In the Doghouse...

 

A £40,000 teddy bear formerly owned by Elvis Presley was destroyed when a guard dog which was supposed to protect it went on the rampage.

 

The rare Steiff bear, named Mabel, was due to form the centrepiece of an exhibition at Wookey Hole Caves near Wells, Somerset.

 

The bear was bought at auction in Memphis, Tennessee, by Somerset aristocrat Sir Benjamin Slade for £40,000 and had been loaned to the collection, a Wookey Hole spokesman said.

 

The dog "went berserk" and ripped the head off the historic toy, the spokesman added.

 

Security guard Greg West, 36, was on duty last night when his Dobermann, Barney, savaged the bear, which was made in Germany in 1909.

 

Mr West, from Totterdown, Bristol, said: "Barney has been a model guard dog for over six years. I still can't believe what happened.

 

"Either there was a rogue scent of some kind on Mabel which switched on Barney's deepest instincts, or it could have been jealousy - I was just stroking Mabel and saying what a nice little bear she was."

 

Wookey Hole general manager Daniel Medley said some of the bears were kept behind glass but Mabel was on a work surface because she had not yet gone on display.

 

As well as Mabel, bears worth around £20,000 were damaged as Barney ran amok in the Wookey Bear Collection.

 

Mr Medley said: "It's a disaster. The scene is just a horrific mess, with bits of teddy bear everywhere.

 

"There are a good 100 bears scattered around all over the place.

 

"I'm not sure how we are going to explain this to the insurance company.

 

"Mabel was out on a counter but was due to be added to the collection. I've spoken to the bear's owner, Sir Benjamin, and he is not very pleased at all."

 

Mr Medley said Barney's future at the attraction was "uncertain".

 

He said: "I don't know what's going to happen to Barney. He is such a sweet dog normally. His owner is very shocked about the whole thing."

 

Sir Benjamin was not available for comment at his Maunsel House mansion in North Newton, Somerset.

 

I don't think this dog will be working there much longer:

 

A couple of songs which are apt:

 

Teddy Bear (Let Me Be Your)

 

Hound Dog

 

Rip it up

Also

 

He'll Have To Go (The Guard Dog) :angry:

 

 

I read that in the newspaper the other day. That dog wouldn't stay around for much longer if i had owned it. :o

:o Reckon Sir Benjamin was left 'All Shook Up' ;) The dog obviously had no taste :angry: Well maybe he liked the taste of the teddy :lol:

I read that in the newspaper the other day. That dog wouldn't stay around for much longer if i had owned it. :o

:o You can't blame the dog, blame the bloody stupid owner/handler, making it jealous of the Teddy in the first place, and the idiots who left it out instead of locking it away :angry: