Puppy's Life
First Year Treasures
Sometimes simple playthings can be favorites
It’s your first year as best buds, and while the two of you are having fun, playing games, and getting to know one another, it’s likely that you’ll both come to treasure a special blanket, a certain toy, the perfect park, or a fun activity. We asked several puppy owners what their best friends cherished during their first year together; their answers ranged from a favorite game to a plush toy resembling a birthday cake. Either way, the owners we talked to love their best friends’ treasures just as much as they do—here are their stories.
When Susan Bartholomew of New York City opened up her pet shop, her puppy ChouChou, a Yorkshire Terrier, was always with her, helping her set up shop. It was on one particular day that ChouChou selected the toy that the two would never part with. “ChouChou literally pulled Mr. Beasley (a stuffed cat that squeaks when squeezed) out of the bin—now she always carries it around with her while we’re together,” says Bartholomew, who regularly re-stitches and patches up the blonde cat, which always sports a red velvet vest, just so the two can continue their games. “We play with it all of the time, and she loves chasing it,” Bartholomew says. “I’ll toss it and run with her to get it.”
People who see Alaize, a Bulldog/Labrador Retriever mix, might not know what she’s always carrying around in her mouth when she and Jeanetta Buzzard are together, but Buzzard clearly remembers the day when she gave Alaize the doll that she constantly has with her. It was a bonding moment for the two best buds, and Alaize hasn’t parted with her gift since. “We just love that toy,” says Buzzard, who lives with Alaize in Boise, Idaho. As a fun activity for the two, Buzzard had brought home a handful of toys for Alaize to choose from; the doll was Alaize’s quick selection. Of all of the duo’s adventures together, playing with the doll is their favorite. But the day that Alaize had a pile of toys to select from is a special memory that won’t be forgotten, Buzzard says.
Chai, an American Bulldog, and Christopher Woodside, who live in Baltimore, Maryland, love playing games together. When Chai received a terrycloth duck when she was just a pup, the games they treasured had an added dimension. “Chai and I would play with it all of the time,” Woodside says. The 3-inch, soft, bright yellow duck with overalls and a squeaky toy always has a spot next to Chai—she constantly keeps it next to her, keeping her ready for game time. “…We love playing fetch, among other games,” he says.
Monica Daigle-Kleisatch knows she shares a cherished memory with her Boxer, Kobi. Not long ago, when her puppy turned one, Daigle-Kleisatch bought a stuffed birthday cake toy that she had found in a local pet shop to help the two celebrate together. The brightly colored cake, which plays “Happy Birthday” when squeezed, has six stuffed candles, and it soon became Kobi’s most prized possession—one that the two love playing with. “She loves it, and always runs in to play with it with me.” Daigle-Kleisatch, who lives with Kobi in Walnut Creek, California, says. She claims she will never replace the original. “It’s our treasure, and we all love it.”
Whether it’s a shared moment, activity, or toy, you and your new best friend will develop a special memory from your pup’s first year. Planning fun events, bringing home new toys or going toy shopping together, or simply setting aside time for frequent trips to your most-loved park are ways to cultivate meaningful memories. No matter how you choose to create memories together, have fun!
