How to Deal With Puppy Digging Behavior   by Sandy Rutherforde

in Family / Pets    (submitted 2011-07-18)

It can be a whole lot of work to train a puppy. Nevertheless, investing some time in the beginning with the new pet is often a key to owning a dog that will offer trouble free companionship and love for lots of years to come. Along with potty training, teaching your pet to bark at the proper times and never to jump on people, one of the keys to having a perfect pet is to stop puppy digging.

There are lots of reasons why dogs dig. They could possibly be trying to hide food or bones for the future. Sometimes the digging behavior is to try to escape the fence to find a mate or simply to see the world outside. Your dog might have spotted a creature living in the garden and he is pursuing his natural hunting instinct. Other dogs are simply imitating their owners who dig in the garden. And others just get pleasure from the activity.

Pet owners wanting to eliminate puppy digging can try several strategies that could help. The first will be to make certain that the pet is receiving all the essential attention. In some cases, dogs dig because they're bored, so owners need to be certain that they're offering plenty of opportunities for physical exercise and interaction with the dog. Providing your dog with a more active way of life, even if it means hiring a dog walker, can quite often stop your pet from participating in the troublesome activity.

At times it's effective for your dog to associate the activity with a negative event. Thus, owners often are victorious at stopping the process through squirting the dog with a hose any time they are observed throwing dirt. On the other hand, the water hose trick will just inspire labs and various other water loving dogs to dig even more. A comparable trick will be to bury inflated balloons in the favorite places to dig. As the dog's nails strike the balloon, it will pop and the pet won't dig in the area.

A trick that meets with a bit of success is to fill up the holes the pet has dug with his own feces. If this doesn't work the first time, try adding a bit of pineapple to the dog's diet and fill the holes once more. Apparently numerous dogs are disgusted with this smell and make a decision to find new recreational activities.

Pet ownership can be a huge responsibility. Part of the responsibility is teaching the pet to behave in acceptable ways. Because puppy digging isn't acceptable, the owner has the responsibility to train the dog away from this activity. If everything else fails, the pet owner may want to supply a safe digging area containing sand and a few of the pet's preferred treats or toys where they can dig safely without destroying the yard or getting out of their kennel.

About the Author

Need help training your new puppy? Be sure to visit my site for advice on basic puppy training and puppy training techniques.