I was in Petsmart today buying a couple things for the cats when I went down the dog toy aisle and saw all sorts of cute squeaky toys. The type made from the faux sheepskin. Those are my basset hound Jasmine's favourite type of toy and the one she has doesn't sqeak anymore. It's actually really sad to watch her grab it and shift the thing around in her mouth, trying to make it squeak. It's her favourite accessory. Whenever she wants to look particularly cute, she grabs that toy.

One of the cutest of these toys was one in the shape of a fox. It's really adoreable! I got it for Jasmine because she needed a new one and they do say that a good way to honour your totem spirit is to give gifts that represent it. Somehow there's something wonderfully twisted and perverse about giving a basset hound a plushy toy of a fox.

But I have a problem. I don't know if I should give it to her or not now! There is the warped aspect of this particular gift-giving to consider, but it's also just too cute! On the way home, I gave it a name. I'm calling it Kitsu-chan. Kitsu is fox in Japanese, although more literally I think it's supposed to mean 'the sound a fox makes.' And -chan is a title that means 'little.' So considering it is a squeaky toy, I thought that was a really good name.

So until I decide whether or not to give it to my basset, please welcome Kitsu-chan! Kitsu-chan is going to be my weblog assistant.

Kitsu-chan!