Monday, October 24, 2011

Dog Training: Digging - 101

By Dirk Gruenberg


When your dog is digging in the garden it can be quite annoying; but more than that it can be dangerous. If your dog digs a whole under your fence and gets out, he could get seriously hurt.

Of course, digging can also ruin just about any garden, which can be quite frustrating. But, fortunately, you do not need to necessarily put up with.

Having a dog, you most likely know that mating season can be a lot of work. If your dog wants to find a mate, he will probably do whatever he can to do so. If that means digging under a fence, so be it. Neutering or spaying your dog should reduce this urge.

Moreover, another reason for digging is the temperature. If it is hot, dogs intuitively dig in order to lie down in a cooler spot.

So you can remedy this simply by providing a reasonably cool spot for your dog. Also give him plenty of water. He will need lots of it, if the temperatures are high. Supplying it will help keep him cooler, and thus minimize the need for a cool hole.

Furthermore, be mindful that digging takes energy. So you can simply have your dg get rid of that energy on bike rides and the like, and he will probably be too tired to dig.

This would also mean that you and he get to spend time together. Having fun with you is on the top of his list, so he will love that, and you, probably, would too.

Also, you can try to catch your dog in the act. If you catch him digging, spray him with a garden hose or throw something in his direction that will make a loud noise. He will be surprised and eventually come to understand that the digging leads to this negative consequence. He might then avoid it.

And finally, one last point: Maybe your dog digs simply because he cannot think of anything else to do. HE might be bored. Getting him a few new interesting toys might, in that case, take care of the digging issue. Ideally, get him something he can chew on.




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