Toys from a Dog's Point of View

In honor of National Dog Day, the following is a look into a dog's life:

"Git the toy, Toby." She says.

"Git the toy."

I race outside to my big chest o'toys and halt, Sure, get a toy. What toy? The chest o'toys is easily twice my height and length. I'm just a little dog. Okay, not that little, but not that big either.

Oh, look a lizard, got to get the lizard. Dang the lizard ran outside the gate. Maybe if I stare long enough it will come back.

Where was I, oh yeah, toys - getting a toy. My humans cut out the front so I can dig around inside trying to find that perfect toy. Dog dressed like a bee? Nope. Maybe my pink octopus? Nope. I am flinging toys outside the chest and the pile is getting bigger.

"Toby?"

I hear my name being called from inside. I race back in. No food yet. What could they want?

"Where's your toy?"

Toy. Toy. Where's my toy? I start racing from one end of the house to the other. No toy, but this is fun. I do it again, again and again. Okay, I'm tired so I flop to my side to catch my breath. My, this carpet is comfy.

"Where's your toy, Toby?"

I look up at them as if to say, I tired, leave me alone. Mmmm...I smell food. Chicken. Yeah, chicken. I'm getting chicken. I get up and meander to the kitchen and sit in the dining room where I can still see what's going on without being in the kitchen so I would not get yell at. Yep, chicken. I can see my human cutting up my portion in bite size pieces. Yeah dinner. We all gather around the table, my humans and my big little brother (he's a Chihuahua) and as our plates, the eating commences. Chicken good. Chicken gone. Want more chicken.

Two helpings later, I am full and waddle over to get a drink. My brother follows and we go outside. Oh, a cat. Got to say hi to the cat. My brother joins me and we keep trying to get the cat to come over and play or at least we try until one of the humans come out and tell us otherwise. Bye cat, talk later.

The sidewalk is warm. Think I'll rest for a bit. I must have dozed off.

"Toby. Dessert."

Oh boy, cookies. Lots and lots of cookies. Yeah cookies. I like cookies. They are laid out for me in a nice row. I'm only allowed to take one at a time. I pick them up off the sofa one at a time and lay on the floor to eat my cookie. Up for another and down to eat. This is getting tiring; I just sally up to the doggie bar and stand to eat my cookies. Cookies gone. Where toy go? I race to each room, looking for toy. Boy, this running is fun. Lets go real fast from one end of the house to the other again. Yep, running fun.

Watch out brutha, gonna hit you. I turn quick, missed brother, but hit chair. I think running done.

Time for belly rubs. Oh, yeah, right there. Hey, don't stop. I grabbed my human's hand and push back down to my belly. More rubs. Feels so good. My human puts me down and she goes to bed. Bedtime already? Oh, alright. I can get more belly rubs. Ahh, bliss on belly rubs. Okay, everyone settling down. I jump down and crawl into my bed, all warm and snuggly.

As I lay contemplating the day, I realized something - I never did get that toy. Tomorrow. Will get the toy tomorrow.

Toby is a four year old American Eskimo and Chihuahua mix who was rescued from the pound just before Christmas 2006. He currently and permanently lives the dog's life with plenty of love, treats, sunshine and of course toys and lizards.