We currently seem to have one good day followed by two bad days, after a really great Saturday Ripple has gone back to serious mouthing and not seeming to know what to do with himself next. I think it must be related to teething as he has been spitting out baby teeth and leaving bloody marks on my clothes where he has had his mouth round me. He seems totally unable to entertain himself, doesn't want to play with his toys and unless I'm paying him attention is pulling at the furniture, jumping up and chewing everything and anything. He also has the attention span of a gnat for training at the moment. I feel really sorry for him if his mouth is hurting but I'm finding it really wearing. I don't want to keep shutting him in his crate but it seems to be the only way to settle him by giving him a frozen Kong - if I leave the crate open he's just out wandering again. I guess this is just another Labrador puppy stage to work through.
Poor Ripple.....a wetted, knotted and frozen teatowel is apparently an excellent teether (and calorie-free) I do help this doesn't go on too long for you.
You are absolutely right, he doesn't know what to do with himself. Have you tried Treatballs , Bustercubes and other toys that he can occupy himself with? When Molly was younger she had all her meals either in Kongs, Treatballs etc. It gave me some much needed peace, she enjoyed it and it engaged her brain. You will find an improvement when Ripple has shed his baby teeth.
At the moment Ripple has his frozen tea towel but doesn't seem to be sure what it's for. He's currently throwing it round the room and then pouncing on it - goodness knows how much damage he's causing to the woodwork! At least he's occupied and having fun albeit very noisy. Thanks to everyone for their suggestions.
Yes we used ice cubes....if the woodwork is getting a battering,stay away from kong wobblers...Dexter loves his but the noise is deafening!
And next time when I freeze the tea towel i will put it on a plate, as last time i spent rather a long time trying to extricate it from the freezer shelf .
We got little lamb bones (raw) from the butcher - the rib bones are just the right size - and froze them. Pongo thought they were bliss - lovely and cold on his sore gums, and - of course - perfect for chewing and delicious. One frozen bone would keep him happily quiet for about half an hour, then he tended to go to sleep to dream about it. (Now, of course, they only last 3 minutes.)
