# Suddenly Tearing Up Paper-HELP



## jeffboone (Oct 17, 2010)

Emma, my beautiful Irish Creme Golden, is 8 months. For the first 7 months she did not tear up any newspapers, magazines, mail, etc... I thought my 6 year old Golden, Casey, had shown by example how to act when I am gone. For the last month when I get home I will discover some paper item shredded in the house. She started on the coffe table and has moved to the kitchen table. I really thought I had the perfect puppy until this started. 
Any ideas on how to get her to stop tearing up paper? Casey never touches anything. I really do not want to put Emma back in the crate when I am gone. 
This forum has helped so much with every question I have ever had.

Thanks in advance.

Jeff

P.S. Emma is pretty well behaved for a Golden Puppy in all other areas.


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## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

The only advice I have it to keep paper out of reach. Golden's can be pretty destructive with both toys and paper. It most likely is a phase that will pass.


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## tanianault (Dec 11, 2010)

I agree with Oakley's Dad. Keep all paper (including books, etc.) out of reach and keep a supply of appropriate chewables (stuffed Kongs, large bones, etc.) out for Emma to chew on instead.

- Tania


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

Maybe she saw you watching the youtube video of the baby who giggles when paper is torn up? Just kidding, couldn't resist.

I agree with you that it would be a shame to crate her because of this. It probably is something that just never occurred to her before. A piece might have 'blown' off the table as she went by. Curiosity leads to sniffing, licking and once it's in the mouth.... Most goldens do love to shred paper...we give ours the junk mail. It's cheap amusement that renews itself every day. :doh:

At this point with a young pup, probably the best tactic is to make sure all papers are put up high. You can also work on training her not to take papers off the table by leaving some around while you are in the room with her. A good opportunity to teach 'leave it'.

btw, she's still perfect. Now she has a quirk!


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## jeffboone (Oct 17, 2010)

Thanks fellow Golden Lovers.
As you can see I am rather lazy with my house keeping and was hoping for some magic answer. 
Emma will not tear up any paper when I am here because she knows it is BAD so I will clean house and hope it passes with time.

Thanks again!!!!!


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Either keep the paper out of her reach or keep her out of reach of paper.

Welcome to adolescence. Roughly 8 to 18 months is generally the most trying time for dog owners. Increased management (which often includes re-visiting some crating) is generally the best plan.

Make it harder for her to successfully practice what you don't like and by default, she'll lose interest in it.


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## boomers_dawn (Sep 20, 2009)

Yep, pick up, put away, lock up. 

When Gladys was a puppy I even had to take the toilet paper off the roll and put it in the drawer.


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## chris428 (Jan 14, 2008)

My dudu went through a paper-loving phase too, it felt like a never ending nightmare at the time, but now he is over it and it felt like nothing : )

I do agree with everyone, put the paper away .... and hanging there:


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## mygoldenkids (Oct 4, 2010)

Ha ha--laughed at this because I have a shredder too! Molly (8 months old) will shred any paper product within her reach. I have to keep my bathroom waste baskets on the sink, magazines off the coffee table, etc. My other golden never really had much interest, so this has been new for me. 

Maybe I should put her to work and have her shred all of my sensitive documents--she does a much more thorough job than my electric shredder! lol


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## Noey (Feb 26, 2009)

my guys are paper shredders. The first tim they attacked a stack of bills I had on the counter - paper all over the place. They made a small stack look like a room full of paper. And the "look what I did" no guilt at all was just the toping on the cake.

They LOVE paper.
We keep it away as much as possible, but we did teach them not to eat it. Now and again a small amount gets eaten but for the most part they just like to rip it up. I'm not sure how my husband taught them not to eat it...but they don't.

They now have...paper I allow them to rip and we put in the trash - I tell them they are helping and they enjoy this "treat", and paper they don't touch...they only touch the paper we give them to help rip. They also like to help my husband rip up boxes...they know it's going in the trash - they don't eat it.


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## bioteach (Nov 13, 2010)

Buckskin went through the paper shredding stage for TWO YEARS! Brewer never touched it. Nugget is five months old and we are suffering through it now. Each puppy has his own way of dealing with the temptation of paper. I totally agree that paper out of reach is paper left intact. You could soak a paper towel in "bitter whatever" and "accidentally" leave it. Honestly, that hasn't worked for us, but if might for you. Nugget doesn't mind Bitter Apple or Phoooey stuff.

Maybe he'll only eat your bills.


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