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Alright, let me tell you about this whole rubber duck dog toy thing. It sounds simple, but it turned into a bit of an adventure, you know how these things go.

So, my dog, Buster, he's got this thing for squeaky toys. Loves 'em. But he also destroys 'em. Like, really fast. I was looking for something new for him, something a bit different, and I thought, hey, a rubber duck! Classic, right? Fun.

The First Attempt - The Cheap Route

I was at one of those big box stores, just grabbing some other stuff, and saw a bin full of rubber ducks near the checkout. Super cheap. Looked just like the ones you see in bathtubs. Yellow, squeaky, seemed okay. I thought, perfect, grab one for Buster. Easy peasy.

Got home, gave it to him. Oh, he was excited alright. Squeak, squeak, squeak! Wagging his tail like crazy. Then, maybe ten minutes later, silence. I went to check. The duck? Decapitated. Seriously. Head ripped right off. And the squeaker was already loose inside the body cavity. Total fail. Just flimsy plastic, not meant for a dog's jaws at all. Kind of figured, but you always hope, right?

Round Two - Finding a Proper Dog Toy Duck

Okay, so the cheapo duck was a bust. Lesson learned. Regular rubber ducks are not dog toys. Shocker, I know. I realized I needed something actually designed for dogs, something that could take a bit more punishment.

So, next trip out, I went specifically to the pet store. Headed straight for the toy aisle. And there they were – rubber ducks, but clearly different. They were labeled specifically as dog toys. I picked one up. You could feel the difference immediately. The rubber, or whatever material it was, felt much thicker, tougher. It still had a squeaker, but it seemed better protected inside.

It cost a bit more, naturally. Not crazy expensive, but definitely more than the throwaway one I bought before. Figured it was worth a shot.

The Verdict - Success!

Brought the new, tougher duck home. Gave it to Buster. He went nuts for it again, just like the first one. Squeak, squeak, toss it around. But this time... it lasted. He chewed on it, tossed it, carried it around. Days went by. Weeks, even. The duck held up!

Sure, it's got some teeth marks now, looks well-loved. But it's still in one piece, and crucially, it still squeaks. That's the main thing for Buster.

So yeah, that was my rubber duck dog toy journey. Started with a cheap mistake, ended up finding something decent just by looking for a product actually made for the job. Seems obvious, but sometimes you just gotta go through the motions. Buster's happy with his sturdy duck, carries it around like a prize. Money better spent in the end.