How to Stop a Dog From Eating Toilet Paper

The cat did it. I was cleaning it up.
i Chris Amaral/Photodisc/Getty Images

Does your dog like to make it "snow" on the bathroom floor? A dog likes to chew items with different textures and tastes as a part of his learning. This can make a real mess in the bathroom when the toilet paper is shredded. Proper training will curb his paper fetish quickly.

Step 1

Dog-proof your home by closing bathroom doors to keep your pooch out of toilet paper wonderland. Place packages of toilet paper in a cabinet with a baby lock so he cannot open the cabinet and chew up the toilet paper.

Step 2

Buy garbage cans with locking lids to keep your pet from digging toilet paper out of them. Test the locking mechanism on the cans by knocking them over and pushing them on the floor to make certain the lids do not pop open. The garbage can should be very thick plastic or metal to discourage a dog from chewing into it. If he knows there is something in the can that he wants, he could be determined enough to chew through it to get to the item.

Step 3

Place a baby gate across a doorway to enclose your dog while you are away from home. You may choose to leave him in a small, closed room such as a laundry room when you leave home. Make certain to pick up any items in the room that he may chew on.

Step 4

Supply your four-legged pal with lots of different chew toys in different textures to stimulate his mind and chewing habit. Natural chew toys are designed for long periods of chewing. Dental chews will clean his teeth and breath as he gnaws on them.

Step 5

Fill a puzzle toy with peanut butter to occupy your dog’s time while you are away. It will take him a long time to lick the delicious treat out of the toy, offering hours of enjoyment to use his stored up energy wisely.

Step 6

Allow your pet access to the bathroom eventually after a few weeks of confinement from the area. If he grabs toilet paper, tell him “no no,” take it from him and give him a toy instead. He will soon learn that toilet paper and other papers are not for him to chew. Eventually, you will be able to leave him free inside without supervision and still have toilet paper in the bathroom when you need it.

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