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Noooo My puppy is a digger HELP, Pretty Pretty Please with sugar on top

jupiter123 View Member Profile	30/01/2013, 08:34 AM Post #1
Posts: 2,050 Joined: 20-January 11
Advanced Member
Ok... so our new rescue puppy has a wonderful temperament, great with DD, mostly obedient, well as obedient as a 5 month old puppy can be that has only just started training but he has discovered a love of digging. Its not due to lack of exercise as he goes for his morning walk at 5.30am, its not for a lack of toys as he has heaps in the backyard to play with, he has chew toys, play toys, a big ass bone to chew on, he can come in and out as he pleases but seems to prefer being outside more than inside of a morning which of course is when he likes to dig. He is not digging in an attempt to escape, he is actually digging in nice soft damp soil right next to the patio and he looks like he is having fun doing it. I reprimand him with a firm NO and distract him but he keeps going straight back there. I have tried covering the hole and that just makes him more determined. I have thought about using the hose on him but he likes water so not sure if that will work. Any suggestions on how to get him to stop digging? Its driving me insane and my poor grass is not happy. Oh he is a 5 Month old Border Collie x Labrador which looks more Labrador and seems to take on more traits of a Labrador than a Border Collie if that helps.

Spikey View Member Profile	30/01/2013, 08:41 AM Post #2
Posts: 10,831 Joined: 14-January 09
Train your dog, it's worth it!
Digging is the most fun that a dog can have. Very difficult to stop a digging dog. I would get a clam shell 'pool' and fill it with sand or mulch, pop it on the current 'dig' spot, and hide a few bones and other surprises in there for the dog to find. Then once the dog has discovered the joy of digging in its very own digging spot, you can move it around. In addition to this, chicken wire, pegged down over the 'digging spot' you DON'T want, will prevent digging from continuing. Oh, and fill the hole with dog poo next time - no-one likes digging up dog poo.

Avidlearner1 View Member Profile	30/01/2013, 08:45 AM Post #3
Posts: 470 Joined: 27-March 10
Member
We have a digger. Dog poo in the hole, chilli and pepper as well. We didn't want to resort to such drastic measures but it has worked. A little like the clam shell idea, we designated a garden bed for her. No plants in it, a few dog bones and toys, and some rawhide pieces dug in. It has taken us about 8 months but we very rarely have a hole dug now.

jupiter123 View Member Profile	30/01/2013, 07:31 PM Post #4
Posts: 2,050 Joined: 20-January 11
Advanced Member
Great thank you. DH put some poo in the holes this afternoon and it seems to have deterred him for the time being, until he finds another spot lol Poor Reggie looked very disappointed to see that there was poo in his favourite digging hole.

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