If you ever give a pet a gift that’s been wrapped up, you’ll know that, often, the wrapping paper itself can be more popular than what was inside it. But as your dog enjoys ripping it up and biting at it, should you be concerned? Is there anything dangerous about wrapping paper when it comes to dogs? Let’s take a closer look.
Wrapper’s Delight
Plain wrapping paper – wrapping paper that does not have anything metallic or sparkly on it – is usually safe enough for dogs, so there’s nothing to really worry about there. Crepe paper is fine too, and as long as it’s just paper, it will likely be absolutely fine for your dog and not toxic at all.
That being said, it’s probably not the best idea to indulge your dog when it comes to the practice of chomping away on the wrapping paper. Some wrapping paper has been bleached using chlorine to make it extra white, and while the traces of these substances are very low, it can still upset your dog’s stomach.
Stay away from sparkles
What’s more, if the wrapping paper is covered in glitter, it can potentially irritate your dog’s digestion.
Foil paper and any paper with embossed metallics should also be kept away from your dog as both can cause damage to your dog’s internals. It’s also worth keeping an eye on ribbons and bows as both of these can be a choking hazard when someone’s big, greedy jaws get hold of them.
So bearing all of that in mind, while some paper won’t cause any issues, some will, and is it worth taking the risk? We don’t think so, and it will make clearing up the living room a lot easier when present time is over. It’s also worth noting that some enterprising companies have made specifically dog-friendly and even edible wrapping paper, so if you do enjoy watching Fido rip it all to shreds, that may be a way to indulge them.
Any dog who enjoys tearing paper to pieces will need a healthy set of teeth and gums to help them in their battle against this terrible foe (that has cute snowmen all over it). Ensure they’ve got a great set of pearly whites with a few dental chews from tails.com