Soak them good. Make sure you have enough of whatever on top of them. Make sure it stays wet? or atleast moist. Ive used cardboard with great success. The edges usually don't break down as well as the "meat' of the bed/garden/or whatever i'm trying to cover.

caroline I keep the hose on hand when doing this, lay down the newspaper at least 10 sheets thick and soak it with the hose as I go then top it with a good layer of mulch or compost. Ive never had problems with it lifting up or blowing away

The only time I have a problem with newspaper blowing away is if the mulch is not thick enough to hold it in place, or the wild turkeys scratch the mulch I put down off and expose the newspaper. While using paper will reduce the amount of mulch that is needed you still need about 3 inches on top of the paper to adequately hold it in place, an inch, or less, is not going to work.

I find the tree rats go crazy because they think there is something under that cardboard that belongs to them. I found a bulb several feet away from where I planted it. I have watched them and they dig for the sake of digging, not because there is anything there for them.

My dog is trained to pee on training pads whenever he pleases in the house. I put down newspapers as collateral insurance in case he misses. He misses or at least dots the newspaper pretty regularly. Should I be composting this newspaper? Would it be ok to add to the compost pile?

The only time I've had problems with paper blowing away is when first adding it to the pile.I haven't been composting long,but found that if I throw some good straw on top it keeps everything in place until I water.When you go to make that 1st turn everything should still be damp still and the straw mixes right in.What I mean by good straw is straw with a hollow reed,not thin straw that is almost grass.

Bencjedi, sure, the paper is fine for the compost after the dog's through with it. It's even got its own nitrogen already added to it. :D