Dog that eats toilet paper and paper towels

[cjulie101]

I have a 2 yr old Rat Terrier and she has the nastiest habit I have ever seen.  She loves to eat cat poop, soiled toilet paper and paper towels... it doesn't matter what is on the toilet paper or paper towels she will eat it.   Should I be concerned over this nasty habit?  She always has plenty of food and water and she also has plenty of chew toys and regular toys to play with.  How do I make her stop eating it?

[ginger899]

Your question would probably have been better posted as a new Thread, as some people may not notice it on the back-end of this thread......anyway,
I have a similar problem with my dog. When I clean her teeth she clamps her mouth shut tightly, and does this when the vet examines her too.
I have found that the best times for her teeth-cleaning and mouth examination is after she has been exercising hard, and is relaxed, and her mouth opens naturally. Then she doesn't show quite so much resistance (still a little bit, but the more she wants to pant, the more relaxed her mouth is for me to take a look, or clean her teeth.)

[medicaltools2]

Hello,

Do anybody know how to keep dogs mouth open, I need to examine its teeth and oral health.

Regards,

[cjulie101]

Thanks for the advice, I will definitely get some self closing trash cans.  I had never thought of this..... LOL

As for the litter box, nope I can't move it.... it is in the only space we have room for it, but what I can do is set up a "baby" gate so that she won't be able to get to it.

Well thanks again for the advice!

[Jaybay]

Self-closing trash cans are your best friend with any dog in the house.  :-)

Paper products can cause bowel obstruction, so you seriously need to keep these things out of reach.  Think of it as dog-proofing your home the same way you would for a toddler.  Even food products in the garbage can kill your dog if they get hold of something that is very fatty or far outside their usual diet.

You already nailed the problem: boredom.  A dog needs both mental and physical exercise on a regular basis.  Chewing a rawhide or playing with toys doesn't cut it. Terriers are genetically programmed to be very active dogs, so if they aren't regularly walked outside of their territory, they get bored and frustrated and as you've already discovered, they get into trouble.

A good toy to try for the work hours is one that holds treats or a few bits of kibble.  The dog has to think and puzzle out how to get to the treat.  Try a hollow Kong toy filled with peanut butter and/or cheese and freeze it.  It will occupy your dog's time and attention longer.

If you absolutely can't find to walk your dog, try hiring a dog walker.  Hiring a responsible student who loves dogs would be better than nothing, although you'll do better in the long run doing this yourself.

The cat poo problem is more difficult.  One out of the 4 of my dogs I've owned cannot resist a mouthful of cat poo.  I'm just glad we don't own a cat!  I have to watch her on walks, and now that I know where the outdoor cat population tends to congregate, I can stop her before she wolfs down a pile.  Gag!  Can you relocate the litter box where your dog can't get to it?  A diet change for your cat also might help.  Cat food is higher in protein than dog food, and a lot of that protein comes out in their poo making it very attractive to some dogs.  

[cjulie101]

Thanks for reading my post.  I wouldn't be surprised if she was getting bored.  Both my husband and I work so we are gone from the house for 8 hrs. We try very hard to make sure she has enough things to keep her occupied while we aren't home.  When we remember to we keep the bathroom doors closed and this helps a lot :)

But, she doesn't just do this when we are gone.  While we are home she will sneak into the bathrooms or to the litter box and it seems like she knows when we have just "went" to the bathroom because you can walk back into the bathroom a couple minutes later and she has already gotten to the toilet paper.  Weird thing is.... she only eats the part that is soiled.....  GROSS!!! LOL

[allaboutmary]

Hey, I have a Rat Terrier too.  She is a super smart dog, very curious though.  I find she gets bored easily. She is always investigating every square inch of the house.

It's my Schnauzer that will pull tissues from the garbage. She only does it when she is not getting the attention she wants. (like when I'm on the computer). I'm not saying this is your dogs problem and I really don't have the solution for you, as I have much too learn myself, about training these dogs properly. lol   Just wanted to say hey. I'm sure the forum leaders will have some good advice for you.

[slm166]

My Jack Russell does that too (not the cat poop, but the toilet paper/paper towels)!