With A Bite Mark Chomped Out

Barley, a dog, would like the viewer to pick up and throw Manny, a beleaguered dog toy that is still recognizable as a lobster.

Manny’s best days are no doubt behind him, something that can be said of most of Barley’s toys. for one thing, he definitely started off with a face. Following Phase 1 of play with a new toy (which involves a lot of shaking, tugging, and prancing about), Barley will sometimes transition to Phase 2, in which she finds the toy’s weak spots and systematically attacks them. Her back teeth have a scissor-like quality, and she’ll use them to worry away stitching until the stuffing is exposed. (Thankfully, she’s not interested in the stuffing). The secret to her toys’ longevity lies in what comes next:

1. I remove at least half of the stuffing. Most dog toys are overstuffed in was that make them easy to destroy. An understuffed toy that is floppy while still having substance holds up much better.
2. I stitch the toy back up with short lengths of upholstery thread. Frankly, upholstery thread is terrifying stuff, I’m still blown away by how strong it is. If Barley manages to breach the outer shell again, it will usually be in a new spot with original stitching, not the spot I repaired.

So, Manny struggles along, blind and tailless but at least enjoying a stable existence despite Barley’s powerful chomps.