This article is about the rock. For the 1981 album by The Sinceros, see Pet Rock (album).
Pet Rock is a collectible toy made in 1975 by advertising executive Gary Dahl. They were rocks packaged in custom cardboard boxes[1] complete with ventilation holes and straw bedding imitating a pet carrier.[2] The fad lasted about six months, ending after a short increase in sales during the Christmas season of December 1975. Although by February 1976 they were discounted due to lower sales, Dahl sold over 1 million Pet Rocks for $4 each,[1] and became a millionaire.[3][4][5]
Pet Rock
The Pet Rock "Pet Carrier", which doubled as its packaging
With his money, Dahl opened a bar named "Carry Nations" in downtown Los Gatos, California, a reference to Caroline Amelia Nation, often referred to as Carrie, Carry Nation, Carrie A. Nation, or Hatchet Granny, a radical member of the temperance movement). Dahl continued to work in advertising; however, he avoided interviews for years. He has said this was because "a bunch of wackos" harassed him with lawsuits and threats. Neville said in 1999, "Sometimes I look back and wonder if my life would have been simpler if I made the rock edible."[4]
Gary Dahl came up with the idea in a bar while listening to his friends complain about their pets; this gave him the idea for the perfect "pet": a rock.[2] A rock would not need to be fed, walked, bathed, or groomed, and it would not die, become sick, or be disobedient. Dahl said that they were to be the perfect pets and joked about it with his friends.[6] Dahl took his "pet" idea seriously, however, and drafted an instruction manual for a pet rock.[7] The manual was full of puns and gags that referred to the rock as an actual pet.
Dahl's biggest expense was the die-cutting and manufacture of the boxes. The rocks cost only one cent each, and the straw was nearly free. For the initial run of booklets, Dahl had a printing job for a client, and "tacked" the pet rock booklet onto the main job. This resulted in a batch requiring only a cut and trim, at almost no cost to him.
Training manual
A 32-page official training manual titled The Care and Training of Your Pet Rock was included, with instructions on how to properly raise and care for one's new Pet Rock (notably lacking instructions for feeding, bathing, changing, and so on).[8] The instruction manual contained gags, puns and jokes, and listed several commands that could be taught to the new pet. While "sit" and "stay" were effortless to accomplish, "roll over" usually required a little extra help from the trainer. "Come," "stand" and "shake hands" were found to be near-impossible to teach; however, "attack" was fairly simple (with some help from the owner's force).
In popular culture
Topic of conversation in the movie Office Space (1999).
Zoe from Sesame Street owns a pet rock called Rocco. A video of Elmo from Sesame Street shouting at Rocco went viral in early 2022.[9]
A24 produced an official licensed Pet Rock as a tie-in for the film Everything Everywhere All at Once. This version of the Pet Rock has a pair of googly eyes attached in reference to a scene from that film. Also included are the straw bedding and instructions of the original, and a new version of the ventilated box printed with scenery from the film.[10][11][12]
References
^ abWoo, Elaine (April 1, 2015). "Gary Ross Dahl, originator of '70s Pet Rock sensation, dies at 78". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2015-04-01.
^ ab Bathroom Reader's Institution, ed. (September 1999). "The Latest Thing". Uncle John's Legendary Lost Bathroom Reader. Portable Press. p. 373. ISBN1-879682-74-5.
^"Pet rock millionaire offers a new method to getting stoned". The Miami News. Associated Press. 1977-02-07. pp. 2A. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
^ ab"Between Pet Rock and a hard place". The Milwaukee Journal. 1988-11-15. pp. 2A. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
^Olson, James Stuart (1999). Historical Dictionary of the 1970s. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 284. ISBN9780313305436.
^ Jane and Michael Stern (1992). "Pet Rocks". Encyclopedia of POP Culture. Harper Perennial Press. Retrieved 2015-07-18.
^Gary Dahl (1975-12-20). The care and training of your pet rock.
^"The Care and Training of Your Pet Rock Manual by Gary Dahl". Scribd.
^"Elmo's feud with a pet rock has consumed the internet". NBC News.
^"A24 is Selling a Pet Rock from 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' to Celebrate Oscar Nominations". Collider. 25 January 2023.
^"Everything Everywhere All at Once Fans Can Now Own an Official A24 Pet Rock". 26 January 2023.
^"Everything Everywhere All at Once Now Selling Official Pet Rocks".
External links
Official website
Pet Rock in Top 10 Toy Crazes by Time magazine
August 29, 2023
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This article is about the rock For the 1981 album by The Sinceros see Pet Rock album Pet Rock is a collectible toy made in 1975 by advertising executive Gary Dahl They were rocks packaged in custom cardboard boxes 1 complete with ventilation holes and straw bedding imitating a pet carrier 2 The fad lasted about six months ending after a short increase in sales during the Christmas season of December 1975 Although by February 1976 they were discounted due to lower sales Dahl sold over 1 million Pet Rocks for 4 each 1 and became a millionaire 3 4 5 Pet RockThe Pet Rock Pet Carrier which doubled as its packagingTypeCollectible toyInventor s Gary DahlCountryUSAAvailability1975 February 1976With his money Dahl opened a bar named Carry Nations in downtown Los Gatos California a reference to Caroline Amelia Nation often referred to as Carrie Carry Nation Carrie A Nation or Hatchet Granny a radical member of the temperance movement Dahl continued to work in advertising however he avoided interviews for years He has said this was because a bunch of wackos harassed him with lawsuits and threats Neville said in 1999 Sometimes I look back and wonder if my life would have been simpler if I made the rock edible 4 Contents 1 Development 2 Training manual 3 In popular culture 4 References 5 External linksDevelopment EditGary Dahl came up with the idea in a bar while listening to his friends complain about their pets this gave him the idea for the perfect pet a rock 2 A rock would not need to be fed walked bathed or groomed and it would not die become sick or be disobedient Dahl said that they were to be the perfect pets and joked about it with his friends 6 Dahl took his pet idea seriously however and drafted an instruction manual for a pet rock 7 The manual was full of puns and gags that referred to the rock as an actual pet Dahl s biggest expense was the die cutting and manufacture of the boxes The rocks cost only one cent each and the straw was nearly free For the initial run of booklets Dahl had a printing job for a client and tacked the pet rock booklet onto the main job This resulted in a batch requiring only a cut and trim at almost no cost to him Training manual EditA 32 page official training manual titled The Care and Training of Your Pet Rock was included with instructions on how to properly raise and care for one s new Pet Rock notably lacking instructions for feeding bathing changing and so on 8 The instruction manual contained gags puns and jokes and listed several commands that could be taught to the new pet While sit and stay were effortless to accomplish roll over usually required a little extra help from the trainer Come stand and shake hands were found to be near impossible to teach however attack was fairly simple with some help from the owner s force In popular culture EditTopic of conversation in the movie Office Space 1999 Zoe from Sesame Street owns a pet rock called Rocco A video of Elmo from Sesame Street shouting at Rocco went viral in early 2022 9 A24 produced an official licensed Pet Rock as a tie in for the film Everything Everywhere All at Once This version of the Pet Rock has a pair of googly eyes attached in reference to a scene from that film Also included are the straw bedding and instructions of the original and a new version of the ventilated box printed with scenery from the film 10 11 12 References Edit a b Woo Elaine April 1 2015 Gary Ross Dahl originator of 70s Pet Rock sensation dies at 78 Los Angeles Times Retrieved 2015 04 01 a b Bathroom Reader s Institution ed September 1999 The Latest Thing Uncle John s Legendary Lost Bathroom Reader Portable Press p 373 ISBN 1 879682 74 5 Pet rock millionaire offers a new method to getting stoned The Miami News Associated Press 1977 02 07 pp 2A Retrieved December 18 2011 a b Between Pet Rock and a hard place The Milwaukee Journal 1988 11 15 pp 2A Retrieved December 18 2011 Olson James Stuart 1999 Historical Dictionary of the 1970s Greenwood Publishing Group p 284 ISBN 9780313305436 Jane and Michael Stern 1992 Pet Rocks Encyclopedia of POP Culture Harper Perennial Press Retrieved 2015 07 18 Gary Dahl 1975 12 20 The care and training of your pet rock The Care and Training of Your Pet Rock Manual by Gary Dahl Scribd Elmo s feud with a pet rock has consumed the internet NBC News A24 is Selling a Pet Rock from Everything Everywhere All at Once to Celebrate Oscar Nominations Collider 25 January 2023 Everything Everywhere All at Once Fans Can Now Own an Official A24 Pet Rock 26 January 2023 Everything Everywhere All at Once Now Selling Official Pet Rocks External links EditOfficial website Pet Rock in Top 10 Toy Crazes by Time magazine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pet Rock amp oldid 1171277253, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
