Posts Tagged ‘dog digging’

Dog Obedience Course: Stop Dog From Digging Problem

Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008

stop dog from digging | how to stop dog from digging

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Click Here: Stop Dog From Digging – Dog Training Course

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Stop Dog From Digging

Dog digging is a very common behavior for most dogs.   There are many reasons why your dog may be digging.  Dogs are not attempting to be destructive when they dig.  The key is to understand your pet’s motivations.  Then, you can implement proven solutions for controlling the behavior.

Dog Digging

There are lots of reasons for dog digging.  Here are a few common ones:

-  Boredom.  They may dig to entertain themselves.

-  Trying to escape.

-  Seek attention

-  Some dogs like terriers are bred to dig.

-  They may be pursuing prey (burrowing animals or insects).

If you are a responsible dog owner, it is up to you to thoroughly understand your dog and the environment you have placed them in.  With observation of your dog’s day, you will be able to identify if your pet’s environment effectively compliments their personality.

Leaving a high energy dog alone all day with no toys and not providing a lot of daily exercise is usually a guarantee for behavior problems.  This is an example of a poorly matched environment for the dog’s personality.

Dog Digging Tips:  How to Stop Dog From Digging

1.  Boredom

Keep some toys available for your pet.  Make sure it is something that he or she really enjoys playing with.  Increase the time that your dog spends with people.  You may want to consider getting a second dog so the dog has some company when you are not around. Provide your dog plenty of exercise each day to use up some of that energy that used to be spent digging.  Creating an acceptable area for digging also works for the bored dog who just naturally loves to dig.

2.  Trying to Escape

Sometimes a dog may try to escape to get to something or to get away from something. This is usually the case if your dog digs under or along a fence. You need to figure out why your dog is trying to escape.  Then, remove the attraction.   Other ideas are to place a barrier (large rocks, chicken wire) under the fence or just extend the fence a foot or two below the surface.

3.  Seeks Attention

If your dog only digs when you are around, it may be an indication that his opportunity to interact with you are too limited.  If this is the case, you should not reward your dog with any attention, positive or negative.   You should make sure your dog has plenty of time with you and the family each and every day, but also teach the dog that it cannot be the center of attention at all times.  Teach your dog that you are the leader and play time is on your time, not his or hers.

4.  Dog Digging Breeds

Here things are a little more complex.  Generally speaking, it may be much harder to stop dog from digging if it is a breed that has a strong instinct for digging.  The smart thing in this situation is to just find an acceptable place for their digging.  Make it an easily identifiable special place.  Train him by digging a bone or dog treat, but make sure he watches you do it.  Shower the praise when he digs it up.  Just keep doing this on a daily basis until he understands that this is his special digging spot.  Always redirect him back to this spot if he ever starts to dig elsewhere.

5.  Seeking Prey

If dog digging is at the roots of shrubs or trees (instead of along the yard boundaries) or the digging looks like it’s following a trail, your dog may be trying to catch burrowing animals or insects.   If this is the case, simply use some pet-safe, non-toxic and humane method to eliminate the animals that may be burrowing in the yard.

Always remember that most destructive dog behavior is born out of boredom and lack of mental and physical stimulation.   In most cases, if you provide your pet with abundant attention, mental stimulation, and physical exercise, your pet will be much less inclined to develop destructive habits like dog digging, chewing, etc.

Click Here: Stop Dog From Digging – Dog Training Course

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