Quack Quack to the rescue!

Unfortunately, Owl was not an acceptable substitute for Fishy.

After the first day, Jack routinely rejected Owl and kept wanting to play with Fishy, who was looking worse by the day. I thought about what made Fishy so attractive to him, and decided it was the combination of his size (which Owl matched) softness, (Owl was much firmer) and the many sticking out parts so that he was easy to pick up (Owl was almost smooth). I went to the pet store and spent some time looking at the toys. I brought home one whose rubber was nice and soft and had a squeaker that was much less offensive to my ears. He’s called Quack Quack, although my daughter pointed out that while he may sound like a duck, he is decidedly a chicken, what with the comb and all. Doesn’t matter to Jack & me; he’s Quack Quack.

Jack took to him immediately. After 2 days I put Fishy up high where Jack couldn’t see him, and he didn’t seem to notice he was missing; Quack Quack was who we played fetch with, Quack Quack was who Jack sought when he wanted to chew on somebody soothing, or just make some noise.

I am not going to be trusting in the dog toy manufacturers this time around. Next time I go anywhere near the pet store, I’m picking up not one but two more Quack Quacks to have in the cupboard.

Speaking of animal antics…

Last year I planted a Japanese dogwood in my yard. I’d had one at my old house and really liked it, from leaves to flowers to fruit. What I didn’t know back when I lived in the sticks was how attractive the red fruits are to squirrels.

The little guys (and gals, I assume) will literally hang upside down to get to where they need to be on my skinny little branches to reach the tasty fruits.