What's more disturbing: the fact that retailers are already trumpeting the "hot toys" for Christmas, or the fact that one of those hot toys is a plastic dog that poops out putty?
Oh yes. The British Toy Retailers Association chose "Doggie Doo" as one of its top 12 must-have toys for 2012. Kids can "feed" the plastic daschund a Play-Doh-like substance and squeeze its leash to make it "poop," complete with fart noises. The object of the game is to collect the most poop. As one commenter on The Globe & Mail's website said, "If your kids are THAT obsessed with it, I've got a yard full of unclaimed dog bombs they're more than welcome to pick up."
Made by Goliath Games, "Doggie Doo" has a list price of $24.99, and in some places it's already flying off the shelves. On PetMyWeiner.com -- a site that, surprisingly enough, is safe for work/kids -- the game is on back-order "due to overwhelming demand."
One buyer on Amazon raves, perhaps sarcastically: "How could having a dog defecate in your hand not be the most fun you ever had?! So clever it's like the creators know the hidden ambitions of every human being and have instilled all that into one simple toy."
Everybody poops, we know, and kids' fascination with all things excretory is nothing new. But will you welcome a plasticine-pooping pup under your Christmas tree? Are there other toys your kids love that you can't stand? Do you try to steer your children's holiday wish lists in certain directions (away from the drum set or the super-expensive doll, for instance)? And despite your best efforts, do you have relatives who relish giving your kids the most obnoxious, loud toys they can find? (If so, keep them away from this post....)
Get it all out in the comments.