R2P Pet Super Plush Maxxers: Toy-Box Tuesday

I am pretty sure that the reason we buy most of our dog toys is because I think they look cool. It is a problem I have, but I am okay with it, I mean I could quit at any time if I really wanted too... Anyway, that is how we ended up with the R2P Pet Super Plush Maxxers (seriously that is a long name. From here on out we're just going to call  them Maxxers). We had gone shopping for rabbit litter or some other necessities following the move to Somerset when I spotted the Maxxers by the checkouts. Needless to say I instantly fell in love with the toys, their quirky combination of fluffy, plushy and rubber, coupled with their adorable looks made these toys a must buy. After a brief discussion with Ruthie about which of the toys Pixel would like (apparently which one I thought looked the coolest was not a good enough argument), Pixel ended up as the proud owner of the Maxxer Eagle.

Giving a new toy to your dog is always a hit-or-miss sort of thing; Pixel will play with any toy the first time he gets it but then might never play with it again. This was not the case with the Maxxer, as the eagle became one of his go-to toys from the chest. Poppy also loved the texture differences of the toy so a quick trip to the shops later and we brought home the Maxxer Shark so both the pack could happily play.

While Pixel is renowned for playing gently with his toys, Poppy on the other hand is a little monster and in her youth left a trail of destroyed toys in her wake. That said both the Eagle and the Shark have remained in good condition (aside from becoming dirty thanks to regular play), most notably the squeakers have remained in working order, quiet a feat considering that Poppy has had constant access to these toys.

I think it is pretty obvious that I think highly of these toys, as do the pack. Ultimately we went out and bought a third toy (the Parrot) that remains in Pixel's bedroom bed, far from Poppy, so that it remains relatively clean. I couldn't recommend these toys more highly, but this brings me to the major problem; finding a UK seller.

The main problem I have had with these toys is tracking them down online, they are called Maxxers and yet they have a giant "Super Plush" label on their sides. A quick Google of Super Plush will show you how hard it can be to find more. Which brings me to the second issue, finding a UK based seller appears to be an impossibility. We paid between £6-£8 a toy, and I think that that is a reasonable price. I am therefore a little reluctant to include US shipping costs to the reasonable price (except maybe in the case of the Jumbo Rex if I ever track it down).

Pixel's point of view:
Woof! I was really excited when the hoomans brought the fluffy birdy home. I liked the fluffy head and the chewy beak! Then the hoomans got me two more toys! I have to share them with Poppy, but I don't mind that except she slobbers all over them which makes them a little icky. I hopes they gets me more of the these toys soon.

Toy Box Tuesday: Go Dog Periwinkle Dragon

Of all the toys in Pixel's toy box, this is one of my favorites. Unfortunately it is also one of Pixel's least favorite.

The GoDog Periwinkle Dragon (a part of the GoDog Dragon range) boasts Chew Guard technology and double stitched seams that should vex the most destructive and murderous dogs. I think however that most dog owners would agree that there is no such thing as an indestructible dog toy, so take their promises with a pinch of salt.

We bought this toy for the rather steep price of £16. When I saw it, I knew I had to have, I mean come on, it is a dragon.

The GoDog Periwinkle Dragon is stuffed with a rustly filling and a honker. The website claims that the dragon has minimal stuffing to give the toy "a fun floppy feel" that your dog will love. It is certainly true that the GoDog Periwinkle Dragon  is a little light on the stuffing side, and it is most certainly floppy, its arms, legs, wings, and tail all flail about wildly when the toy is thrown or played with.

So why doesn't Pixel like this toy? On paper it sounds perfect. It rustles. Its floppy. It has a honker. By all accounts he should love this toy, but he doesn't. I think the reason for this is rather simple. The Dragon's fur is unremarkable and virtually non-existent. That is not to say that this toy has no fur, but rather it is incredibly short and almost coarse to the touch. This, couple with the woeful lack of stuffing means that Pixel has practically nothing to chew on with the GoDog Dragon.

What I like:

• Visually speaking, I love this toy. It is a dragon and it looks cool. The other GoDog toys are equally as awesome in their design.

DogTV (aka the window) wins against this toy every time.

What Pixel likes:

• Not a lot.

What I don't like:

• The price. £16 is quite a lot of money to spend on a dog toy, especially as there is nothing particularly special about it.
• I don't relieve believe that Chew Guard technology will give this toy any more longevity with destructive dogs.

What Pixel doesn't like:

• The toy is lacking in stuffing, even for a low-stuffed toy.
• The fur is boring and almost coarse.

Would we recommend?

Would I recommend?: From Pixel's reaction to the toy, I wouldn't recommend it. There are cheaper, better toys on the market. If this toy were cheaper, I would say go for it, but £16 is a lot to spend on a toy that you are not certain your dog will like.

Would Pixel recommend?: Nope, he can't chew on it,
so he doesn't care for it. He will be giving it to Poppy the next time he sees her.

Toy Box Tuesday: The Trixie Beaver

One of the first soft toys we bought Pixel was this squeaky beaver. This soft toy is stuffed with rustling goodness and a honker (rather than a squeaker). The toy also allowed us to work out that Pixel prefers toys that rustle when they are played with, rather than standard soft toys.

Beaver surgery 

Pixel now owns two of these beavers, one small one, 27cm, (I accidently popped the honker in this one when I stood on it) and a large one, 40cm, which is in fully functioning order (once the tail was reattached following a particularly aggressive play session). 

What I like:

The toy provides a variety of stimulation, the tail and feet are a different texture to the fur, and the stuffing rustles and the beaver honks. The toy is light-weight and able to be thrown both by me and the dog without fear of anything being damaged.

What Pixel likes:

Pixel loves to chew the main body of the beaver, both to make it rustle as well as the chew on the plastic honker inside. He is particularly fond of chewing the broken honker in the small toy. Pixel prefers the larger of the two toys, which is a good size for a medium sized dog, making it easy to throw and catch.

What I don't like:

The quality with the Trixie Beaver doesn't seem particularly great. Pixel, who is traditionally a gently player, was able to tear the tail off the Beaver without much effort. In addition to this the honkers inside the toy are not built to last either, I broke one by stepping on it. Comparatively speaking these are not particularly expensive toys (a quick look on Amazon shows that the 40cm Beaver is currently £6.99), but I can't help but feel that most dogs would completely destroy these toys in no time at all.

Pixel gets the toy back

.

What Pixel doesn't like:

Nothing, Pixel loves the Trixie Beaver, it is a staple of his toy box and regularly gets played with.

Would we recommend?

Would I recommend it? If your dog doesn't play too roughly I am sure they would love this toy, but if they set out to destroy their stuffed toys I doubt the Beaver would last that long

Would Pixel recommend it? Absolutely. The Trixie Beavers are two of this favourite toys and he would be lost without them.

Toy Box Tuesdays: Charlie the Unicorn

Ruthie and I bought Charlie in 2009/2010, long before thoughts of getting a dog ever came to us. Charlie, a knock-off Pillow Pet, sat proudly on our bed until one spring clean in 2014 when he went into the wardrobe.

Then, one day whilst going through the wardrobe Ruthie produced Charlie and Pixel instantly wanted him. Since that point Charlie has been Pixel's best friend and his favourite toy. Pixel's love of Charlie means that whenever we travel away for any significant length of time, we have to pack the unicorn.

Charlie acted as a comforter for Pixel while he settled into our home. It provided him with a "safe space" where could retreat to if he felt overwhelmed.

Considering that Charlie is a cheap toy he has done surprising well to survive a life with a dog, only sustaining one small hole on the neck.. Pixel enjoys throwing Charlie around a room before pinning him to the floor and chewing upon his mane or his horn. Once the game is over, Pixel is more than happy to curl up on top of his friend and have snooze.

So this is for Charlie the Unicorn, who helped give a dog a second chance and settle into a new home, may he live forever and never need too many repairs.

Pixel and Charlie: Friends Forever