Slinky Dog is a classic pull-toy, specifically a stylized dachshund featuring a metal slinky for a midsection. In the Toy Story franchise and at Disney Parks, he is depicted as a loyal, weathered toy dating back to the 1950s. Historically, Slinky Dog is based on a real-life toy first released by James Industries in 1952. The character's design features a rotatable wooden-style head, floppy vinyl ears, and articulated legs with small wheels embedded in the feet to allow him to glide when pulled by a string. In 2026, the Slinky Dog Dash roller coaster at Disney's Hollywood Studios pays homage to this "pull-toy" nature by having the coaster train itself resemble a giant, stretching Slinky Dog. While the original toy was made of wood and metal, modern toy replicas are usually high-quality plastic with felt ears. He is the quintessential "hybrid" toy—part spring, part dog—representing the era of simple mechanical play before the rise of electronic toys, which is a central theme in his friendship with the more modern characters like Buzz Lightyear.