By There is no doubt that Woody was Andy’s most loyal pal. But at the end of Toy Story 3, Andy said himself that Slinky is as loyal as any dog you could possibly want. Slinky was always Woody’s most loyal pal. We saw this right from the beginning when the toys started ganging up on Woody and accusing him of pushing Buzz out the window. “We believe you Woody!” said Slinky, who immediately gave Woody the benefit of the doubt.
I’ve always wanted a Slinky Dog toy and after seeing Toy Story 3, I knew I had to have one! Before the first Toy Story movie was created, a pull-toy Slinky dog already existed. This toy was then redesigned for the Toy Story movie and made its Hollywood debut in 1995. Since the release of the first movie, there have been a number of different versions of the Slinky Dog toy that were put out into the market. Most of the Slinky Dog toys out there tend to look quite similar to each other. The main variation between the different versions, if there is any, tends to be the eyes. Some Slinky Dogs are looking straight (which is more accurate to the movie) and some are looking upwards (which is not accurate to the movie). Generally, most of the Slinky Dog toys tend to be veryaccurate to the movie and this may be the reason why a Toy Story Collection version was never created.
The Slinky Dog toy that I purchased is the Slinky® Dog Pull Toy by Poof-Slinky, which can be found at www.poof-slinky.com. I bought mine on Ebay and from what I can see, there are still plenty more popping up all the time for a reasonable price. This Slinky Dog Pull Toy has been a wonderful addition to my Toy Story Collection and I have absolutely no regrets about purchasing him.
He is made of plastic, looks nearly identical to the Slinky in the movie, and of course, has a Slinky body and tail. He stretches just like any other Slinky, but there is a string connecting the two parts of his body as well as a string running through his tail to ensure that he is not stretched too far like he often is in the movies! Although the string is not movie accurate, I do think this is a very handy feature for the toy to ensure that he does not get damaged or tangled, especially if handled by young children.
Each of his feet also have little rollers on the bottom so you can pull him along by the red string in his head. This string, which is attached between his eyes, is my main complaint about this toy. For some bizarre reason, the string that allows you to pull the toy across the floor was placed right in the middle of Slinky’s face between his eyes rather than the little hook beneath his collar. This oddly placed string is a problem on all the different versions of the Slinky Toy including the most recent 20th Anniversary Slinky Dog toy. A string in the middle of Slinky Dog’s face is not ideal and is definitely an eyesore, but it is not a reason to exclude the toy from your collection. The string could be removed, however the hole where the string is placed would still remain. I personally have chosen to leave it in place and focus on the rest of the toy, which is actually very well made.
The Slinky Dog toy is definitely a must have for any Toy Story fan, and the version you choose to purchase will depend entirely on personal preference. For Toy Story Fans who are seeking to find the most film-accurate Slinky Dog possible for display purposes, an older version with eyes looking forward would be the best choice. For those looking for the most advanced Slinky Dog toy for playtime with the kids, the 20th Anniversary version sold exclusively in Disney Stores is the obvious choice since he looks just like the other Slinky Dog toys, but he can talk! Since, I’m a Toy Story addict who just can’t get enough, I will be opting for both! 😛