Why does my puppy tear up paper and books? How do I stop it?

Young dogs can be very oral and want to chew and play with things. Sometimes dogs develop “favorite” things to chew on. Unfortunately there is nothing you can do to immediately stop him. However, frequently changing toys, keeping paper products out of his reach, maybe teaching him to only pick up something to chew or ear if given the release word. This takes time, patience, and repetition, but it can be done. I would also recommend blood work to verify that nothing else abnormal is going on, but likely it is behavioral. Best of luck and keep working at it. He will slowly improve. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This can be hard if Kimi goes off when you aren't looking. I would crate her/confine in a room or keep her the room you are doing chores in. You can use a leash or close the door. Hopefully this is something she will grow out of in a few years. It is a bit odd that she does this WHILE you are home as most dogs destroy things when owners leave out of anxiety. I think your issue is more easily solved with the above. I would also consider using a Kong to stuff with yummy things like peanut butter or give her something to chew on. Good luck

Kailana is adorable! Thanks for including some pictures. I certainly understand and sympathize with your situation. I have one younger dog that has a lot of destructive energy and loves to destroy everything. I have a few suggestions for you that have helped me. First, find things that will keep her mouth busy. One thing that people think of first is treats that keep them busy for a longer period of time. This does seem to help. You can use long lasting treats like a Kong filled with peanut butter, yogurt, treats, etc and frozen so it takes longer for her to eat. My dog also really like Bully Sticks which I also freeze to make them last a little longer. Keep her mentally and physically busy during meal times. I love using a feeding balls like a Buster Cube or Tricky Treat ball to feed meals in. It keeps my dog busy for at least 5-10 minutes at each meal and requires him to work. And speaking of working. I have found that my dog is the most tired after we have done a good round of training. Even if you have done a basic obedience class, I would consider trying an advanced class, a nose work class, a tricks class, etc. And if taking a class isn't an option right now, work on training at home. When she goes on walks, make her sit at each corner before she crosses the street. It sounds simple, but additional mental stimulation can go a long way. Playing with other dogs is a great outlet for energy. If you haven't tried it yet, look into your local dog park or doggy daycare center. Sending my youngest dog to daycare once a week has made a huge difference. There are a number of interactive dog games and toys available now. Outward Hound makes a number of toys that your dog has to figure out a puzzle of some type before they get a treats. Here are some ideas for those. https://www.petco.com/category/dog/dog-toys/interactive-dog-toys/dog-puzzle-toys-and-games I have not tried the Clever Pet yet, but it is an electronic interactive toy that I am intrigued about. https://clever.pet And finally, give her appropriate things to destroy. My dog loves paper towel rolls and cardboard boxes. I also get toys that he loves to destroy, so he can get that destructive energy out. So, I think the key is to vary her activities daily and include a wide range of physical and mental stimulation. Be sure to be creative to tire her out on a regular basis and help everyone keep their sanity. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Chewing on lots of things, including human hands and clothing, is completely normal behavior for a puppy this age - this is how puppies explore the world, and how they instinctively want to play. She will grow out of this behavior as she gets older, but there are some things you can do in the meantime that will help. Make sure that your pup has a variety of different toys to provide an appropriate outlet for this behavior - long floppy rope or fleece toys for tugging, plush toys for biting and carrying, and smaller toys or balls for chasing and fetching. She should also have lots of different chews and long-lasting treats to chew on such as bully sticks, large rawhide chews, cow or pig ears, and puzzle toys like a Kong stuffed with peanut butter. You will need to keep your belongings put away out of her reach for now, just like you would with a toddler or small child. For furniture or other items that can't be put away, you can use Bitter Apple spray to make them taste bad, which should help to discourage her from chewing on them. If you are playing with her and she bites you, just redirect her to one of her toys and use that to play with her instead. If she bites your hands when you pet her, calmly stop petting and wait for her to settle down. I would not recommend restraining her against her will, or pinching her ear to punish her for this behavior - these techniques often make things worse by causing frustration, and do not help her to understand what you want. In addition, doing things like this may cause her to be afraid of being picked up or handled, since she associates pain and discomfort with these things. Just be patient and calm, and redirect her to appropriate things to chew as needed - this behavior will go away on its own with age :)

Chewing is very normal behavior for a puppy. This will likely continue until she is 2 to 3 years old although some dogs will be chewers all their life. I recommend kennel training. This is the best way to keep your puppy safe and to keep your home safe as well. Puppies can ingest objects that can cause an intestinal obstruction and requires surgery. Don’t feel bad about not having a bed in the kennel as she will likely chew it up. Make sure to give her vigorous activity every day as this will help some of the chewing behavior. Hopefully she will outgrow this! I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

This is a very common problem, especially for puppies and young dogs - they just seem to enjoy ripping up and eating paper. This is not normally a sign of any kind of dietary deficiency or health problem, just something that they do for fun :) I would try and keep paper products put away out of her reach, since ingesting a large amount of paper could potentially cause some stomach upset or even an obstruction.

Unfortunately this is a common problem in puppies, but luckily there are many things you can do to help stop it. Redirecting him to appropriate toys and providing praise for when he chooses the correct things to chew on can help. Go to https://veterinarypartner.vin.com and type Destructive Chewing by Puppies and Dogs and Bones are Unsafe for Your Dog, No Bones about It in the search bar for more information. Also see the link below for training tips: https://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/how-to-prevent-damage-from-a-destructive-dog/