Effective Ways To Stop Puppy Digging   by Sandy Rutherforde

in Family / Pets    (submitted 2012-01-31)

Puppies are great fun to have around the house, but they can also be a lot of work. They have bundles of energy, no idea of how to respond to commands, and can destroy a couch or a lovingly maintained garden in seconds if you turn your back on them.

Digging is one of a dog's most natural activities and they do it for many different reasons. In some cases, the animal is making a bid for freedom, perhaps hearing or smelling something interesting on the other side of the garden fence. Some dogs just enjoy the physical activity while others are even thought to be copying their human masters when they dig in the garden. If you believe how it has been portrayed in the cartoons, most dogs dig in order to hide bones or toys. This is true, but it is far from the only reason that your pet could end up destroying your carefully manicured lawn or landscaped flower beds.

Puppies have much more excess energy than older dogs, so they too can keep digging for hours. No owner wants to have to shut their pet in the house when they have a great yard for them to run around in. So, how can responsible pet lovers stop puppy digging? One great method for stopping puppies from digging up the garden in the short term, before any training has had time to take effect, is the distraction technique. A big garden might be great fun for a while but it will soon become boring unless puppy has someone to play with, or has some new toys to keep them amused. Stop your puppy from getting bored and you will go a long way towards being able to stop puppy digging.

Negative reinforcement can work in trying to stop puppy digging, but be careful which technique you choose. Some owners spray their pup with a quick blast of the garden hose when they see them start to dig, but some dogs will just see this as a fun game and start digging even more! Another effective method, which takes a bit more planning, is to bury an inflated balloon where your pet usually digs. Once the dog's claws come into contact with the balloon it will pop, giving them a short, sharp shock and putting them off digging for a long time, if not forever.

If none of these work, filling the empty holes with the dog's own feces is usually enough to put them off returning to the area. If your puppy is a determined digger, you can always try repeating the trick after putting some pineapple in their food, which seems to work well for some reason.

It is worth putting a bit of time and effort into finding a way to stop puppy digging. Not only does this mean that you and your pet can enjoy your own garden for many years, but also that you do not need to worry when you and your dog visit other people's homes in the summer months or that your pooch will be responsible for digging up a public park at some point in the future.

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Are you looking for tips to more effectively train your dog? Be sure to visit Dog Training Answers for tips on potty training a puppy and how to stop puppies from biting.