Who and what makes a great pet and playmate? Kids will tell you the Webkinz Dog (Dog Webkinz) by Ganz. No other virtual stuffed animal toy gives kids the best times of their lives. Now parents can get their kids a pet without the mess ups. Both the Webkinz and Lil' Kinz comes in many different breeds, specially designed for pre-schoolers, tweens, and teens. Webkinz and Lil' Kinz plush toys have a cute cuddly look and feel that makes them huggable pets as well as a comfort to bring home. But more importantly, their virtual capabilities have made them one of the most popular interactive toys in the USA and Canada today.

Although their increasing popularity have brought them fame, there comes scarcity and lack of variety when trying to find a favorite in local toy stores. How Webkinz And Lil' Kinz Virtual Features Work In A nutshell After making a purchase, you simply activate your new pet's secret code in Webkinz World. Next you register, adopt and name your pet, then watch as it comes to life as a cartoon-like character.

Your pet will have its own unique personality, bag of tricks, and special food. The magic begins as your child experiences awesome fun while playing in Webkinz World, a social network website that teaches kids in a clever way. In other words, Webkinz World lets kids play, create, and parent their pets while learning life experiences in a fun virtual way.

As a parent, you will enjoy the entire process especially when you see how your child learns many interesting things--all in a fun delightful way. But in order for the fun to start, there comes a little finesse when trying to find and buy a favorite Webkinz Dog. As a dog lover, you and your child can find a favorite. Whether it's a large breed (inches in size) such as the German Shepherd, St. Bernard and Doberman or a smaller breed (inches in size) such as the Poodle, Chihuahua and Yorkie, you can find a hard to find favorite easily as well as a large number of them at no extra cost or delay.

In fact, you and your child can see all the Webkinz and Lil' Kinz pictures, over 132 of them, including all Webkinz Dogs. Local Retail Stores vs. Online Stores Parents have two options where to buy a Webkinz or Lil' Kinz, either a local retail toy store or online toy store.

Choosing a local retail store offers the quickest way to buy a Webkinz or Lil' Kinz. You can call a store before traveling there to find out if they carry your favorite Webkinz pet. If they don't have it in stock, usually you can order it and get on a waiting list. Once your order arrives, the store will contact you or you can contact them. In most cases, your local store will let you know when the next shipment arrives. They should also have a catalog for you to see all the Webkinz and Lil' Kinz pictures to help you find a favorite.

However, retail toy stores often lack variety and there exist scarcity as well as waiting weeks for your Webkinz or Lil' Kinz to arrive at the store. And if you want a hard to find, seasonal or retired Webkinz, local stores simply don't carry them. They rather stock the newer Webkinz and Lil' Kinz instead. Therefore, you could find it somewhat difficult when trying to locate a retail toy store with your favorite. On the other hand, a store can call one of the other franchise stores, if available, to see whether or not they have your favorite. But more than likely, they may not have the rare, seasonal, or retired Webkinz you may want such as the Webkinz Cheeky Dog.

Consequently, you have another way to approach this. If you want to avoid the crowds, standing in lines, and don't want to opt for a waiting list, then consider online stores. You can get instant access to specialized toy stores and target exactly what you want quickly, as well as receive more variety, quantity, breeds, and pictures that you can't shake a stick at. Finding a one-stop shop n' go website that includes Webkinz, Lil' Kinz and accessories makes shopping online both easy and quick.

And you'll have the toy you want at your doorstep in a matter of days. Your child will have fun looking at all the pictures over the Internet while selecting favorites, and will become more excited when anticipating the delivery date. Online stores create another benefit for parents. For instance if you consider yourself a bargain hunter, then you have the option to place a bid to win a Webkinz Dog auction online and save money. Rather than buy just one Webkinz, you might consider bidding on two or more for a better bargain. Whichever choice you make, whether shopping online or off, remember when giving your child or someone else a favorite Dog Webkinz only enhances his/her happiness.

As far as popular opinion goes, Webkinz toys offer the best gift that any kid could ever want--they simply go crazy over them.

Philip Sumpter authors many Webkinz, Lil' Kinz toys and accessories, including writing articles and reviews. You can save time finding a favorite Webkinz at Dog Webkinz.