How to stop a puppy digging?

[lstaffy01]

Hi all,
i have just got my first puppy ever she is a pure breed english staffy.she has just turned 9 weeks old and she has lernt how to dig and starting to wreck all my nice green grass.how should i disiplin her as i dont want to smack her as im not a cruel person and i guess that would show her aggresion.

thanks in advanced

Brad

[britishbandit]

Gotta keep her busy, and occupied! Pups have lots of energy, and get into mischief if they aren't given something better to do. Do you go out with her? If not, start going out with her, and telling her "NO" when she digs. Get a ball/toy, work on training, play "tag"......but keep her mind off of wanting to dig.

I know some people make a sand pit, or area where their dogs are allowed to dig, but if you don't want to do that, your best bet is to not give her any reason to want to!

[lstaffy01]

thanks for your reply - shae has plenty of toys and very spoilt she loves playing with her kong and when shes chasing it around the yard she will stop chasing it then decide to dig a hole.

cheers Brad

[GSD]

the only way to stop it is to be diligent. Watch your pup at ALL times when it has the opportunity to dig. That means its never outside without you watching her. The second she even looks like she's going to dig, distract her with something else, run away, a rag, a kong, a treat something to get her mind off digging. This will take a while, but in the end it keeps that digging from becoming habit and eventually she'll probably grow out of it, and won't dig anymore.

People have other ways, giving the proper place to dig, like sand boxes and stuff is ok, but like britishbandit said, I'd rather stop it before it starts. Burying poop in the holes or filling them with water and other things that you'll probably hear may work in rare instances, but more than likely you'll just be wasting your time when you could be doing some actualy training.

[Ritz459]

Yep, watching your pup and keeping her occupied will probably be the best way. Although with our dogs, they do have a special place to dig at, and that has helped a bunch. They can dig in their kennel and out in the field, but not in the yard. If they start digging in they yard we tell them to stop and then we'd shoo them out to the feild.
But then, they aren't perpetual diggers either. When they dig it is mainly to keep cool or to catch a mouse/mole/vole/shrew/whatever.

[Cassiepeia]

I agree with everyone else and just wanted to add that having a lot of toys doesn't mean a lot unless you're playing with her. Staffordshire Bull Terriers are an extremely active breed and need a tonne of exercise and mental stimulation (this means training as well as play).
Make sure you give her plenty of that and one on one playtime with you (and if you can find another dog to have 'play dates' with that would be great too).

As the saying goes..."a tired dog is a happy dog".

Cass.

[keekers]

exercise like crazy!!!.. when lucy is pooped out from running/playing she wont dig at all..

[LargeDogBreedz]

Here is a brief list of ways to encourage your dog to stop digging:

At least 1 to 2 hours of active outdoor exercise (yard exercise is not enough!)
At least one long (45-90 minutes) leash walk per day
Play dates with other friendly dogs (unless your dog is dog-aggressive)
Create a digging pit (at least 5' x 5') filled with dirt or a sand-clay mixture.
Sufficient daily companionship
Other contructive outlets such as: obedience training, agility, flyball,
flying dics, trick training, retrieving, tracking, Schutzhund, SAR, etc.
Filling holes with dog feces to discourage your dogs from enlarging holes.
(This will not prevent your dog from digging new holes however.)
Squirting a light water spray (with a water pistol or hose) towards dog just as s/he begins to dig a hole. (Obviously, this is NOT recommended during winter or cool weather.)

[Crossfire Bulldogs]

Originally Posted by LargeDogBreedz

Here is a brief list of ways to encourage your dog to stop digging:

At least 1 to 2 hours of active outdoor exercise (yard exercise is not enough!)
At least one long (45-90 minutes) leash walk per day
Play dates with other friendly dogs (unless your dog is dog-aggressive)
Create a digging pit (at least 5' x 5') filled with dirt or a sand-clay mixture.
Sufficient daily companionship
Other contructive outlets such as: obedience training, agility, flyball,
flying dics, trick training, retrieving, tracking, Schutzhund, SAR, etc.
Filling holes with dog feces to discourage your dogs from enlarging holes.
(This will not prevent your dog from digging new holes however.)
Squirting a light water spray (with a water pistol or hose) towards dog just as s/he begins to dig a hole. (Obviously, this is NOT recommended during winter or cool weather.)

This information comes directly from the American Dog Trainers Network and was written by Robin Kovary correct?

[Sugardog]

That would have been my advice.

Lots of exercise and give her a special place where she is allowed to dig. Digging is a natural canid behavior. With some dogs it can be curbed all together, with some it's never a problem at all, but still with others (especially terrier breeds) it's something you have to learn to manage.

A sand pit or special area is usually the best way to go with these kind of dogs. Set one up in the far corner of your yard and encourage her to use it and praise her when she does.

Another idea that may help is teaching her to dig on command. When you put a cue to the behavior, it becomes work. And dogs don't typically work until they are instructed to do so. I haven't yet seen a service dog turn on a light or open a door for himself without any instruction or indication to do so, nor have I seen a dog alone with agility equitment start jumping herdles or flying through tunnels just for the heck of it. Applying this concept to digging may or may not work, just depends on the dog.

[Carrie]

I think 90 minutes a day of repetitive exercise is too much for a 9 week old puppy, at least if it's all at once. Lots of romping and running around with you in your yard would be preferrable. I agree with stimulating her mind and giving alternatives. I don't agree with spraying things at babies but distracting them and showing them something else they can do. I think a sandbox where she is allowed to dig would be a good outlet for this.