ideas to stop digging dog

[Wyo Chick]

My dog is digging up my yard! Yesterday, he fell in his own hole and now I'm afraid he will hurt his leg. He digs and barks at the hole as if there is something in there. He has several dug around the yard and it looks like a mine field. Any ideas?

 

[BeardedChick]

Does he get enough exercise with you outside of the yard?

 

[Wyo Chick]

I knew that question would be asked!!! He is a Sheltie and never gets enou exercise! That probably is the main reason he dis. We have a large yard and assume he gets enough exercise in it. But I don't think he does.

 

[okiehen]

Fill his holes with his poop, he'll stop at some point when he gets in the poop a few times.
And you can get him a treat ball that will give him someting to do other than dig.

 

[BeardedChick]

Quote:
Yeah, I don't think they will self exercise nearly enough and that is SUCH an active, people-oriented breed...

 

[Dar]

my dog Tala was a large breed...and when she started to dig i put small little mouse traps in the holes she dug....(they were not big enough to hurt her)...when she tried to dig the next time they snapped and the snapping sound scared her ..for a few months after that she would sit there and bark at a trap when she seen them (it was funny it was like she was saying...common big man make that sound again..) it took about 3 months but she never dug after that

 

[Southern Gardener]

Dogs will dig for a number of different reasons. Some are just natural diggers and you won't be able to break them. My chocolate lab is a born digger. She is never in the yard unattended and get lots of interaction and obedience training from me.

A dog will dig out of boredom. Make sure your dog gets plenty exercise and attention from you. They will dig when its hot - the dirt provides a cool place for them.

Try a kiddie pool - fill it with dirt and hide chew toys in it and teach him that this is the only place he is allowed to dig.

Hope this helps!

 

[Buckguy20]

Keeping their claws (nails) short will help some.

 

[jvls1942]

Quote:
I ad a border collie who did that exact thing.. he died a couple of years ago, but some of his craters still remain..

there was a huge fox farm near here and they had the same problem with their foxes sort of.
they would dig under the fences.
those guys stumbled on the ida of cutting a certain tendon in the fox's foot .. that prevented the fox from being able to dig.. You could check with a vet to see if he could do it for you.. The procedure was a simple snip, and it did not hinder any other movement of the animal.

 

[flopshot]

i had a Dalmation that did that. turns out he was hunting moles. don't let anyone tell you Dalmations are deaf.