# Paper Shredding - is it worth it?



## Redorr (Feb 2, 2008)

Wondering from our seasoned Hav parents if it is worth it to try to discipline a Hav to not shred paper? Lola (9 mos) will grab any random magazine insert card or tissue or paper towel and shred, chew, mess in record time. I have tried to let her know this is not good, but most often it turns into a game of "keep away" which morphs into a RLH session and seems rediculous and futile. 

At the same time, we have done really well with not chewing on other things. She has never chewed on shoes or pillows or furniture. She has a variety of chewing toys & bully sticks which she loves, but none as much as a good piece of paper. She stares at the toilet paper roll trying to figure out how to get at it, but hasn't taken it on...yet. I keep the bathroom doors closed most of the time. (By the way my vet told me that rawhide is a bad chew toys for our little kids because the pieces are not digestable. He recommended digestable items like bully sticks or pig ears.)


So, is this behavior that can be changed? Other than the pain of the mess I have to pick up, can she be hurt from digesting the paper? Oh, and any ideas on how to keep her from picking up every scrap of paper on the sidewalk?


Thanks all!


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## Julie (Feb 8, 2007)

I did say a firm "no" and Quincy was scolded early on as a pup. He no longer messes with paper. He got into the bathroom garbage and had a thing for maxi pads....but after a scolding or two---he no longer does any of this. He loved to chew cords. Cords on vacuum cleaners/etc. as a pup. I totally trust him now,but if there was something tempting in the garbage,I'm not 100% he would leave it alone....I think it is a personal choice,but for me---I didn't want to pick up every single paper and make sure I always shut the bathroom door etc.Although it's cute to see photos on here of the shredding---I never really had a "shredder" and after the few messes I had to clean up-----he was going to go by my rules.I have enough messes to clean up already!:laugh:


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## Me&2Girls (May 11, 2007)

If you can train them not to chew anything but what they should, it's probably better but some of them are just addicted to paper and nothing will stop them. Unless there is something bad on the paper, it really won't hurt them.


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

Well,

I think they can be trained NOT to shred paper, yes.

I did train Gucci NOT to touch my sewing patterns. I'll often lay them out on the floor to cut and talk about TEMPTING. you can SEE her mouth drool, but she knows those are OFF limits. They are expensive, and hard to replace, especially some of my vintage patterns that I got in BIDDING wars over on Ebay. I'd literally cry if she ate one.

But back to the point, I kept a soda can (empty) with coins in it and shook it a few times. She didn't like it, and it seemed to work, she won't mess with my patterns.

Although, I"ve never done that with TP or magazines, I guess those are fair game. I know she likes to shred, so i'll pick my battles. I mean, as long as she's not shredding money or patterns, I'm ok. with it. lol

She has never attacked a book other than the "Havanese" by Klumb. She ate the cover and a few pages outta that. Go figure, the only book worthy of destruction to Guch. lol

Kara


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

Well, yes they can be trained. I keep a big basket of magazines right on the floor-- and neither of my boys go in there. I took a lot or NO's, MINE, and Bitter apple. I am still working on stealing out of the wastebasket under our desk. But I think that is more of a "theif" thing with Cash. 

But--- I will say this--they love it so much, I employ and encourage controlled paper shredding. It is the only way I can I get Jasper to play. I let him go after a piece of paper towel and of course Cash joins in. They love it if it clumped in my hand in they try to pry it out. Or Birthdays and special occasions 
I will wrap a treat in tons of paper towel with bow and watch em go to town...

For some reason this does not translate to open season on shredding... But it takes a while. My boys are 1.5 and 2.5.


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

Mine only go after tissues, paper napkins, paper towels, and the empty cardboard tubes from these things. Kodi has never chewed anything up other than paper. Shelby is the chewer. She got a pair of my flip-flops, DH's flip-flops, and a little piece of one of my shoes (not the good one). She will also chew her food dish. I tried to switch from plastic to ceramic, but they didn't like it.


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

Digging in the trash, stealing the TP or eating books and magazines is off limits, but I love the shredding and frequently offer things ok to shred. Mine doesn't eat the paper anyhoo so it's just a bit of a pick up job. I give him the empty TP tubes to shred and also let him "steal" my dinner napkin on occaision.


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## Moko (Dec 11, 2007)

I ABSOLUTELY agree that the rules have to be abided by...

*BUT MAKE SURE YOU TAKE AT LEAST ONE PICTURE TO POST BEFORE YOUR HAV STOPS SHREDDING! ound:ound:*


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## EstrellaVila (Nov 30, 2007)

Oh I agree you should definetly try to stop that. You never know what Lola might get into, maybe some important document you needed. LOL. Or you could let her keep it up and have your kids use that as their excuse...


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## Redorr (Feb 2, 2008)

Seems to be a wide range of "allowed" shredding going on --- but consistent in that every Hav seems to want to do it. I think having some allowed items would be better than me trying to never let her get paws on any paper. She leaves the magazines that are the rack or in piles alone, but if one is open on the coffeetable those loose pages are just too much for the kid to resist! 

Thanks all for your perspective!


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## Sissygirl (Aug 8, 2007)

Sissy is not near as bad now as she was about shredding tp. She also loved to shred kleenex. As she is older now it rarely happens.

I just ignore it and picked it up and guided her towards her toys. We do have a video
where my DH is kinda teasing her and asking her what she had done??? She is not fazed at all...ound:


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## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

Lincoln used to have his snout poised right at the mail slot when he saw the mailman approaching....he'd shred the mail if I couldn't run over there fast enough. Obviously this was not good, especially if we were expecting to receive a check or important document in the mail!

Our entryway and access to the mail is blocked off with an xpen now anyway. I also worked with him on "Drop It!" and that would at least give me 3 seconds to get over there before he regained his senses...he'd obey the command and then realize, "What am I doing?" and then go for the mail again :suspicious:


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## Rita (Jan 1, 2007)

I stopped Houston early on from shredding. He was going into the bathroom and picking tissues out of the trash but I set him up with some bitter apple tissues. He didn't like that.

My only concern was if I let him shred one thing than everything was fair game. How would he know the difference? What if he shredded the one piece of mail that said I inherited millions. LOL

I guess it is all personal preference. My sister in law always lets her Hav have some newspaper to tear as a treat. LOL


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## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

I shut the bathroom door. We were trained early on  While I don't encourage it, every now and then Dora punishes me by making me pick toilet paper up!

Amanda


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