How do you know you're the parent of a spoiled dog?

I just spent half an hour getting my dog Leela's favorite toy out from under our backyard shed. It only took me about two minutes to get it out the first time, but I made the mistake of letting her watch me, and she got so excited that she ran over to get the toy and bopped it with her snout, sending it flying even further back under the shed. Needless to say, it took a while longer to get it out the second time.

October 22nd is 'National Make a Dog's Day' Day. The emphasis is mostly on finding loving forever homes for shelter dogs (a noble cause indeed), but since I already have a rescue dog to spoil, I thought I'd share some of her favorite toys and treats so you can spoil your new buddy or longtime best friend.

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This is the toy I got filthy recovering from under the shed today. Leela L-O-V-E-S her Babble Balls. Every time a new one comes in the mail, she knows what's in that box and freaks out. She does a little dance all around me while I unwrap the toy, then struts around the house with it in her mouth because she's so proud of it as if she did anything to earn beside being a spoiled brat.

Aaron Savage, Townsquare Media
Aaron Savage, Townsquare Media
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The name of the product is spot-on: It's a ball that babbles at your dog. Some of the Babble Balls come with soundbites from cartoons like Looney Tunes and The Simpsons along with other sound effects, while others just have random animal noises and a high-pitch voice saying phrases like "Good Doggie" or "Oh, You Got Me".

Leela's favorite game is fetch, and if you have a like-minded dog, they'll love fetching Babble Balls, especially the models that light up.

We like to put Leela's inside a box for a puzzle-solving challenge.


Leela loves these because they're chewy, bouncy, and you can hide peanut butter or a treat inside and give her something to do for about an hour as she tries to get to the treat. I love them because they're practically indestructible.

My dog is sweet-natured and loves people. She doesn't bite and learned early on not to chew on fingers or toes. It's a good thing, because she's got a strong jaw and sharp teeth, and she can destroy stuffed toys with squeakers inside in less than five minutes.

Aaron Savage, Townsquare Media
Aaron Savage, Townsquare Media
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We experimented with a variety of toys before we found the KONG line of rubber toys. They're durable, make a great fetch toy, and as I said above, you can put a treat inside to give your dog a fun puzzle to solve.

They come in a variety of shapes and sizes. I like the larger models because they're easier to get out of Leela's strong grip so we can play fetch, and they have plenty of room for treats. There's also no risk of her choking. You'll want to pick the size and shape best suited for your pal.


When Leela's not playing fetch, she's playing tug-o-war. It's good exercise for her and for me, and when I found this toy, I figured it might as well be good for her teeth as well.

This toy has a minty smell and it's tough enough for a dog who can destroy just about anything.

Fresh n Floss Rope Toy
Booda, Amazon
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I love the fact that this is advertised as being for kids, too. Yeah, watch the kiddos jump up and down snapping at bacon flavored bubbles. That's not weird at all.

Anyway, Leela loves this one too. In fact, she loves the peanut butter flavored bubbles even more, which you can get here.

Dog Bacon Bubble Machine - Blows Bacon Scented Bubbles!, Amazon
Dog Bacon Bubble Machine - Blows Bacon Scented Bubbles!, Amazon
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That's it. It's just a ginormous bag of nutritious dog food at a total steal of a price delivered right to your door. Your dog needs fuel to run around the yard playing with that Babble Ball!

PhoenixMart, Amazon
PhoenixMart, Amazon
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