Digging porblems!!! HELP

[Snow_dog]

Okay, so, my Labrador, Chester, is digging in the yard. He digs and digs, and he dosen't smell it, so chilly powder won't work. I go mad when he does this! He never does this when it is cold, but when it is ever 60 degrees+ he digs. I can't believe he does this! What can I do to stop this? All I know to do now is fill it in again. Any ways to stop this behavior will be nice.

/**Samantha**\

[Snow_dog]

So he dosen't put his nose in it.

[britishbandit]

How much exercise does he get? It's possible he's doing it out of boredom, or simply because he has extra energy to burn off. Not always the case, but a pretty common reason for dogs to dig.

I know some people have put in sand pits/boxes to designate specific areas where they allow their dogs to dig, maybe try that too.

[Snow_dog]

Okay. Yeah, my dog gets walks and he is almost always outside when it is warm and nice. Thanks for the idea.

[Punkygirl0101]

Well, I personally have dogs that dig not because they don't get exercise, I play with them almost all day and walk them, and take them to the dog park and run with them in the backyard, but when they dig they also eat at the dirt. So my guess was they are eating the grass roots. They are also known diggers breed wise. I haven't really tried anything because so far at the new house they only dig in this flower bed that has nothing in it but dirt..I was thinking of making a little sign "Dog Dig Zone" or something.

[Snow_dog]

Originally Posted by Punkygirl0101

Well, I personally have dogs that dig not because they don't get exercise, I play with them almost all day and walk them, and take them to the dog park and run with them in the backyard, but when they dig they also eat at the dirt. So my guess was they are eating the grass roots. They are also known diggers breed wise. I haven't really tried anything because so far at the new house they only dig in this flower bed that has nothing in it but dirt..I was thinking of making a little sign "Dog Dig Zone" or something.

Ohh! Yeah, I remember that once I saw him digging in "his hole" and he bit a root, and pulled it out of the hole and started chewing it. How do I stop this behavior? It is driving me crazy!

[greekblue]

Originally Posted by britishbandit

I know some people have put in sand pits/boxes to designate specific areas where they allow their dogs to dig, maybe try that too.

I think first you should try what Britishbandit said. Designate an area to allow him to dig and train him to go only there. I do not know a way out of this, but I think it is a great idea. Niki does not dig much, but I have long thought of getting her a sandbox and hide toys, bones, treats, my keys, etc., and let her dig and find them. I think it would be fun and if she can find my keys for example and brings them to me (something she already does), it would also be a good exercise for her mind. Some dogs simply like to dig and they have fun with it, so they will not stop. Join your dog in the fun of digging by trying what Britishbandit told you. If that does not work..... sorry I do not know.....

[Snow_dog]

Thanks, I think that I will try all of your wonderful ideas. Yeah, greekblue, he usally only digs in one area, so I think that is his "digging spot" from now on.

[Carrie]

You can re-direct this behavior, but it will take some serious diligence. You won't be able to leave him unsupervised at all in the yard. Make a sand box with some treats and toys buried like it was suggested, but you'll also have to prevent him from being reinforced for digging in your garden. That means you must watch him at all times while he's outdoors. When he shows the first signs of intention....before he even begins digging, but is about to, distract him "eh-eh!" and re-direct him to the sand box. Use a leash if you have to but coax him over to the sand box. Reward him lavishly for digging there. And then if you can't be outside watching him, bring him inside. You must prevent him from digging in the garden. When the pay off (the fun) is never available for digging in the garden, that behavior will extinguish. And he'll be getting an outlet for his urge to dig (the sand box) which does provide a big pay off for digging where you show him. If you do not supervise him and prevent him, even a few times of continued reinforcement for digging in the garden will cause this behavior to perpetuate. After some time of careful training, he will probably lose that habit.

[Snow_dog]

Thanks, I think I will try that, Carrie. He is not digging as much, and I will keep the prosess going until the area that is his "digging aproved" area is his only dig area. Thanks so much for your help guys!

[Snow_dog]

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[Snow_dog]

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[Estie]

OMG - Sammy, one of our ESS, has started to dig. It's not in the backyard, it's down along the canal and a field where we walk. We have walked him in that area since last April. He never dug anything. In the last few weeks, he finds these holes and he should arrive in China any day now! Here's this beautiful springer, half his body is down the hole, and there is dirt just flying in the air. I think it is spring and there are field mice babies down there.

[Snow_dog]

Originally Posted by Estie

OMG - Sammy, one of our ESS, has started to dig. It's not in the backyard, it's down along the canal and a field where we walk. We have walked him in that area since last April. He never dug anything. In the last few weeks, he finds these holes and he should arrive in China any day now! Here's this beautiful springer, half his body is down the hole, and there is dirt just flying in the air. I think it is spring and there are field mice babies down there.

Omg, that is horrible!

[Ritz459]

Originally Posted by Estie

OMG - Sammy, one of our ESS, has started to dig. It's not in the backyard, it's down along the canal and a field where we walk. We have walked him in that area since last April. He never dug anything. In the last few weeks, he finds these holes and he should arrive in China any day now! Here's this beautiful springer, half his body is down the hole, and there is dirt just flying in the air. I think it is spring and there are field mice babies down there.

LOL Rose does the same thing. She won't dig in our yard, but in our feild and the neighbors feild there are these giant craters. I'll look out in the feild and Rose will be half down a huge hole, her nose all covered in dirt and mud (her nick name is "Dirty nose Rose" ), and her tail will just be a'wagging. I can always tell whether she is diggign because she thinks something's down there, or digging because she knows something's down there. She's already caught a couple of mice this year, as well as bringing home a squirrel tail and a rabbit pancake. You have to love spring when you have a dog that hunts.