Stopping a dog from digging?
Discussion
Hi all,
My pup is now 9 months old and everything is going fine - apart from she seems to want to dig the entire garden up, which is a bit annoying!
I've tried the following :
- Shouting/scolding when I catch her doing it
- Burying balloons under the replanted soil that would burst when she digs again
- Buying a sandpit
None of these seem to have worked. When she is out in the garden unaccompanied I try to rotate her toys/provide kongs and bones but to no avail!
Can anyone help? I'm really at my wits end!
My pup is now 9 months old and everything is going fine - apart from she seems to want to dig the entire garden up, which is a bit annoying!
I've tried the following :
- Shouting/scolding when I catch her doing it
- Burying balloons under the replanted soil that would burst when she digs again
- Buying a sandpit
None of these seem to have worked. When she is out in the garden unaccompanied I try to rotate her toys/provide kongs and bones but to no avail!
Can anyone help? I'm really at my wits end!
Don't leave her in the garden unaccompanied?
Dogs like to dig. It's what dogs do. Please don't tell her off for it for doing what comes naturally to her.
I don't know what your routine is, but maybe you need to look at amount and quality of both mental and physical exercise, plus how much you interact with her - training, playing, etc. Free-shaping is mentally tiring and immensely rewarding for both dog and owner and builds a bond
EDIT: Useful link from DT about boredom busting, although there is a lot more you could do besides: http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/_resources/resources/f...
Dogs like to dig. It's what dogs do. Please don't tell her off for it for doing what comes naturally to her.
I don't know what your routine is, but maybe you need to look at amount and quality of both mental and physical exercise, plus how much you interact with her - training, playing, etc. Free-shaping is mentally tiring and immensely rewarding for both dog and owner and builds a bond
EDIT: Useful link from DT about boredom busting, although there is a lot more you could do besides: http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/_resources/resources/f...
Hi,
Thanks for the link, I'll take a read!
Only problem is - sometimes she has to be left for a few hours when one of us is at work. The only alternatives are a smallish utility room or the garage. Is it ok to leave a dog in there for a slightly extended period of time? I always thought it was better to let her in the garden and get fresh air!
Thanks for the link, I'll take a read!
Only problem is - sometimes she has to be left for a few hours when one of us is at work. The only alternatives are a smallish utility room or the garage. Is it ok to leave a dog in there for a slightly extended period of time? I always thought it was better to let her in the garden and get fresh air!
Young dogs have a habit of digging, to releive boredom and use excess energy so give your dog as much exercise as poss before letting him into the garden,
If he digs TELL HIM OFF, he must know undesirable behaviour and be stopped from doing it, but it must be in the act, idealy the second he starts. so you need to be out there with him.
Or a spray collar may work as you can watch from inside the house (asuming he doesnt commit the deed with you out there) and give him a spray the second he starts with a firm 'NO'.
The trouble is if he is 'home alone' then the inconsistantsy of being allowed to dig when your not there and then being stopped when you are will give confusing signals so he needs a hard based run when on his own.
Putting some of his faeces in a hole will usualy stop that dig but he will prob just start another one which is worse.
In my experience dogs tend to grow out of the habit so it may be easier to put up with it to some degree and repair the lawn next year..
eta please substitute 'he' for 'she'
If he digs TELL HIM OFF, he must know undesirable behaviour and be stopped from doing it, but it must be in the act, idealy the second he starts. so you need to be out there with him.
Or a spray collar may work as you can watch from inside the house (asuming he doesnt commit the deed with you out there) and give him a spray the second he starts with a firm 'NO'.
The trouble is if he is 'home alone' then the inconsistantsy of being allowed to dig when your not there and then being stopped when you are will give confusing signals so he needs a hard based run when on his own.
Putting some of his faeces in a hole will usualy stop that dig but he will prob just start another one which is worse.
In my experience dogs tend to grow out of the habit so it may be easier to put up with it to some degree and repair the lawn next year..
eta please substitute 'he' for 'she'
Edited by R TOY on Tuesday 29th November 22:45
Unlight said:
Hi,
Thanks for the link, I'll take a read!
Only problem is - sometimes she has to be left for a few hours when one of us is at work. The only alternatives are a smallish utility room or the garage. Is it ok to leave a dog in there for a slightly extended period of time? I always thought it was better to let her in the garden and get fresh air!
You could leave her in the house? Radical thought perhaps, but still. Thanks for the link, I'll take a read!
Only problem is - sometimes she has to be left for a few hours when one of us is at work. The only alternatives are a smallish utility room or the garage. Is it ok to leave a dog in there for a slightly extended period of time? I always thought it was better to let her in the garden and get fresh air!
Of course, this may result in chewed skirting boards and door frames (the unfortunate voice of experience with a puppy who was a monster!).
Jasandjules said:
You could leave her in the house? Radical thought perhaps, but still.
Of course, this may result in chewed skirting boards and door frames (the unfortunate voice of experience with a puppy who was a monster!).
Of the two, soil is easier to smoothe over than nibbled skirting boards!Of course, this may result in chewed skirting boards and door frames (the unfortunate voice of experience with a puppy who was a monster!).
Is she's digging, she's got excess energy that she's finding a natural outlet for.
Look to up her levels of aerobic exercise, and mental exercise, too.
Mrs G - free-shaping? Wha'? Sounds good! Info?!
Unlight said:
Hi,
Thanks for the link, I'll take a read!
Only problem is - sometimes she has to be left for a few hours when one of us is at work. The only alternatives are a smallish utility room or the garage. Is it ok to leave a dog in there for a slightly extended period of time? I always thought it was better to let her in the garden and get fresh air!
Sorry think I'm misunderstanding - you shut your dog in the garden when you go to work? Thanks for the link, I'll take a read!
Only problem is - sometimes she has to be left for a few hours when one of us is at work. The only alternatives are a smallish utility room or the garage. Is it ok to leave a dog in there for a slightly extended period of time? I always thought it was better to let her in the garden and get fresh air!
If your dog has otherwise adequate levels of mental and physical exercise, most often they can be taught to switch off when alone I have left dogs in crates before now for a couple of hours (as well as overnight). No harm done for a few hours, so I would have thought a utility room would be fine
Please don't punish her for being a dog, so no 'corrections'
They are nasty and do absolutely nothing for building your relationship with your dog, nor do they teach a dog anything other than sometimes you are a scary person who can't be trusted. The use of aversives can have some pretty far reaching consequences as well.
Free-shaping: a method of teaching your dog to do some complicated stuff by breaking them down and using a clicker to reward small approximations towards the end result. They have to think for themselves and that's very tiring! You can use free shaping for all manner of things! I use it for teaching my dog to weave, shut doors, take clothes from the machine, stand on a bucket... Decide what you want to teach and then reward for any small approximation. Key is to break it down into tiny steps and don't expect too much. Keep the sessions short.
I'll give an example of shutting the door: Assuming the dog already knows about clicker training (all mine do), so click means: done the right thing, end of (that particular part of) the exercise and a reward is coming. Keep the treats very small so no chewing required. That way the reward rate can be kept high. So, look towards the door = click and treat (C&T). Step towards the door = C&T. Step further towards the door = C&T. Nose to door = C&T. Push the door = C&T. Push the door more = C&T. Push the door until closed = C&T. Each stage needs to be repeated a few times so the dog 'gets it', after that wait for the dog to offer some more. When she does (so goes from just looking to walking towards) C&T. Firm that up and move on, etc.
Dogs that have been free-shaped try out all sorts of behaviours until they find the right one. It can be fun! One of my dogs will nose touch and paw touch just about everything to find out what it is I want her to do. Currently we are working on weave poles, plus walking through a cat litter tray and stopping with her hind feet in it. I'm using it to proof her contact points at agility.
Karen Pryor is the queen of clicker training. Her website is here: http://www.clickertraining.com/
This is a good YouTube video about it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DWbV5VKZxc&fea...
I have left dogs in crates before now for a couple of hours (as well as overnight). No harm done for a few hours, so I would have thought a utility room would be fine Please don't punish her for being a dog, so no 'corrections'
They are nasty and do absolutely nothing for building your relationship with your dog, nor do they teach a dog anything other than sometimes you are a scary person who can't be trusted. The use of aversives can have some pretty far reaching consequences as well.Free-shaping: a method of teaching your dog to do some complicated stuff by breaking them down and using a clicker to reward small approximations towards the end result. They have to think for themselves and that's very tiring! You can use free shaping for all manner of things! I use it for teaching my dog to weave, shut doors, take clothes from the machine, stand on a bucket... Decide what you want to teach and then reward for any small approximation. Key is to break it down into tiny steps and don't expect too much. Keep the sessions short.
I'll give an example of shutting the door: Assuming the dog already knows about clicker training (all mine do), so click means: done the right thing, end of (that particular part of) the exercise and a reward is coming. Keep the treats very small so no chewing required. That way the reward rate can be kept high. So, look towards the door = click and treat (C&T). Step towards the door = C&T. Step further towards the door = C&T. Nose to door = C&T. Push the door = C&T. Push the door more = C&T. Push the door until closed = C&T. Each stage needs to be repeated a few times so the dog 'gets it', after that wait for the dog to offer some more. When she does (so goes from just looking to walking towards) C&T. Firm that up and move on, etc.
Dogs that have been free-shaped try out all sorts of behaviours until they find the right one. It can be fun! One of my dogs will nose touch and paw touch just about everything to find out what it is I want her to do. Currently we are working on weave poles, plus walking through a cat litter tray and stopping with her hind feet in it. I'm using it to proof her contact points at agility.
Karen Pryor is the queen of clicker training. Her website is here: http://www.clickertraining.com/
This is a good YouTube video about it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DWbV5VKZxc&fea...
Alot of great advice here, punishing is not the way forward, your dog is bored thats not his/her fault, thats your fault, take the good advice in this thread and make your pooch happy,
my staffords by thier very nature are great at destruction but, they know what the can destroy, and can't. my firewood logs are fair game, ok i come back to lots of bits shredded logs occasionally, but on the plus side, i don't have to buy kindling wood. everyones a winner.
my staffords by thier very nature are great at destruction but, they know what the can destroy, and can't. my firewood logs are fair game, ok i come back to lots of bits shredded logs occasionally, but on the plus side, i don't have to buy kindling wood. everyones a winner.
Is it digging as in making a hole ,or scraping the surface,with her back legs ,as in trying to cover some poo.My little Cairn does the latter , and AFAIK all small terriers do. Problem is that he can make a right mess -in our back garden I'm fortunate as he helps to keep the wild grass at bay.
Can't believe people are saying don't tell your dog off for digging.
Dogs do loads of things 'instinctively' which are not acceptable in modern society.
We don't let them s
t everywhere for starters, eating small creatures, ie kids is also frowned upon.
My dog ate its own st when it was younger, a quiet natural thing for a puppy, however we soon stopped him doing this.
If you don't want your dog digging up the garden tell the fker off every single time he tries to dig. He'll soon understand that you’re the boss and what you say goes, instinct or not.
If you have to leave him in the garden alone that is what needs addressing.
Until he can be left and trusted don't leave him alone in there.
I should also add my dog is very social and as such trained to a high level. He knows the pack order in our house and what my wife and say goes. He has structure to his life and gets lots and lots of stimulation. A proper dog.
If your dog does something you don't like, tell it off.
Dogs do loads of things 'instinctively' which are not acceptable in modern society.
We don't let them s
t everywhere for starters, eating small creatures, ie kids is also frowned upon.My dog ate its own s
t when it was younger, a quiet natural thing for a puppy, however we soon stopped him doing this.If you don't want your dog digging up the garden tell the f
ker off every single time he tries to dig. He'll soon understand that you’re the boss and what you say goes, instinct or not.If you have to leave him in the garden alone that is what needs addressing.
Until he can be left and trusted don't leave him alone in there.
I should also add my dog is very social and as such trained to a high level. He knows the pack order in our house and what my wife and say goes. He has structure to his life and gets lots and lots of stimulation. A proper dog.
If your dog does something you don't like, tell it off.
What utter tosh. Please go and read something written about dogs, how they learn and how to train them that has been written within the last 30 years or so. You may actually learn something, such as domestic dogs do not live in packs and dominance has been debunked some years ago. I can even give you a whole list of suggestions.
Meanwhile, please stop giving out advise that is a) wrong and b) could have dangerous consequences.
Meanwhile, please stop giving out advise that is a) wrong and b) could have dangerous consequences.
TackleburyUk said:
If your dog does something you don't like, tell it off.
Have to agree with this, or more to the point 'if your dog does something you dont like stop it'Telling off neednt be a massive shouted bolloking but dogs need boundries and should be taught.
Owning a dog is not a democracy, most will be much more content knowing that you are in charge.(imo & experience)
Yes there are rules and boundaries, but they do not have to be enforced with steel toecap boots, neither do dogs need telling off or shouted at, unless you want a dog that doesn't trust you and cowers in your presence.
Teach the dog an alternate, incompatible behaviour to the one you don't want. Teach the dog what you DO want, don't leave it in a vacuum where all that happens is the poor dog gets told off. Dog will end up shut down and scared to try anything in case it's wrong.
Basically, dogs learn to do what works. If the dog only gets attention from you by digging, biting, barking, etc then that's what he will do. If however you reward what you do want, then he will do that instead. Simple, no?
Teach the dog an alternate, incompatible behaviour to the one you don't want. Teach the dog what you DO want, don't leave it in a vacuum where all that happens is the poor dog gets told off. Dog will end up shut down and scared to try anything in case it's wrong.
Basically, dogs learn to do what works. If the dog only gets attention from you by digging, biting, barking, etc then that's what he will do. If however you reward what you do want, then he will do that instead. Simple, no?
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