The Dogs always seem to want something new (and messy) to entertain themselves with. As our two oldest Dogs, Faye and Daisy, begin to settle down, and are over the total exuberance of puppy-hood , Jet, the daughter of Daisy, is trying to take on the responsibility of being naughty for all three Dogs!
We still call Jet the puppy, although she is ten months old now, but I guess that she will forever be referred to as the Puppy on this Dog blog. She has always been a well behaved Dog, she hardly ever caused any trouble at all. Enter the digging Dog phase. She has now got it in to her head that anything that remotely resembles dirt or sand MUST be dug. She has dug holes all over the front garden even though I had put chicken wire around plants until they are established, just to stop the Dogs trampling if they get a bit excited. Jet still seems to have the knack of doing a Ninja Dog Limbo routine and getting under the fencing to continue her Dog digging routine.
Jet The Cause Of The Stop Digging Dog Dilemma
She has also taken a studied interest in the vegetable plots. With soil improved over four years, the beds are lovely and soft and perfect for digging. The lettuce are none too happy about it. Learning how to stop digging Dogs is not something I have encountered before as all our Dogs, both past and present, have always limited themselves to just having a bit of a Digging Dog fest in the sand at the beach.
So, in an effort to learn what the best techniques are to stop digging Dogs I have been searching online to see what others have done. I have partially solved the problem by making the chicken wire around the plants more Dog proof but I wanted to know how I could stop Jet from digging anything that is not barricaded like Fort Knox. Apart from anything else, using fencing to stop a digging Dog is unsightly.
Here is what I found when it comes to learning how to stop digging Dogs.
Ways To Stop Digging Dogs
Using water to stop a Dog digging
A technique I will be trying is to use water as a shock to the Dog, and also to think that the garden is conspiring against it. Although the use of a sprinkler system sounds great we don’t have one. Turning the sprinkler on when the Dog starts digging will quickly get it to stop digging.
The alternative I liked was the use of a water pistol. Whenever I see Jet digging I am to give her a squirt. If I position myself correctly she won’t know it is me and it should help to stop the digging Dog as she will think it is some form of garden retribution for her crime against lettuces and all things that grow!
Using poo!
I won’t be trying this one but I will explain what I found in case anyone wants to give it a go. If there are a few spots where your digging Dogs simply love to go then you can (apparently) use their own poo against them. If you put their poo in the holes that they have dug then they will be very unlikely to dig through their own poo. It sounds plausible but I wonder if the Dog digging holes will simply go find somewhere else to dig.
Stop your Dog getting bored
Boredom can be a large factor in why many Dogs digging holes do what they do. Jets digging of holes is not down to that I know. If the three Dogs are not asleep then they are running around with each other, playing, or being annoying by whining to go out and run around. They are all active (apart from if it is a little bit chilly, then all bets are off). Boredom does seem like a big factor for many Dogs digging holes and I can understand it. They simply want something to do and digging holes is better than not digging holes from many a Dogs point of view I guess.
Give in
NEVER I hear you cry. Well, it is not actually giving in and letting the digging Dogs make holes all over the garden. Rather it is to have a designated Dog digging spot. This makes sense as when you see your Dog digging holes you can encourage them to come to a certain spot to continue their quest to reach the other side of the world. The use of a large sandbox seems like a very good idea. If you can show your digging Dog of doom that you have buried a bone in the sand I am sure this will work wonders. The problem for me is we have bones all over the place and a sand pile for building work. Jet loves the sand pile but still prefers anywhere where things are growing.
The Koehler dog method
I came across this and frankly I don’t know what it is and won’t be looking in to it further. Suffice to say it involves filling the hole with water and sticking your Dogs head in it for a few seconds. Yeah, nice one you Muppet.
Lay chicken wire on the floor to stop digging Dogs
Doesn’t seem like a good idea to me. You could have a seriously injured Dog if they start a digging frenzy and encounter the wire. Instead of using chicken wire and risking injury to your dog, installing artificial turf is a much safer and pet-friendly alternative.
Balloons
This method to stop digging Dogs involves putting an inflated balloon in the hole and covering with some earth. When the Dog pops the balloon and jumps a mile it will be put off from digging again. I kind of understand this one, but Jet is a fairly shy Dog like her Mum and things like this may be a bit too much for a Dog of a slightly more nervous disposition.
Sprinkle Pepper where the digging Dogs go the most
This simply involves sprinkling pepper so that when the Dog gets a nose full it will stop digging. If it is spread over the areas it digs in the most it may well work.
Never let your Dog see you digging
This is one I am guilty of. We spend a lot of time growing vegetables and tending to the plots and the Dogs watch us at times. Dogs are interested in what you do and like to investigate. This may be why Jet has turned in to a digging Dog. To stop digging Dogs I am going to try and make a real effort to not let her see when we dig or turn over the soil.
Well, I was surprised by some of the ways I found to stop digging Dogs. Some sound very good while others like the Koehler method for stopping digging Dogs sounds barbaric. I did eventually do a search on his methods and while some seem sound, actions like putting a Dogs head under water to stop digging Dogs sounds insane.
Well, I am off to buy a water pistol to stop my Dog digging.
If you have any suggestions or have found a way to stop digging Dogs let me know.
May the Doggie Force be with you all.
I guess I’m pretty lucky. I’ve never had a digging dog before! 🙂
I only had one instance of digging and pepper worked very well,
Well it is my dog’s instinct, to dig and hunt. We just bless him bring some of his stuff like dead frog or garbage hanging on his mouth with his sweet, proud smile. Bless. But on digging, we’re on track of hiding his treat on the soil on one corner of the garden, so far that’s the place he loves to dig.
Jennifer, lucky you. Jet is like a thing possessed at the moment.
Jan, that is good to hear, thanks.
Wishbone, so you just let him have a little area he can dig in? That sounds god as well.
If you could only teach them to dig when and where you want them to, that would be great.
Dog Treat Recipes,
It would save a lot of digging on my part if I could!
We use your water trick for everything…. We have a little spray bottle and as soon as the dog’s do something we don’t want them to do, we reach for the spray bottle…. As soon as we do they immediately stop what they are doing. Once they realize they are going to get sprayed they pick up on what not to do real quick.
Ace doesn’t have a digging problem, but that’s probably because we don’t have a yard and therefore he doesn’t spend time alone outside getting bored. He is always supervised. If he were unsupervised, I think his problem would be barking, not digging.
I like the idea of giving a dog their own place to dig like a sandbox or certain corner of the yard.
Cat food reviews, glad it is working so well. Sounds good.
Lindsay, I really think I may have to get Jet her own little Dog digging spot. I don’t know what has got in to her lately.
My Doberman occasionally dug holes, we tried everything to stop her. I feel dogs that are bored or use to being around their family and when not. They dig, that and when frustrated. I would like to know why my dog dug several deep holes last week. I found her I’ll, lot she dug and ate something. Rushed her in vet hosp, she had bloat and had to be put down. Vet said possibly dug to cool abdoman. Breeder said her dog did to dig its own grave. I feel she was frantic and didn’t know how to help herself. Heart breaking