Oh Pilly, Pilly, Pilly!

We have a five- year old Vizsla named Pilgrim. This is a medium sized dog with Hungarian roots, and he can be a stinky, leaky bladder challenge. I used to describe myself as a dog lover, until my beloved Weimaraner, Savannah, passed away after being a loyal friend for fifteen years. I was left with Pilgrim. Pilgrim means well , but he demonstrates the mental capabilities of a rock. Suffice it to say that Pilgrim is no Savannah. Despite my best efforts to relocate Pilgrim to the proverbial (and in our case literal) farm in Georgia, he remains a presence in my life. My daughter loves her “Pilly” and tries diligently to reform him. My fourteen month old son thinks Pilgrim’s name is “bad dog.” He drools on Pilgrim and lovingly pounds him on the head saying “bad dog” over and over. (He could be saying “dog, dog,” but my money is on “bad dog”). To his credit, Pilgrim endures it all, and I do believe he loves them back.

My daughter loves animals. She has her collection of Papo and Schleich animal figures. She recently returned home from an imaginary trip to South America with a red tree frog named Alex who insisted on moving to Virginia. Apparently "Alex" finds it t too hot in South America this time of year. She is now sleeping with an alligator, a Weimaraner puppy, a black Lab puppy, a red hippo, a surly bulldog, and a purple bear. According to her they are a rowdy bunch and are the reason she wakes up at the crack of dawn – “they just start talking to me and will not pipe down, Mom." These animals are also very accident prone. The red hippo fell off the bed. The alligator bit the bear (it was a complete accident). The bulldog has severe headaches. We are going through A LOT of Diego band-aids right now.

My daughter’s current career plans include being a space ranger during the work week and a cowboy/rancher on the weekends, so a little animal first aid knowledge will come in handy. The American Veterinary Medical Association has a public source section section that provides information on becoming a veterinarian, animal health brochures, and educational resources for grades K-12. If you have a child channeling a Dr. Doolittle or the more modern "Diego" with accident prone furry or scaly friends, here are Kobold’s recommendations to help facilitate pretend play:

The Animal Vet Field Pack comes with everything you need to treat any domestic or wild animal your little adventurer encounters. Not interested in touching the animals, then try the Rainforest Adventure Pack. The pack includes binoculars, flashlight, wrist compass, digging tools and a first aid kit.

The Playmobil Animal Clinic is the perfect place to bring your pet when he or she is is bitten by an alligator or has mystery headaches. Includes operating room with ultrasound device and recovery pens.

I always wanted to talk with the animals, and I am glad my daughter can. I just wish she could figure out what language Pilgrim understands.

Kobold Toys wishes you a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend. Be sure to find time to have fun learning! - Ashley and Pilgrim