Pepper Read the Whole Newspaper. Then She Shredded It.
A heap of newspaper strips piles up on the wooden floor, and next to it sits a black and white Havanese with a scruffy white beard and soft, dark eyes. Her head tilts slightly, as though she is waiting for a compliment on her handiwork. A sofa waits in the back of a sunlit living room, and a few more scraps of paper are tucked under her paws. The headlines have been well and truly shredded.
Havanese dogs are small, sociable companions with silky coats and cheerful, clownish personalities. They tend to bond closely with their families and often follow them from room to room, which is why they are known as velcro dogs. A Havanese left alone for long periods can get bored or anxious, and shredding paper is a favorite outlet. Short training sessions, food puzzles and a few minutes of play before leaving the house can help keep her busy.
Grooming matters for this breed too, since the long coat can tangle and a gentle brushing routine keeps it comfortable. Newspaper ink is usually mild, but a dog who swallows a lot of paper should get a call to the vet.
She wears an expression of quiet pride that suggests this was an organized project. We might name her Pepper, and we would not be surprised if she wanted a second edition.
