Price is what you pay. Value is what you get. ~ Warren Buffett
Many years ago, when Domer was just a lad, he and I went to a store to buy a toy for the new Sheltie who’d come to live with us.
Up and down the aisles we went, picking up this toy, squeaking that one. Some things we ruled out as being too hard for a wee pup’s teeth; others, we figured were too soft and flimsy for rugged play.
Domer, bless him, even back then was quick to point out some were “too expensive!”
But they who keep searching eventually will find, and so it was with us. I spied a “Clearance” box on the top shelf, and it was overflowing with goofy-looking puffy toys. Not something I’d typically choose for a pup, but I pointed it out to Domer.
“Seventy-five cents?” he read aloud. “Let’s get one!”
Did I mention it was UGLY? We really had no idea what kind of animal it was — part cat, part cartoon — and I could almost see the stuffing strewn all over the house.
We took it to the checkout line, where it rang up as being several dollars, but we assured the checker it was in a box with a clearance tag reading “75 cents” on it.
Obviously unwilling to send somebody back to confirm what we said, she shrugged and sold it to us for 75 cents.
That just might be the best 75 cents we’ve ever spent.
Dallas loves it!
He gnaws on it, tosses it in the air, catches it, runs around the house with it hanging from his mouth. He drops it on the floor, pounces at it, growls at it. And, short of pulling the stuffing out of its tail, he hasn’t strewn its innards anywhere!
He’s derived a LOT of pleasure from it. And isn’t that what a toy is supposed to do?
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, Mama!
Musings by an ND Domer's Mom 
Oooh, that is a funny looking bugger, isn’t it? But as long as Dallas loves it, then that’s alright. This charming little tale really made me smile, thank you!
I love making my friends smile, Lucy — thanks for telling me! Every time I look at this UGLY toy, I wonder what Dallas sees in it. Perhaps he’s merely recalling happy times in the past when Domer was home?!?
Who knows what dogs see in these things but maybe you are right! I have an odd affection for the thing myself now – haha!
Want me to send it to you? Perhaps your kitty would like to toss it around??!!
Terry would love it but I would hate to deprive Dallas of a companion. If Dallas ever tires of the thing, please do send it my way!
We have two boxers and the stuffing test must be top of mind. I noticed the toy has been “tied off” which we do frequently. Our latest is the pig. What a toy.
You, too, huh, John?? Well, thank goodness for stuffingless dog toys — Dallas seems to enjoy those, too. And I’m happy to know he can chew away without ingesting a mouth full of polyester batting!!
Yeah, I always worry about ingesting something that won’t come out.
Polyester batting would be a challenge!!
Yikes Xrays etc. $800.00
Awww! I’m a sucker for cat toys – the sparklier and crinklier the better! Unfortunately Tommy and Tuppence don’t share my enthusiasm – they prefer a bit of old string or a crunched up chocolate wrapper (which sadly means I have to eat a lot of chocolate…)
T&T sound like little kids, FF. They, too, would often prefer playing with the box that the expensive, fancy toy came in, rather than the toy itself! But having to eat a lot of chocolate is small price to pay for happy kitties, right?!!
It’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make for their happiness… *unwraps a chocolate creme*
You’re such a good mommy!! I’d make that sacrifice, too, but Dallas doesn’t seem enthralled by wrapping paper. Sigh.
Funny how our animals picks favorites and others they won’t touch; guess they’re more like humans than we give them credit for!
Right you are, Suzi. I suspect toy manufacturers spend countless amounts of time and money researching toy preferences for pets. Dallas won’t touch some of those Kong toys, though I’ve seen other dogs who love them. Go figure!
Dallas has Movie Star looks! Was it 75 cents because nobody knows what the heck it is? L0LLLLLLLL. xxx
Haha! I think it was so cheap because it was mis-marked, but that’s not my problem! Even if she’d gone back to check, she couldn’t have charged me more because it was their error, not mine. But yeah, its identity remains a mystery, Kim! xoxo
“Price is what you pay. Value is what you get. ~ Warren Buffett”
Debbie, I LOVED that quote! And it’s so true! Isn’t something how animals have no reference of cost, they just love what they love!
Oh, what a precious post! And that picture of Dallas is absolutely ADORABLE!
((((((((((((( Dallas )))))))))))))
Thanks for sharing the sweetness, my friend!
Have a great rest of your week!
X to you and Dallas
Aw, Dallas and I thank you, Ron, for coming along — glad we put a smile on your face! I’m committing Warren Buffett’s quote to memory — as a self-employed web designer, I need to remind prospective clients of it, ha!
You know, it’s funny but true that animals don’t seem to care about costs. They think nothing of throwing up on a Persian rug but will spend hours tossing a stick in the park, ha!
Happy Wednesday — it’s almost the weekend again!!
Lovely story, beautiful doggie!
Thanks, Cindy! He has a personality that fits his beauty, that’s for sure!
I’m just blown away that Dallas still is playing with that thing. I suppose Dixie Rose’s lack of play has to do with her age, ut it’s been a long time since she’s been willing to bat anything around. She’ll get excited if she gets a new catnip toy, but it only lasts for a day or two. Then boredom sets in. She still plays with her tissue paper, though. She shreds it into ribbons, then I throw the mess away and give her some fresh.
But she won’t accept Dollar Store tissue. Only Hallmark. 🙂
Well, look at Dixie Rose, being all persnickety and stuff! Perhaps even animals can smell or feel the difference in tissue papers?!
Yes, Dallas still has a lot of PLAY in him! I imagine it’s his breed. If I don’t play with him, he goes to his toy box, fishes something out (usually this horrendous puffy-thing!), and plays solo. ‘Tis a good thing to play, don’t you agree?!
Isn’t it funny which toys end up being the favorites? Our first dog, Shelby was a well-trained purebred. She had no interest in toys, other than to show off her retrieving skills with her training dummies. Lucy is a mix of several breeds, and we’re not entirely certain what all of them might be. She’s rambunctious and energetic, obeys only when she feels like it, and loves her large collection of toys, from the durable chewies to the unstuffed animals she rips open and turns inside out. Like Dallas, her toys are one of the most obvious ways through which we get to see her express pleasure and joy!
That’s a great way of expressing it, Terri — play and toys are the way dogs show their pleasure and joy. Too soon, I’m afraid, they ignore the toys in favor of a good nap — or so I’m told. Dallas, while he enjoys a nap, loves the interaction of playing with his mama — and Domer, when he’s home!
Oscar cannot have stuffed animals due to his ability to tear it to shreds within minutes. He always goes for the nose first, then the eyes…he loves a squeaker. Dallas is one lucky pup!! So sweet.
Poor Oscar! I’m sure he entertains you with his other charms, though?!!
Oh, we get special stuffing free toys. I’m sure you’ve seen them.
Dallas has lots of those — he loves them, too. I don’t know who came up with that idea, but it was brilliant!!
Funny. No cute little bunnies for Dallas. I bet he grabs it, first thing, when he has been away for awhile! Rascal favorite toy is one of my baseball caps. She chewed the brim a bit as a pup and claimed it as her own. I once knew a pit bull that loved a giant purple eggplant toy. It was just the funniest thing ever.
Domer would *never* let Dallas near one of his baseball caps, especially those with ND logos on them! I don’t guess I ever saw a giant purple eggplant toy for dogs — interesting choice. I guess dogs, like people, have preferences; I’ve often wondered whether Dallas smelled something unusual on the toys he seems to cherish most (perhaps it was touched in the store by another dog, or maybe the person who made it had food smells on their hands?!!)
Debbie, at least it’s not hideous. For 75 cents, you can’t complain. Besides, Dallas loves it and that’s the best gift of all. To see our little ones happy. 🙂
Yep, we moms are suckers for buying our “babies” toys — and you’re right, it didn’t cost near as much as some of little Domer’s did, ha!
*laughs* That’s awesome! And I think the toy is genuinely handsome, I should add.
Professor, this toy was NEVER handsome! Clean, maybe, but definitely not cute! Neither Domer nor I could ever figure out what kind of creature it was — not that it mattered to Dallas! Welcome back, and thanks for taking time to stop by and read! You’ve been missed, you know *grins bigly*
That is great… finding a toy for 75 cents AND the dog loving it! I don’t care what the toy looks like, that’s beautiful! (And a cost-conscious kid… that’s cool 🙂 )