Chewing, digging, jumping
How do I stop my dog chewing books?
Last updated 23 September 2026 · How we write and check this
Short answer
Books left on low shelves or coffee tables are easy targets because the paper tears satisfyingly and the covers often smell like the person who last held them. Move books to a closed shelf above dog height and offer a paper based alternative like a cardboard chew toy instead.
Why paper is appealing
The way paper tears offers a similar sensory reward to shredding cardboard, and a book that has been recently handled carries your scent strongly, both of which make it more interesting than a shelf of untouched objects.
Move books up, add a swap
Store books on a shelf higher than your dog can reach or behind a closed door, and if shredding itself seems to be the draw, offer a designated cardboard or paper chew toy your dog is allowed to destroy freely.
If one book keeps getting singled out
A paperback left on a coffee table is usually a bigger draw than a hardback on a shelf, since the softer cover gives more easily under a dog's jaw and tears in the same satisfying way as cardboard. If your dog always goes for whichever book was most recently handled, that points to scent rather than the book itself, so the fix is storage habits rather than choosing sturdier books.
Set up a single closed shelf or a lidded box as the household's landing spot for any book in use, and get everyone in the house, including children doing homework, into the habit of putting a book there rather than on the floor or a low table for even a few minutes. Most incidents happen during exactly that short gap.
If your dog seems to want the tearing itself rather than any particular book, a cardboard chew toy or an empty cereal box with the printed panels removed gives the same sensory payoff without risking a damaged book, and it can be replaced for free whenever it wears out.
Key takeaways
- A book's scent and paper texture both add to its appeal as a chew target.
- Higher shelving or closed storage removes the opportunity directly.
- A dedicated paper chew toy satisfies the same shredding urge safely.
- A single closed landing spot for books removes the short unsupervised gaps where damage happens.