Our Australian Shepard/Border Collie mix dog, Sasha, has recently started eating paper. This includes anything from grocery lists to Netflix envelopes to cookbooks—pretty much anything she can get her teeth on. She usually does this behind our backs, such as when we leave the room or leave the house. I was puzzled by her new behavior, so I consulted Stacy Braslau-Schneck of Stacy's Wag'N'Train.
Her first response was to have our dog checked out by a veterinarian to rule out any nutritional deficiency or disease. If she gets a clean bill of health, the next thing to consider is whether she’s getting enough exercise and brain stimulation. Braslau-Schneck said she also has an Australian Shepard/Border Collie mix, so she understands that they need to mentally stimulated.
“Dogs who are bored or stressed need some sort of outlet, and if they're not presented with enough ‘interesting’ activities in their daily life they often invent new hobbies (usually things we consider destructive),” said Braslau-Schneck.
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She suggested we give our dog her meal in a Kong or Wobbler or similar toy so that Sasha has to work to get her food. She stressed that these breeds need to be frequently learning new things to keep their brains engaged and focused on positive activities.
Braslau-Schneck also recommended removing all paper products from the kitchen area, which is where our dog stays when we’re away. (We did this and our kitchen has never looked less cluttered!) She explained that before stopping an undesired behavior, you need to remove all temptation so our dog stops practicing her bad habit. After you do this, you can begin to introduce paper again, using the command, “leave it,” when she tries to chew it. It may take repeated attempts of walking out of the room to see if we can catch her in the act.
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This week’s pet is an energetic older gent, Comet, an 8-year-old rat terrier. Mature dogs like Comet have already lost that puppy urge to chew up everything in site, but Comet still has the heart of a puppy and the ability to zoom around the room. Belly rubs are a favorite, too.
His ID is 10817, and he's waiting for you at Humane Society Silicon Valley. Adoption fees are $175, which help the nonprofit cover shelter, food and medical care while under its care. More about the adoption process can be found by clicking here or by calling 408-262-2133.
