eating paper?

[chris nanney]

I have a dog that is inside 24/7 except for potty breaks due to ACL surgery. The first few weeks were fine, but in the last week she has started shredding and eating paper products. Examples include magazines, kleenex, a paper mache' reindeer, and stock white paper. She also ate a dryer sheet but I'm not sure what it's made of. There are other things she could chew on but she sticks to paper.

My guesses as to why include: hunger, boredom (now that she's feeling better, or separation anxiety (she does it when we're not home). She does tend to chew sticks and pine cones when outside so maybe that is a clue. Or perhaps there is something missing from her diet.

Any ideas/suggestions.

[Birdie'sMom]

I can't answer why, but I can tell you that she's not the only one! Birdie's loves to snack on toilet paper on the off chance that her bird-brained ma and pa leave the bathroom door open!! She also likes to sneak off with tissues and paper towels if any get dropped on the floor!!

[rottiesnumberone]

I think this is a common problem with Rotts. I have a two year old male who does the same thing, toilet paper, newspaper, notebook paper, etc. If it falls on the floor, it's his, just shreads into small pieces and the fun is over.

[Teena]

Yup, 3 paper shredders here. I guess it's fun to them.

[Grendl]

I have two Rotts. The male prefers to chew paper products (envelopes, empty 12PK coke boxes, etc). The female likes to chew more challenging objects. Give me the paper-chewer any day!

[Judi W]

I think most dogs like to chew paper. The reason they do it when we're not home is not particularly separation anxiety (I believe too much misbehavior is blamed on that) but because if we were home, we'd probably stop the fun. Paper is pretty much harmless. I always give my dogs the empty toilet paper rolls and paper towel rolls which they play with and tear up and have a generally good time with. I've learned to keep the klenex box up high and they've not been into magazines or books so I'm OK there. They do occasionally snatch a piece of paper out of the wastebasket - again no fault, no foul.

As long as it is not your tax forms..............

[Rottnlove]

Oh yeah, paper is very fun around here! My pup will grab the toilet paper and unroll it and have lots of fun! I keep all other paper out of sight out of mind most of the time, lol.

The best fix for this one is to keep it away from them.

Christmas morning is going to be a blast around here, we have lots of giftwrap that will be everywhere. Good thing I bought her a new chew toy and ball to give on Christmas morning to keep her busy in her crate for a while! ;)

[Chaco]

Lundy's big treat is to stick her head in the dryer and find the dryer sheet. It is hilarious. Her aunt loved paper of all kinds and Lundy has been known to shred a few paper items, but dryer sheets are by far her fave treat. Two other rotts we've had have shown no interest.

[ILoveRotts]

My Drake will eat anything if left to his own devises. He likes the empty toliet paper rolls the best but used kleenexes are also a treat. I had to buy a garbage can with a lid for the bathroom to keep him out of the garbage there!