do you have to get a stuff toy of webkinz for you to enter?

Can someone please explain to me what a cheeky dog is and why webkinz offers them? Is the cheeky dog really all that cheeky?

I don't play the site myself, so I am rather limited on it, but I have a friend who does (and really likes it) so I will share what I know of her experiences and my impressions of the site. I am also using what was int eh review to help me form some of my impressions.

My first impression is that it is for kids who are younger than me (ie, not yeat a teenager) however this must be skewed, because a TON of the people in my school seemed to play it. My next thought is that it kind of sucks to have to purchase a plushie to play. THis is pretty much the reason I never tried it; I don't want to pay-to-play anything. According to my friend, you also have to continue getting plushies to continue playing. I believe she said that everytime you add a pet you can play for a year from that date. That sounded like a greedy money-grabbing scheme to me. What would you do if your parents only let you get one toy and you still wanted to play? Well, too bad. No more caring for your virtual huskie for you, buy a frog if you ever want to see her again.

My friend mentioned that the games have low payout rates, too. She told me about using up the plays on the games with decent rates and then being stuck. (more or less, anyway) She also mentioned that food and other items could be expensive. She mostly cashed out on the quiz game, I believe, and tried some jobs, but screwed them up and had to wait x time to try again. Oooh, but guess what? If you buy another toy, you get more kinzcash! AND another free room on your house (the new pet's bedroom)!

The interaction with the pets seems cute, though. They walk around the house, and make noises/talk. You can put them in toy cars and drive around (assuming you have one) and give them a bath (well, their head, at least). The pets themselves are pretty cute, although the cartoony/stuffed toy style seems a bit young girl aimed as a general rule.

The games sounded cute and fun overall. My friend mentioned a sombrero-wearing chihuahua who bounces a bean off his hat at...well, it sounded like one of those bounce the ball to break the blocks games. But apparently he talks to you during the game.

The "NPCs" seem just as cute as the ones you own. Shopkeepers and game characters are all in-game versions of the toys, dressed up and placed in a role. As far as i gathered, most speak out loud or at least use speech bubbles. I think it is nice that all the NPCs resemble the pets because it makes them seem to fit into the same world. And the speaking and actual interaction of sorts with them is kind of cool, because even, like on neopets, the shopkeeper fits with the theme, they are just an image plastered on a screen that you generally ignore.

As a whole, I think webkinz could be pretty fun (although more fun for kids younger than me). Despite aall that I mentioned about having to pay, it doesn't look like they are overly aggressive about getting more money, just happy to do so. I would try webkinz myself, if, say, a free webkinzz toy fell into my lap. ;) Like I said, I don't like having to pay-to-play.

Oh yeah, what do you guys think?