Vox Media-owned brand The Dodo is moving its animal/pet video brand into the toy aisle for the first time with yesterday’s release of a blind-box plush range in Walmart locations across the US.

Each box of Dodo Loveables will feature one of six original plush toys for kids ages six to 12, including Spud the dog, Dandelion the cat and Tuff the turtle. The plush line is produced by LA-based Bonkers Toys and the characters are inspired by The Dodo’s Little But Fierce video series that spotlights real-life pets overcoming challenges in their lives. 

Since its launch in 2014, The Dodo has built up a community of more than 115 million followers across all social media platforms, including YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. The company now produces several online video series about different types of animals and pets, including Foster Diaries, Cat Crazy, Dodo Heroes and Wild Hearts. 

This is The Dodo’s first foray into consumer products for kids, says head of kids and family programming David Glauber. “Each of the animals comes with its own unique Dodo adoption story, which is just the start of the work that we have planned to expand our non-fiction programming into stories and characters,” he tells Kidscreen. 

Following this week’s initial launch in brick-and-mortar stores, the toys will also sell through Walmart’s e-commerce site starting on January 1, before rolling out in Target later next spring. The Loveables line builds on The Dodo’s first partnership with Walmart, which saw the retailer launch a range of 30 branded dog products, pet insurance and a monthly subscription box for pet owners in more than 1,600 stores last September. 

Glauber says The Dodo is planning to make a big push into consumer products and is already exploring more categories. “We’re developing a strong footprint in the book publishing space with partnerships in non-fiction with A Kids Co. and Scholastic, and the potential to expand into fiction in 2023. The early signals we’re seeing with Dodo Loveables also bodes well for more children’s products next year—we’re developing figurines, playsets and more.”