A Brindle Shih Tzu Froze Beside a Whole Roll of Paper Towels
The evidence trails across the floor in long white ribbons, and the culprit is sitting right beside it. A brindle Shih Tzu looks up with huge round eyes, his whiskery chin tilted and his small body perfectly still. A paper towel roll lies on its side nearby, stripped to the cardboard, and a path of crumpled sheets stretches back across the wooden floor toward a couch.
Behind him, a gray blanket sits on the sofa, a plant waits on a table, and a squeaky toy lies abandoned in the corner. We'll call him Teddy. His coat is a warm, scruffy mix of browns and grays, and he wears the stunned expression of a dog who got halfway through his masterpiece when the door opened.
Dogs love to shred paper because it tears so satisfyingly, and unrolling a towel roll is a game that practically plays itself. Paper towels in small amounts generally pass without trouble, but a lot of swallowed paper, or paper soaked with cleaners or food, can upset a dog's stomach, so pick up all the scraps and call your vet if you think he ate a lot. Shih Tzus were bred as companion dogs, and they like to be near their people, so a bored or lonely Shih Tzu may invent his own entertainment. Keep rolls out of reach, give him a safe shredding toy, and spend a little time on play and short walks every day to use up that energy.
Teddy stays frozen, hoping that if he stays still, the mess might somehow disappear.
