Dogs in Raccoonland

Whenever we are asked "what kind of dog is that?" John and I usually look at each other and non-verbally decide which one of us will answer before rattling off a list of breeds that we think may have contributed in part to the wonder that is Barksdale.

Depending on on the day, this list may be a long list of up to five breeds (part shepherd, part lab, part hound, part rottweiler, part doberman, part chow, etc.) or we may just shrug and say "he's a mutt" and leave it at that.

But in secret, John and I spend way more time than we should discussing what breeds we think BD might be. After much deliberation, we've come to the decision that he is most definitely part shepard, part lab and part black and tan coonhound.

The shepard and the lab go without saying. See below:

The black and tan coonhound took a bit more investigating, however. I think that we first saw a picture of the breed online and decided that BD bore some resemblance. Then we began to realize that BD has some strong  hound tendencies: he is a regular pointer, he loves to use his nose, and he needs a lot of exercise. But what gave it away most was when we happened to see a raccoon stuffed animal in store one day and bought it on a whim. Soon after giving the toy (aptly named Robert the Raccoon) to BD, we saw quickly that he LOVED THE TOY.
Insane amounts.
Robert quickly became an important member of the family who was brought to dinner, presented to whoever came into the house, and was happily chewed for hours and hours.

There have been roughly seven raccoons since Robert, each loved more than the next.

Spoiled Rotten

Now, I don't consider myself to be an expert in many things in life, but I think it's safe to say at this point that I am an expert in dog raccoon toys.

Maggie and BD testing out a raccoon toy together

Some are too squeaky, some don't have enough stuffing, and some are made in China. Also, I'm not fond of the extra buttons that are put on for eyes since they very often end up in the dog's mouth. We've been through our fair share of raccoons and after extensive research I have been about to pin point the best of the best.

So, without further adieu, here is my pick of the best raccoon toy on the market:

The Coleman!!

Made in USA, two squeakers (one in the tail and one in the main body), no eye buttons to rip out, and all around strong seams. This is the creme de la creme raccoon.

And I've even consulted with our resident expert on this decision.

He agrees.

The only problem is that since moving to Savannah, I've been unable to find this fine raccoon in any stores. I hate to give my money to the big box stores and there isn't much in the way of dog boutiques in Savannah with an extensive raccoon selection. I guess that for now I'll be buying my raccoons here.