Howard and Big Squeaky Squirrel and Baby Squeaky Squirrel

I received a wonderful package recently from Howard of Edgecomb and a lovely hand-written story from his companion humans, Amanda and Andy, who tell of Howard and his fondness for Big Squeaky Squirrel and Baby Squeaky Squirrel, which are on loan to us for the show.

Here's what  Amanda and Andy wrote me:

Big Squeaky Squirrel is ten years old and is Howard's first toy after we adopted him from Lincoln County Animal Shelter. Baby Squeaky Squirrel is 5 years old. Howard loves both, and as you can see, he takes extremely good care of them. For some reason, he hasn't taken to a New Squeaky Squirrel

We think Howard's unusual caretaking of Big Squeaky Squirrel and baby Squeaky Squirrel arises from his unusual first year of his life before we adopted him. Before his rescue by the Shelter, he had no name and was one of dozens of rescued dogs kept by a single owner. His tail hung limp. He was cautious to the extreme.

That first year of Howard's life before his rescue, before our adoption, gave us a dog with the sweetest personality, one who from the very first day with us, sat watching us prepare his food, explored the back of the stereo speakers where he heard voices coming from, relied on his nose to identify us, and despite the beagle in his border collie breeding, never wandered from our house or us. Not once.

He remains committed to his home, to us, and we are all committted to Howard. We love him to pieces, and we love how Howard acts like everything about life is fun and precious, especially Big Squeaky Squirrel and Baby Squeaky Squirrel. The sheer age of these two toys tells a lot about Howard. To see him "play" with them tells even more: very kind and gingerly and careful and very, very loving."

Amanda, Andy, and Howard, thank you for sharing these toys with us for a month or so, We wil also take very, very good care of them and return them to you at the end of the show. Thank you for sharing this beautiful story of love and loyalty. Human and canine, a story with a good ending.

Kaya sends us a newly chewed creature

Kaya and Lord Byron are pals. Kaya and his human companion Annie, sent me a picture of him working away at his toy, which he has removed the tail. ear, and one eye from. The nose and butt have some holes evidencing his play.

deadline for toys extended

First In Show: Chewed Toys Project opens August 6th at Patricia Carega Gallery in Center Sandwich New Hampshire. I'll post directions soon. The deadline for toys has been EXTENDED TO 25 July. Please see the first entry for details or go to www.drawingroomportlandmaine.com for the PDF and mailing address. Please send your comments, photos and stories!

Check out Frank Turek's wonderful films starring Mabel the Great Dane and Friscaletto the Sock Monkey:(one is called A Day in the Park with Friscaletto, and the other is Bad day for Friscaletto, in case the links don't work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWb_FBlbDcc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW26VTWJFYA

This toys came in from New Hampshire recently, and the whole box look like fake roadkill.

This is so much fun!!!

Happy Chewing. Alex

cool hand Luke gets a new friend

I met Luke yesterday. But I spied his chewed toy first, and said to his companion Chris, do you have a dog? Then I saw Luke with his beautiful eyes and spots. I made them an offer to trade his chewed toy, which looked just like roadkill, for a new foxy. Luke went for it, and did not even wait for the tag to come off to get going on the squeaky toy. Chomp, chomp!

this one in from New Hampshire and more to come

This friend came from Patricia in New Hampshire the other day. I have another box or two to open.

I feel like I am having contact with so many wonderful creatures through this project, as well as wonderful folks who are keen to participate and share with the world a love of animals, and especially dogs. Our love of hounds is ancient and full of history, stories of rescue, courage, and good deeds.

 I am discovering how much people are attached to these objects, that they symbolize the history of deep relationships and exchange between human and animal, the bonds that link us, and the complexities there. These cartoony objects with simplified anatomy and google-y eyes are evidence of love, friendship, and many days of time spent together....or apart.

 They arrive shredded and disemboweled, sometime unrecognizable as anything but stuffing and fake fur. These are the roadkill of our dogs' activity and joyful play, stress release and anxiety therapy. I am fascinated by the shear variety of creatures live and constructed. 

The exhibit will be mounted at the end of July, and the show will open August 6th! See Patricia Ladd Cargea's Gallery on line. 

toys from all over!

Well, thanks to many of you the toys keep coming in! And great pictures of your dogs. The American Kennel Association published a small piece and photograph of the project as a call for art. I'll post that later. For now look at these great toys and dogs! More inventory and details to come.

Above, Tasha Dog in her elegant towel shows her tattered frisbee to Companion friends Elizabeth and Steve, and fellow creature-cats,  Jack and Loco have lots of fun with her in SoPo.We received this picture of two dogs wrestling, and I just had to include it. They must be friends of Tasha having a good romp.

 Elizabeth brought over Sunny's orange frog, which will be returned to her after the installation. Sunny is the lovely blond above.We have received toys from around the State, including Georgia, New Mexico and Texas just this past week. Keep 'em coming. Deadline is extended to 20 July.

chewed blonds arrive in the mail

 Sammy the Dalmatian's blond bear with white paws came through the mail slot yesterday. 

This creature's head is severed, barely attached to a right paw and piece of the back. Three accompanying remnants include a front or back piece, one with the white of a foot, and another that still has some stuffing in a left paw, and the Made in China label says: Huggable Farm friends. Hmmm, are farm friends huggable? 

Another one arrived with a special afternoon postal custodian in a jiffy pack.  

Quite pungent and losing small, white balls from the inside, this blond creature is inside a blue "Giant" shopping bag. The eyes and muzzle are chewed out.  It looks like this canine went right for the face.

One arm and both legs still have stuffing, the left arm is  floppy and torn. The creature's tail  and long ears are  intact. It has a little black loop maybe for suspend from a door? This looks like a possible child's toy, abducted by a canine....who is a pincher maybe Rhotweiller mix with cute eyes and ears named Maya. 

The enclosed note reads" Hi, I'm Maya (dog)  dot dots and a smile and two exclamation points."

 This one is decidedly aromatic. Maya is the dog at the top here.

Hard to describe that doggie smell, but we all know it. Maybe by the time I've received all of the entries, I'll know what words to put to the smell. Any thoughts?