The Christmas in July Comeback

Bunnings find: Happy Tails Latex Reindeer (Rudolf)

If you know Monte, you know he has a massive weak spot for anything that squeaks.

It has become our tradition that whenever we go to Bunnings, Monte gets to check out his pet aisle – including a thorough inspection of the bargain bin. Back in December, he spotted this little latex Rudolf heavily reduced to just one dollar, and Monte was completely unprepared to leave the store without it. He went absolutely nuts for it at the time, but as part of how we rotate his toys, it eventually got hidden away in the cupboard.

Fast forward to July, and with the winter chill firmly here in Australia, it felt like the most fitting moment to bring it back out for a bit of Christmas in July magic. Safe to say, Monte is just as keen on it now as he was the very first time he set eyes on it.

The Winter Wash-and-Wear Favourite

This reindeer is made of that brilliant, rinse-under-the-tap latex material that has made us such massive fans of the Bunnings toy range. In the middle of winter, these toys are a total lifesaver.

Unlike plush toys – which go through the washing machine only for the squeaker to fill with water and take an absolute eternity to dry in the cold weather – this material is so practical. If it gets dirty, a quick rinse under the tap and it’s completely clean, dry, and ready to go again.

Because of this, we tend to default to these easy-clean toys all winter long and save the plush ones for the summer rotations.

Small Price, Big Squeak

Naturally, Monte’s absolute main objective is biting down to get that satisfying, high-pitched squeak. The squeakers in this range are incredibly durable; despite Monte going to town on it to get his fix, not a single one of these toys has been damaged during play.

It is exactly why Monte has managed to build quite the collection of them now!

It helps that Monte is quite a gentle player, so I imagine these won’t last very long for bigger breeds or heavy chewers.

If your dog is a bit of a chewer, you might want to test things out with the little latex cow first; at only $2.99, she is a very budget-friendly way to test the longevity of these toys with your own pup without breaking the bank either way!

Does your dog insist on checking out their own pet aisle when you shop? Let me know if you decide to test out the latex range!