20-Year-Old Dog Still Snuggles Her Stuffed Banana

[catbyte]

"It’s her life.”

BY LILY FEINN

Tessa has always been fiercely protective of those she loves, and at 20 years old, that hasn’t changed.

The terrier mix is devoted to her mom, but nothing can compete with her toy banana. It may only be stuffing and yellow fabric, but to Tessa it’s special — and she makes sure everyone else acknowledges that it’s special, too.



Shanna Loren, Tessa’s mom, bought the banana five years ago after a foster dog destroyed Tessa's favorite toy. “I found it in a clearance bin at a pet store but I knew it was the size of toys she likes,” Loren told The Dodo. “She immediately took to the banana the moment I gave it to her.”

Now, whenever someone visits the house, Tessa will proudly show off her banana, insisting that guests pay homage to her precious toy.



“She wants people to acknowledge it before she will go put it down,” Loren said. “And when she puts it down, she puts it in whatever bed she considers best.”

The pup is insistent when it comes to the banana — and won’t let old age or hearing loss get in the way of her mission. “We instruct guests to tell her that they saw her banana so she can go lay back down,” Loren said. “It’s funny now that she’s deaf to have our friends yelling at her, ‘I LIKE YOUR BANANA, TESSA!’”



For Tessa, you’re never too old to fall asleep cuddling your favorite plushie.

“She’s never once allowed it to be a ‘play toy,’” Loren said. “It’s her one little possession and it’s her life.”

https://www.thedodo.com/close-to-home/20-year-old-dog-loves-banana-toy

[samnsara]

1. those little guys have nice long lives...what a cutie..

[magicarpet]

2. I had a little black panda teddy bear like that when I was a little....

.... shit. I used to carry that everywhere I went. To clean it they had to grab it while I slept. Then quickly put it back before I awoke. Or I would freak out bad.

I can relate to the doggie stuffed banana.

[DarthDem]

3. That is absolutely adorable, just wonderful

Her one possession, as they put it. That's so sweet. Tessa is utterly lovable. Thanks for sharing this.