Puppy digging holes

El Toro · 08-13-2003, 03:25 PM

How do you stop a puppy from digging holes?
(Sounds like a "knock-knock" joke...)

FYI -- While she was digging, I tried sneaking up and scaring her; that did not work.

Any suggestion would help!

niceshot · 08-13-2003, 03:57 PM

A kennel will solve that problem or if she is digging in the same spot put some doggy poop in the hole she will not dig there but probably move on else where. Good luck

Cool Texan · 08-13-2003, 04:13 PM

Figure out where she is digging, dig that area out, and bury some concrete blocks. Works like a charm. My dog had a spot she tried to dig once (under the fence). Buried 2 cinder blocks...never been a problem since. If its in the middle of the yard...that's a tough one. I've seen dogs ignore the poop if you go that route and just keep digging (then you have TWO problems). :grin:

Might just be because she is bored. Does she have enough toys? Any stuffed toys with squeakers? If not, buy some...and a sewing kit. When she guts one, Frankenstitch it back together...you'll save a fortune that way.

Good luck!

boater · 08-13-2003, 07:16 PM

put up a sign that says "no digging" [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img]

hound · 08-13-2003, 08:51 PM

try pouring a little clorox or anomia in the hole

garyk · 08-13-2003, 10:41 PM

"A tired dog, is a good dog" i.e., exercize.

Silver Hilton · 08-14-2003, 06:57 PM

Wait three years.

Flatfish · 08-14-2003, 07:03 PM

Mouse traps. Do not use rat traps! Mouse traps.

Just like many things in pups life, "If it hurts, I will stop doing that". Try to listen for the snap of the trap so you can take the trap off pups foot. A couple zings on the old paws, along with boss reinforcing "No", and it should not take too long.

I never cured Jake of this. There is a hole in the yard dedicated to him now. Wish I had done all those things right from the get go.

Mark and the excavating dog.

LIMIT LANDER · 08-14-2003, 07:09 PM

Actually there is nothing you can do...I went through that with the 5 years I raised German Shorthairs, pups will dig, and like kids they forget what they will learn real quickly. nobody I know can stay on top of the doggies 24 hours a day. all you can do is slow them down a little or, like me, I had mine in a 20x20 dog run I edged it in 1x6 boards then I laied down chicken wire covered it up with 4 in off cedar chips. They couldnt dig at all in there. I would let them out for awhile they would be fine but I would have to watch it because when they would play and get excited they would start to dig then stop, thinking they were in their pin, but when they found out they we not they would start again. so I would put them back in.

fishisabonus · 08-15-2003, 06:25 PM

Surely you joke.. tried it all, my backyard is a mess.. Moving is an option, sigh. But then what do I do with the dog????

LIMIT LANDER · 08-15-2003, 07:00 PM

No im not joking...thats a fact diggin doggies will dig untill they grow out of it. the only friends that i know that raised dogs kept them in a big kennel with cement as the floor and they would hose it down..they would take them out when the digging stage was over. I had one guy go to the length of going down and buying baby mittins to put on the dogs paws, so when he let him out he couldnt dig, then he would set and chew the mittins off. There is all kinds of tricks you can try but, a trainer once told me that puppies forget real quickly. thats why many trainers wont even train a dog untill he is out of the puppy stage, just like a child, short tension span.

The Bad Fish · 08-16-2003, 07:11 AM

we have beagles, only digging the 5 yr old does is in the couch cushions [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img] . the 2 yr old is a different story, she hasnt dug in a couple of weeks, the dog poop in the hole works, but the harsh reality is its a dog thats what they do

, fill the holes and if it gets too bad build the dog a sand box and show it how to dig in it. use positive reinforcement "good dig" in sand box " bad dig"" ouside sand box. good luck, i have to go do some landscaping

.

2LEYS · 08-16-2003, 03:36 PM

Fill the hole with water. Then take the dog by the scruff of the neck and hold his head under water for 20-30 seconds. He will come up gasping and coughing and scared and run off. If he does it again repeat. It shouldn't take more then a few times.

May sound mean but it works.

fishdog · 08-16-2003, 07:34 PM

Have garden hose laying out w/nozzle set on straight steam. When dog dig's hit w/ spurt of water. Before long no more digging. Work's on neighbor's cat's from dumping in your yard too. [img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img]

Worked on two of my dog's.

Good fishin Arch

Capin' Dan · 08-16-2003, 09:53 PM

Some good ideas, 2ley I hope someone sticks your head under water for 20 or 30 seconds.
Trust me you will do more damage doing that than good. Try some of the chemicals listed amonia. I would recommend crushed red pepper. I have heard of the mouse trap thing.
the number one thing that I know will work is the kennel, crate, and lots of exercise. It is true a bored dog will dig, eat the sideing off of your house ect... Getting a buddy for the puppy to play with helps also. Mainly your dog is bored it isn't trying to be bad it is doing what its instict tells it too and just trying to pass the time of day. They usually will out grow it. Do yourself a favor and buy a cheap kennel run and some pavers. In six months you can get most of your money back for the run if you want to sell it. Remember if your dog isn't set up to fail both of you will suceed in its training. Try training on a positive scale keep it positive and both of you will have more fun. When the dog is older and you know he knows what he is supposed to do then negative reinforcment will work. at a young age positive will result in a much better finished product.