The Terrible Twos

Remember how toddlers want to put everything – and I mean everything – in their mouths? Well, Pip does too.

I've tried buying him his own personal chew toys - but just like kids, if it's allowed it's not quite so appealing.

Pip with his Op Shop belt

 I even bought him his own belt from the Op Shop to chew on - which entertains him for short spaces at a time but then, inevitably, he goes off hunting for forbidden treasure...

Him-in-Doors’ undies – yum! D1’s sneakers – yes please! School notices – a particular fave! Any random thing can become doggie fodder and he seems to really enjoy people running around the house shouting ‘give’ and ‘leave it’ to no avail.

Pip destroys a Cancer Council ball

 When we’re outside it’s particularly gross – although it obviously doesn’t matter as much. He loves any sort of poo and as regular readers would know, duck poo is a particular fave! But he’s also developed a taste for other dog’s diarrhoea and sick. There was a patch of sloppy dog poo on our morning school run. He licked it clean on the way and again on the way back. Then at doggie playgroup the other day, one of the kelpies chucked up after swallowing too much sea water. Pip went for it!

The other thing about being two-ish is the need to establish personal boundaries. Pip, especially first thing in the morning, still likes to jump on us. He’s now probably a bit over a metre high if he’s standing on his hind legs. Let me tell you, having a happy not-so-small puppy jump on you before you’ve had your morning coffee is not great.

We’re trying to encourage him not to jump up by bobbing down to his level and patting him. This kind of works although he sometimes likes to ‘mouth’ which is dog-speak for not quite biting but coming close. ‘Mouthing’ obviously is a definite no-no even though the kids have become surprisingly tolerant of it.  If you’re lucky he suddenly flops down for a belly scratch which is very endearing.