She is physically a 20-year-old senior dog with the heart of a child. Whatever is in her possession, she would protect with her life. Terrier-mix Tessa is very protective of her mom, but nothing compares to the care and safety she provides to her stuffed banana, a toy her mom has given her. It may only be an ordinary stuffed toy made of yellow fabric, but it will always be special to Tessa.

5 years ago, Tessa’s mom Shanna Loren decided to buy a toy for her when another foster dog destroyed her favorite toy. “I found it in a clearance bin at a pet store, but I knew it was the size of toys she likes,” Loren told The Dodo. “She immediately took to the banana the moment I gave it to her.”

She loves the stuffed banana so much that she cuddles it whenever she is lying in bed. She brings it wherever she goes. They’re inseparable. Tessa would never allow anyone to swap her toy with anything else. When there are visitors, Tessa would proudly show off her stuffed banana and insists that they acknowledge the toy.

“She wants people to acknowledge it before she will go put it down,” Loren said. “And when she puts it down, she puts it in whatever bed she considers best.”

Although due to her advanced age, Tessa is experiencing hearing loss. But this does not stop her from letting people notice her favorite toy. “We instruct guests to tell her that they saw her banana so she can go lay back down,” Loren said. “It’s funny now that she’s deaf to have our friends yelling at her, ‘I LIKE YOUR BANANA, TESSA!’ She’s never once allowed it to be a ‘play toy,’. It’s her one little possession, and it’s her life.”

Tessa is 20 years old with the heart of a young pup. She loves her stuffed banana so much that she even kisses it before she falls asleep. For Tessa, one is never too old to enjoy their favorite stuffed toy