How To Deconstruct A Screaming Monkey

Quasar celebrated the holidays with his favorite Christmas gift, the notorious Screaming Monkey, a gift from one of AR's best friends. This particular Monkey has a recording device inside which, when squeezed properly, emits the sounds of what one hopes is in fact not a screaming monkey but rather a lunatic that makes a good living in strange ways. The screaming sends Quasar into a scary frenzy. Really. He gets this look in his eye that is both intimidating and focused. He tore the monkey apart at the seams within 20 minutes, so AR took the monkey and duct taped it together, and put it in hiding for a couple of weeks until poor Quasar calmed down.



Since Quasar has been a Good Boy as of late (really, all the time), we decided this afternoon to give him the Screaming Monkey as a treat.



Quasar immediately went into another frenzy, showing the Monkey who is boss and that he will not be intimated by either screaming...



...or duct tape.


One damn happy dog.

I don't know how much this toy costs, but it is worth every penny regardless of its longevity. Just have your camera ready.

The good news is that we retrieved the recording device, which still works and which we will use whenever we need to get Quasar's serious attention.

Horseplay - Toys for Horses

Recently, I've been checking in on Teachings of the Horse, a wonderful blog written by Victoria, who learns about herself and life from her horses Silk and Siete. She invites us to discover our "inner horse" as she does same.

In one of Victoria's recent posts, she mentioned that her five-year-old mare Siete was acting out some boredom. This got me to thinking about toys for horses, and if they exist. I remember some years back seeing one of those "funny pet" programs on TV and there was a horse kicking a ball around a corral, seemingly having lots of fun. Big dogs have toys, why not horses?

So, not knowing much about horses and play, I did an internet search and came upon a wonderful site - Horseplay Products (HP). Horseplay Products "designs, manufactures and sells equine products for horses at play and leisure." Perfect! Their products appear to be good for larger dogs, too. Along with toys, they also sell stall plaques and memorial markers, treats, and mounted feeders.

A "Jolly Ball" is offered at the Drs. Foster and Smith pet supplies site; it is nontoxic and fairly indestructible, about 10-inches diameter, and has a handle on it - so your horse can pick it up and carry it, as well as kick it and roll it. It's a good buy for only $17.99, and comes in unscented, and apple and bubblegum scents.

The good Doctors also offer a Wiggly Giggly ball on a rope, treats and treat dispensers, and other toys, including a "horse soccer starter kit," a 50-inch inflatable ball with "soccer rules" and instructional DVD.

And, finally, Drs. Foster and Smith have a wonderful article about "stable and stall vices," which discusses what constitutes a vice, lists the "vices," and addresses how to treat them and prevent them.

Toys are fun diversions for relieving boredom, anxiety, fear, or frustration. (Seems rather the same with people, yes?)

detroit dog says give the dog a bone! Or the horse a ball! Or something like that....