Digging

[James Q]

Help! Brontie has turned into Steve McQueen in The Great Escape... she has free run of quite a big garden and in the past couple of days has taken to digging rather large holes in it. The husband is not a happy chap! Why is she doing this and what can we do to prevent it or distract her? Off to her first puppy class tonight so will ask them too.

[lady amanda]

Help! Brontie has turned into Steve McQueen in The Great Escape... she has free run of quite a big garden and in the past couple of days has taken to digging rather large holes in it. The husband is not a happy chap! Why is she doing this and what can we do to prevent it or distract her? Off to her first puppy class tonight so will ask them too.

Our ground is frozen right now here in Canada so I can't say I've tried this with my pup yet but we were suggested to give them a dig area in the garden, burry toys there and show them that they can dig them up from that spot, we were told it would take time, but that this would become their spot to dig...they dig they are dogs, it is hard to beat nature

[barrelman]

Stanleys 8 months old and only really recently started digging. He only digs in one place which just happens to be in the center of my lawn. This is bad enough but he's so muddy when he's finished. I've started covering the hole which he digs. This seems to have worked for now. I really don't want to encourage him with a digging area. I'm hoping to stop it by discouraging it as with any unwanted behaviour

[wilfiboy]

Great idea Amanda ... Wilf dug when he was little, Mabel hasn't started ... yet!!! We didnt really do anything he just stopped although he does often bury his treats in th mulch but this does nt cause a problem really other than him digging (nosing!!!) them up when they are damp and often mouldy ... maybe he just decided that was his spot. ... Good luck at puppy class x

[lady amanda]

Stanleys 8 months old and only really recently started digging. He only digs in one place which just happens to be in the center of my lawn. This is bad enough but he's so muddy when he's finished. I've started covering the hole which he digs. This seems to have worked for now. I really don't want to encourage him with a digging area. I'm hoping to stop it by discouraging it as with any unwanted behaviour

What about a sand area?? or sand box? sand is less dirty than dirt. lol

[barrelman]

What about a sand area?? or sand box? sand is less dirty than dirt. lol

That's a good idea. I will try that if discouraging digging doesn't stop it sufficiently
Thanks

[lady amanda]

:D no problem!

[James Q]

Thanks everyone. My son, James, went to puppy class (I had a last minute work commitment). He said there were 12 puppies (is that too many?) there and alot of yapping so he didn't get chance to ask. We too are trying to cover the holes up at the moment, but its not working as she just digs somewhere else. Good idea to give her her own spot if she is going to insist, but fingers crossed she will grow out of it. James was proud to report that Brontie didn't have one accident in class - unlike all the others!!! Kate

[kendal]

depends on the size of the class. at them moment we have alott of puppys in our class, things will calm down. try turning up a little early so it is quieter and you can ask quiestions.

[James Q]

Lol, he was the first to arrive! Will ask next week anyway thanks Kendal. They charged £58 for 6 lessons, sounds expensive to me with 12 puppies there, but it seems to be the going rate round here.