Dropping the Other Shoe

My amazing Henry is such a smart boy.  It has been a continuing theme for him to clench his little teeth around one of my shoes declaring ownership.  I am barefoot by preference, but our floors are chilly, especially in the winter.  So, I have shoes and socks here and there, kicked off when I park myself in a comfy warm chair.

This is, naturally, a great opportunity for the boy.  Henry grabs the shoe or sock and quietly trots off to attempt dismantling the thing.  My shoes are not all that fragile and his teeth are not all that aggressive so no shoes have actually been lost in his efforts but lets face it, this is not a habit we want to encourage.

When I notice my shoeless condition and attempt a retrieval, Henry thinks it is the best game ever to play keep away and then finally tug-a-war.  Hum....Henry's Human is really not being a good trainer.

He is just getting to the point where he realizes his true potential!  With determination he can actually rip his stuffed animals up and scatter the stuffing just like his dog-cousins up North.  It does take him days instead of minutes, but the potential is there.  He is finding it very cool to "operate" and extract the squeaky bit in those toys.

It is clearly time to establish the "mine" and "his" rules if I want to keep sets of shoes instead of an occasional left or right only.  He is a quick learner.  We will get this done!