Blog #4: Marley the Golden Retriever (Webkinz Signature)

 Marley the Webkinz Signature Golden Retriever

Name: Marley
Gender: Female
Obtained: March 2010

Background: Like the previous Signatures I've talked about here, the Golden Retriever was one of the earliest ones made, released in June of 2009. This would prove to be one of the first Signatures that came with a high price tag; as far back as late 2009 this plushie was selling for around $80+ on ebay. I didn't usually pay attention to stuff like this as a kid, but for as long as I can remember the golden retriever has been my favorite dog breed (and still is to this day), so I really wanted this plush and I was upset that it costed so much money and it was nowhere to be found at any of my local retailers which sold Webkinz.

A stroke of luck hit me one day in March of 2010, when I went to a hospital that was in a city about 30 minutes away from home, with my parents, and I happened to spot this plush at the gift shop. If I'm not mistaken, it was also the only Signature Golden Retriever there. They were selling to for $27, and this is the only other time I can recall begging my parents to buy me a plushie. I think the online $80 price tag is what really convinced them to get it for me (otherwise they may have told me it was too expensive, we never had much money). So on that fateful day I managed to snag the plush, brand new with tag, and to this day she's still one of my favorite plushies that I own.

I did play with her a bit as a kid, but like Fluffykinz I've basically kept her in really good condition since the day I got her. Not that I ever intend to sell this plushie (though nowadays I could probably get a handsome $120 out of the plush alone), but I like to keep all my plushies as close to perfect condition as possible. I'm so grateful that I was able to snatch her up, she's actually one of the best.

Personality and Other Stuff: Marley is best friends with Fluffykinz, and they are inseparable. Marley is more outwardly feminine, and loves wearing sparkly dresses and strutting her stuff. She's not as loud and outspoken as Fluffykinz, but she's not passive either. She can be somewhat impulsive, and she loves to spend money on new clothes, leading her friends to curb her impulsivity. Her friends consider her a "mom friend" since she (and Sylva) is the one everyone goes to for advice and friendship/relationship issues.

Fun Fact: In case you're wondering, no, this dog is not named after the yellow lab from Marley and Me. I think when that movie was released I just really liked the name, and it just happens that around the same time I got this plushie so that's what I named her. Besides, I think the dog in the movie was a boy.

Another Fun Fact: I mentioned this before, but after wanting my very own golden retriever for over a decade, I finally got a golden puppy in 2020. He's a boy and I named him Sunny, and he's actually the best dog ever. Child me loved goldens because of their pretty fur, but Sunny's temperament is so sweet and he's been really easy to train, so there's just so much to love about him. This makes me appreciate my plush even more, because it may very well have been what brought me to the wonderful boy I share my life with today! 💛