To the dog owners out there. HELP!!

[hkruss]

Does anyone know how to make dogs stop digging in the yard? I 'inherited' two mixed breed dogs when my son moved back in last summer, and they have destroyed the back yard. If they are not digging under the fence to get out, then they are digging up what used to be the flower bed. Now they have started digging random holes in the rest of the yard!
The other bad habit they have is chewing. They have literally chewed pieces of wood off the deck, moulding off the columns on the back porch, and pretty much anything else they take a notion to chew on. They don't pay much attention to store bought toys. They are driving me nuts!!!!!!!!!
I like dogs a lot, but I have got to do something to fix the problems. HELP !!!

[chemfantry]

one thing you can do for the chewing is to spray it with tobasco sauce or pepper spray for stuff that you dont mind staining.

[trickyrick]

bury their poop in the holes, it worked for me. i had five dogs at one time so i had lots of poop and lots of holes.

[cycloneman]

I love dogs. Had many in my day. Breed Beagles for a while also. Some were smart and some stupid. Try the hot sauce, this and that. But at a point, some dogs you just can't reach. Life is too short to have a stupid dog.

[durk]

Get them a couple of landscape timbers to chew on. Maybe a railroad tie?

[Terry_P]

Get the hard rubber balls that they can chew on plus the rawhide bones. If they are chasing a ball around and getting exercise then they may mello out.

[Vladimir]

I can't help but tell can assure you that you aren't alone. I was watching a neighbors dog, and to make matters worse he is our vet... his dog had such bad "separation anxiety" (according to him) that this dog ate through the wall around the door. No I exaggerate not, the wall! Through the sheet-rock and everything to the frame.

[glocknut]

Originally Posted by GunHugger

They're bored and have too much pent up energy. Solve that and the digging will stop.

If not bury some rat traps.

LOL @ the Rat Traps !!!!

Originally Posted by Vladimir

I can't help but tell can assure you that you aren't alone. I was watching a neighbors dog, and to make matters worse he is our vet... his dog had such bad "separation anxiety" (according to him) that this dog ate through the wall around the door. No I exaggerate not, the fu*king wall! Through the sheet-rock and everything to the frame.

I was at a machine shop in rural arkansas one time waiting on a diesel air compressor and i sat there and watched the guys dog eat a piece of 3" thick styrofoam sheet. Then the dummy went over and started licking on an engine block.... DUMB DOG....

But then again i had a dog that ate an entire bag of cotter(sp)? pins.

mike
gn

[GojuBrian]

I agree with the poster that said they are bored and have too much energy. Talke them for walks, dog park, etc. Spend some time with them.

Aside from that, getting them fixed will settle them down a little bit.

[wildwilly911]

take them to a hole they dug, put there feet in it, scold them good then givem a smack. you can try every trick in the book but a scolding and a good smack gets them every time. my dog dug the crap out of my yard and i tried every thing to no avail and finally gave her a good ass whippen, shes never dug another

[ampaterry]

1. Drag out a hose and fill the hole with water.
2. Drag the dog to the hole, shove their head under the water and HOLD it there for several seconds, not long enough to DROWN them, but long enough to make them THINK they are drowning.
3. Fill the hole in.

I have never had to do that more than twice with any dog before they get the connection and stop making these places for you to try to kill them in.

That sounds cruel on the surface, but it is far more humane than them digging their way out of the yard and being run over on the road.

[graehaven]

If they're still fairly young and male, they need LOTS of exercise. This requires interaction. Getting them fixed helps a little, but, exercise is the key.

If you want to stop bad behavior, you may have to get one of those shock collars for each of them. When they begin to dig you nail 'em with it. Do it out of site though. You must NOT let the dog see that you are the one zapping them. They must NOT associate you with the pain they receive. They will stop.

[glocknut]

Originally Posted by ampaterry

1. Drag out a hose and fill the hole with water.
2. Drag the dog to the hole, shove their head under the water and HOLD it there for several seconds, not long enough to DROWN them, but long enough to make them THINK they are drowning.
3. Fill the hole in.

I have never had to do that more than twice with any dog before they get the connection and stop making these places for you to try to kill them in.

That sounds cruel on the surface, but it is far more humane than them digging their way out of the yard and being run over on the road.

YOU WATER BOARDED YOUR DOG?? HOLY CRIPES!!!

I like it....

mike
gn

[carver]

Originally Posted by graehaven

If they're still fairly young and male, they need LOTS of exercise. This requires interaction. Getting them fixed helps a little, but, exercise is the key.

If you want to stop bad behavior, you may have to get one of those shock collars for each of them. When they begin to dig you nail 'em with it. Do it out of site though. You must NOT let the dog see that you are the one zapping them. They must NOT associate you with the pain they receive. They will stop.

hkruss, here's your ticket! These dogs need LOTS of exercise! Take them out and run with them on a leash. If you can't run, ride a bike, and use a long leash. If you can't do that, then get a treadmill for them. You might have to tie them with a short leash to get them started; slowly, and work your way up to a fast walk. Keep it up till they get tired. Dogs need attention too! Please, do not put them on a chain!

[Mosin_Nagant_Fan]

What breed(s) are they? Like black lab or German Shepard or more of a smaller breed like a dachshund or beagle?

Originally Posted by glocknut

YOU WATER BOARDED YOUR DOG?? HOLY CRIPES!!!

I like it....

mike
gn

Just don't let the SPCA know that, lord knows that they will win in animal cruelty cases.

[hkruss]

Thanks for all the advice guys. A little about the dogs. They are mixed breed, one male one female and they are about 8 months old. I had them fixed a month ago so hopefully that will help some. Also, I understand that they teethe like human kids do for the first 6-8 months, so hopefully the chewing problem will get better. About the digging, I will try the poop in the hole first then maybe the water boarding if need be!!
As far as exercise, my son usually runs with them each morning and I have a good size backyard where they are free to play. I'm not going to keep them chained 'cause I know they are just doing what comes naturally to them, plus they are still young. On top of that, it is really up to us as humans to modify their behavior. That's where your good advice comes in!! Thanks again HKR

[Mosin_Nagant_Fan]

Getting tips for dog behavior would help, like videos. I suggest looking at animal planet when that British lady who trains people how to train dogs comes on, while sometimes a little crude in the manner she shows how to train, she is still very informative.

[RunningOnMT]

Maybe this will help.

http://www.ask.com/bar?q=How+Do+I+Ke...%2Fdigging.htm



SuperDog's Home



Why do dogs like digging so much?

Comfort.

If it's too hot out, a hole will be cooler and more comfortable for your dog. If it's too cold, a hole may provide shelter from the wind and place to conserve body heat.

Food Storage.

Dogs bury bones and other surplus food so they will have it when they need it. Even though you've fed your dog twice a day for the last 6 years, they always want to be prepared for a famine.

Nesting.

Your female dog, whether she's pregnant or not, may dig a nest to have her puppies.

Boredom.

With nothing else to do, digging for fun might be amusing. Digging as an escape route offers a world of wonderful things to do!

Love is in the air.

Both male and female dogs will dig out of their yard to reach a member of the opposite sex when love is on their minds.

It's in their nature.

Is your dog on this list of known diggers? Siberian Husky, Alaskan Malamute, Samoyed, Fox Terrier, Airedale, Cairn Terrier, Afghan Hound, Dachshund, Weimaraner, Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, Cocker Spaniel and Doberman Pinscher.

A love of flowers.

Frankly, some flowers are irresistible. They just have to be dug up! (Super Dog's owner was very silly one Fall. All the tulip bulbs were buried with a heaping tablespoon of bone meal. Duh . . . bone meal, now I wonder what that is made of? Besides the fact that all the bulbs had be be reburied after they were dug up, the dog was very frustrated that she never did find the bone!)

Back to the Suggestion List







Make digging uncomfortable
(This suggestion came from the Golden Retrievers email list.)

This may seem a bit radical and labor intensive to some of you, but it works.

Trim the nails on the front paws every day. Use a very good trimmer, not the guillotine type, and take a very thin slice every time. Then, and this is very important, after each nail, give the dog a reward, a small piece of dog food works very well.

The food is important because rather than fight you, the dog will come to love this procedure. Opening the drawer where I keep the clipper actually makes the dogs salivate and they jostle each other to try to be first....even though I occasionally get too close and draw a little blood.

Why does this work?

Taking the thinnest possible slice on a daily basis will force the "quick" to recede. Doing this is similar to a person who chews their nails. Once you are back close to the quick, the dog will stop digging because it is uncomfortable. Think about digging in the dirt with your finger nails. Then think about digging in the dirt after you have trimmed your nails as far back as possible. Ouch!

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Teach acceptable Digging

Helen Redlus
Sunnyvale, California USA

Dogs dig for various reasons...boredom...to cool off...to warm up...to build a den. Check out where your dog is digging and if it's digging on the sunny side of the yard maybe it's looking to warm up, shady side of the yard to cool off, etc.

You can fight the problem by disciplining, yelling, screaming and generally getting your panties in a bunch, or you might consider giving your furkid a digging pit of it's own. Loosen up some soil in an area acceptable to you and show your baby that you are going to put one of his/her favorite toys there. Put some dirt on top of the woobie and encourage "baby" to dig it up. Lots of praise whenever he/she digs in the appropriate spot. If caught digging in wrong spot, lead to his/her digging hole and have at it!

Sounds crazy, but it really does work. Takes patience, but it beats banging your head against the wall or a poke in the eye with a sharp stick!

Back to the Suggestion List







Dog Problems: The Gentle Modern Cure

From the book:
Dog Problems: The Gentle Modern Cure
David Weston & Ruth Ross This book is available through Super Dog from Amazon.com

If your dog consistently buries a bone or food - take them away when you can't supervise their actions.
If your pet is digging to control their temperature, give them opportunities to maintain a proper environment through shade, a dog house or a doggie door.
If you bitch is in season, give her acceptable materials for nesting.
A bored dog needs more stimulation. Training, jogging, toys . . . .
Super Dog differs a bit from the author here - we believe in spaying or neutering pets who will not make a significant contribution to their breed. If your dog is still intact, check out Hints on why you should spay or neuter your pet. Among other valuable reasons, your pet will have less motivation to roam.
Back to the Suggestion List








When Good Dogs Do Bad Things
When Good Dogs do Bad Things
by Mordecai Siegal and Mathew Margolis


This book is one Super Dog refers to most often when doggie problems occur. Our hints are but a tiny slice of the authors almost 5 pages of digging insights.

Use a dog house or a dog run, it's really hard to dig in a concrete dog run!
Will a kid's wading pool filled with water give your dog a place to get cool?
If your dog doesn't like water, fill their hole with water. Your dog might not want to get their feet wet. However, if they like water, read on.
Solidly fill all the holes but the favorite one. Loosely bury a large rock in the remaining hole. The author suggests lots of variations on rocks.
Place some of his feces in the hole. Most dogs don't want to dig in their toilet.
Reconditioning options need to be read in full before they are tried.

[graehaven]

You can go around putting poop in the holes if you want.

I'd want IMMEDIATE behavioral change.

There's one way: SHOCK COLLAR.

it works.

[Just One Shot]

For the digging problem make sure they are getting the proper amount of exercise if they continue then the shock collar should work to stop that problem.

As far as the chewing goes. Go to the pet store and buy them some of those rawhide chews.

Not the little ones, get the BIG ones! Get the ones that look like it may be too big for the dogs mouth.

If you get the basted ones they will think they are getting a special treat and after chewing on them for a couple of hours their jaws will be too tired to chew on anything else.

Don't allow them to have them all the time. Only give them to them when they are prone to chewing such as when you put them out back.

This should help you until they get past the teething stage.

[Mac's!]

Many years ago, I had a dog that would go over the fence. It kept costing me a bundle to get her out of jail plus the hassle of borrowing a four wheeled vehicle. (The dog didn't ride very well on my motorcycle) I fixed the problem forever and have used the same idea with many dogs for various assorted problems since then.

I got an electric fence charger made for dogs. It's pretty small and runs off of house current. For that original dog, I ran the wire thru insulators along the top of the fence. She got zapped one time and no longer tried to go over the fence. So, she started digging under the fence.

I took a piece of solid core copper wire, stripped the insulation off of the last couple of feet and put an alligator clip on the other end. I used solid core wire because it holds the shape that you bend it into. I bent a coil into the bare end and buried that in the newest hole that the dog was digging under the fence. The alligator clipped onto the fence wire.

The system is grounded now because the wire is touching the ground. (Buried) As soon as the dog started digging in the hole again, her toe nails hooked the wire and pulled it out of the hole. Now it's not grounded anymore. Voila! The "hole" bit her!

She dug a new hole in another part of the yard so I moved the wire. That one bit her too and it was over. She no longer tried to go over the fence and she no longer dug holes anywhere in the yard. Years later, I moved to a place where I was not able to use the electric fence. I tied a string along the top of the fence and that worked fine. The dog knew that that the top of the fence would bite her and that holes bit too. I had that dog for fifteen years and she never tried to go over or under the fence again.

years later, I had a dog that would rip holes in the lattice work around the porch so she could get under there. Beats me why because she had a doggy door to get inside the air conditioned house. Anyway, I put a wire on the lattice work. It wasn't on even five minutes yet when she tried to pull it all apart. It bit her. She yipped, stood up on her hind legs and took off across the yard on her hind legs.....she looked like a little hairy guy running around yipping! But she never tried to pull of the lattice work again.

I also use the wire to snake and toad proof the dogs. (We now have four big dogs) We have a lot of rattle snakes here in southern Arizona. We also have toads that are poisonous. I'll pop a snake or toad, lay it on a piece of plastic, attach the wire from the fence and leave it. Eventually, they all have to sniff it. When they do, it "bites" them. Now, all of my dogs take the long way around snakes or toads.

The best part about it is that the dog does not connect you with he "hurt". YOU didn't hurt the dog. The hole, fence, snake, etc. did. Yeah, I feel a little guilty sometimes when the dog comes to me for comforting after being bit on the nose by the big bad mean frog! heh heh. Keep yer powder dry, Mac.

[fmacsin1]

I have always owned Springers and with their predilection for being outside and busy, I found that they do this when young from "puppy-hood" until 2 yrs. old. Digging, chewing, nipping etc. like most young dogs; however, letting them know that this is not acceptable you can use any method mentioned here, but I found that hunting/sporting dogs need to be exercised regularly. AND with that, a huge dose of patience will work. You have to balance out behaving well with training and not getting the dog scared of you, especially if you're planning on hunting with the dogs. There is nothing better than hunting birds with a well-trained dog, but they do take a lot of time and patience to get one to perform at its peak.

[bizy]

Walmart sells some stuff, "Bitter Barrier", it works if you know what they will chew.

Burry poop in the hole.

If they like to chase a ball, do that for exercise.

For digging out, use small wire fince 24" tall wire laid on the ground and staked down with rebar.

Put the dogs on leash and you get on a bicycle, good exercise for you and the dog.

There is no one cure for anything. Different things work for different dogs.