes “squeak! squeak! squeak!” Then she marches over to her bed and lies down with the new toy in her mouth, squeaking away, happy as a dog can be. She seems to say, “Now that I have THIS toy, my life is complete.”
And because she loves toys and lost her extensive Toy Collection in the Fire, people love to give her toys. Squeaky toys, big toys, little toys – she loves them all. My neighbor Judy brought me a cool barn jacket that she found at the Free Store, and she stuffed a toy for Nellie in each pocket. Nellie was wild with gratitude.
She’s gotten so many that I tried to bring some of them to the Humane Society, so other toy-less doggies can enjoy them. The trouble is, Princess Nellie is also the Queen of “Mine.”
I went over to her bed, where she keeps her stash of toys, and picked out a selection of the least-played-with toys, and put them into a plastic shopping bag. Nellie sat and looked at me disdainfully, with her head tilted to one side. “What are you doing with MY TOYS?!” she seemed to say. I explained that she now had plenty of toys, and that other less fortunate dogs might want them. She tilted her head in the opposite direction and stared at me, as if to say, “OTHER dogs? Want MY toys?” I told her Yes, you can share, because you have plenty.
I put the bag by the front door and went into the bedroom for a minute, and when I came out, Nellie had her head in the bag and was rooting around, her tail wagging wildly. As I watched, she carefully pulled out the toys that were in the bag, one by one, and put them all BACK in her bed. Then she dug around and pushed them all together, and then laid down on her pile of toys. “Ahhh, all MINE,” she seemed to say.
Well, since Nellie has been displaced and disoriented and has had to put up with her crazed and moody mom, and now has to be a City Dog when she is really a Mountain Dog, I’m going to let her keep ALL her new toys. Even though there are Way Too Many toys.
So I am declaring a Moratorium on new toys for Nellie. No more ducks, bunnies, or bears. No more hippos, hedgehogs, frogs, skunks, or elephants. No more squeaky balls or squeaky birds or big stuffed parrots. No more… oh, heck. Who cares. Life is short and Nellie is a Princess, after all.
Bring on the toys!
Wishing You a Good Night,
Andi and (a very happy) Princess Nellie
Nellie Happily Asleep on her Pile 'O Toys
Substitute “pre-schooler” for “dog” and you’d still have a credible scenario. She really is an amazing little critter — and you capture her moods and behavior so well.
Thanks Claire. It struck me after I wrote this that it’s also a comment on our relationship with “stuff.” Happiness is a full bed of toys – and when is enough enough? Things to think about…
What a wonderful story, so well told! Often being a Mean Mommy is synonymous with being a Good Mommy. Amazing how Nellie is clinging to what she has, seeming to understand what she has lost. Good for her for taking care of herself that way. And good for you for sharing with us!
Thanks Marilyn, for your insightful comment. She really does love ALL her toys. And her joy in all things new is inspiring.
I don’t know you are your sweet doggie but I’m so glad you’re letting her keep all her toys!
Thanks Susan! I love your knitting blog!
Happiness is a bed full of toys. But I know that if Nellie had to make a choice, she would trade them all for you!
You are so right Aunt Laurel!
Hey Nells, what kind of crazy person do you live with anyway? Giving away toys? Who ever heard of such a thing? The only proper way to “dispose” of a toy is to eat it. Who doesn’t know that? Wow. I thought everyone knew that. Gracie Girl
Hi Gracie Girl. I know. Humans are a little crazy, but we love ’em anyway! Woof and wags,
Nellie
She is so cute cuddled up with all her toys! We love it when Cora brings hers to her bed, too. Nellie is one lucky pup, Andi.
Thanks Jodi! I’m so lucky to have Nellie, too. She gets me through the toughest times with a wag and a snuggle…
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Sweet story! We have a GoldenDoodle name Kenobi and he LOVES toys, too. In fact it’s almost weird how he automatically knows when I walk through the door and there’s something for him in a bag.
Bottom line – we don’t buy him toys all the time – but the joy he feels (and we share) when he gets a toy is so precious that I’m pretty sure the toys will continue. I’m also pretty sure he would choose his family over those toys — we like to play, too.
Great site, A. Thanks for the stories you share.
~Kate
Your post was originally written back in April. How’s Nellie adjusting to life in the big city? Are you still buying toys for her on a constant basis?
She is so darn cute!