Thread: Digging dogs

Only thing I've ever come up with that works is to lay a roll of thicker gage chicken mesh down.It can be covered with soil at least.not suitable every where,but may be enough temoporarily to break the habit..

bored bored bored bored bored

the more you pen the dog the more he tries to self reward through the only exercise he can - digging. It's one of the things that gives him satisfaction through him training himself.

Running is nothing to a working dog it just makes them fitter. Get him using his brain, train him daily in obedience, trick training etc at least a couple of times a day to wear out his mind, then give him really hard toys which you feed him out of exclusively.

I have never had a yard full of holes or a trashed lawn - give a dog enough to do and wear them out, you wont have a problem.

ETA When you actually give him something to do and other things to amuse him (ie redirect his attention when he feels the need to dig) then you block off access to his main digging spots. I have people have most success when you fill in the hole then put all the fresh dog poo just under the surface 1cm of soil. A dog sticking its face and paws into a mass of its own poo can be fairly off putting.

Agree completly with mentally exhusting the dog but you can also head down to bunnings or flower power and grab some pavers to just drop down in the pen ....

Originally Posted by Julie Kopunovich

bored bored bored bored bored

the more you pen the dog the more he tries to self reward through the only exercise he can - digging. It's one of the things that gives him satisfaction through him training himself.

Running is nothing to a working dog it just makes them fitter. Get him using his brain, train him daily in obedience, trick training etc at least a couple of times a day to wear out his mind, then give him really hard toys which you feed him out of exclusively.

I have never had a yard full of holes or a trashed lawn - give a dog enough to do and wear them out, you wont have a problem.

ETA When you actually give him something to do and other things to amuse him (ie redirect his attention when he feels the need to dig) then you block off access to his main digging spots. I have people have most success when you fill in the hole then put all the fresh dog poo just under the surface 1cm of soil. A dog sticking its face and paws into a mass of its own poo can be fairly off putting.

Julie,
You hit the nail on the head, I did not want to criticize, but , yes the dog is bored, and needs more stimulation. You have to tire the dogs brain not the dogs legs.
Although I do not agree with the dog poo. In my opinion dog poo should be picked up and removed.
I also have a heap of dogs and no holes, except for the one they dig to lay in when it is hot , but that is only one hole and I can live with that.

I only say the dog poo Rob because majority of dogs will be so grossed out it overrides the want to dig. Even my grot of a rottweiler ran around like a princess after he splatted his paw in a big gob of his own poo LOL it stopped his digging before it started the feral he was.

If you have a dog prone to copraphagia though dont put the poo in the hole ... you give him a hobby and a snack at the same time ROFL

I train dog most days ball work basic ob and pads. Gonna start tracking ASAP by sound the of it.
Lots of different things. I can work him and then run him after till he drops. Still holes.
As for dog crap it worked for my am bulldog when bitch was on heat but gsd digs straight through it.
Thanks everyone ill try more mental stimulation sounds good but see if it works. If it does not age might
Bring relief