# Stop Digging



## Woo (Oct 5, 2011)

Hi, 

Does anyone have any tips for stopping puppy digging big holes in the lawn?


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## pauleady (Mar 11, 2011)

We had this problem too, so I had the lawn replaced with good quality artificial turf. It looks briliant all year round, hygenic and easy to clean, no mud, the kids can play all year round (even while it's raining) and best of all it stopped Bailey digging.

The only downside is that it's very expensive, but I have no regrets whatsoever and my garden has never looked so good all year round !!!


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## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

Lady is such a digger, she can't be alone in the backyard.
no help to offer just sympathy...my yard has holes right now too


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## Woo (Oct 5, 2011)

pauleady said:


> We had this problem too, so I had the lawn replaced with good quality artificial turf. It looks briliant all year round, hygenic and easy to clean, no mud, the kids can play all year round (even while it's raining) and best of all it stopped Bailey digging.
> 
> The only downside is that it's very expensive, but I have no regrets whatsoever and my garden has never looked so good all year round !!!


Hi, 

We had thought of that idea and it is a possible. No more mowing too, great 

But I also just did abit of research on-line and another suggestion is to get a digging pit for the dog and train them to dig in there only and no-where else.
You can use a childs sand-pit. Think we are going to give this a go first and if no joy it might have to be the fake lawn.


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## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

I have heard this too, and hiding toys in the sand is supposed to help.


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## Chumphreys (Oct 1, 2011)

I saw on tv once about digging a hole in the rea the dog digs and burying a partially blown up balloon in it.When the dog digs,the balloon pops and frightens the dog.The dog Shoukd then associate the noise with the digging and not want to dig.I have never tried it because although Malie was a terrible digger when we first got her,it only lasted for a couple of weeks.She does however love digging her bed,the sofa and our beds 
XClare


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## pauleady (Mar 11, 2011)

Woo said:


> Hi,
> 
> We had thought of that idea and it is a possible. No more mowing too, great
> 
> ...


That would certainly be a good idea to start with. We wanted the artificial grass so the children could play outside more too, so it was the best option for us. We used these people and bought the New England grass http://www.forevergreenlawns.co.uk/dog-owners

It looked great in the Summer when the hosepipe ban was on too!! I love it.


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## Woo (Oct 5, 2011)

pauleady said:


> That would certainly be a good idea to start with. We wanted the artificial grass so the children could play outside more too, so it was the best option for us. We used these people and bought the New England grass http://www.forevergreenlawns.co.uk/dog-owners
> 
> It looked great in the Summer when the hosepipe ban was on too!! I love it.


It looks great, did your dog try and dig the artifical grass at first?


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## Woo (Oct 5, 2011)

Chumphreys said:


> I saw on tv once about digging a hole in the rea the dog digs and burying a partially blown up balloon in it.When the dog digs,the balloon pops and frightens the dog.The dog Shoukd then associate the noise with the digging and not want to dig.I have never tried it because although Malie was a terrible digger when we first got her,it only lasted for a couple of weeks.She does however love digging her bed,the sofa and our beds
> XClare


Noodle is a bed digger too, she really goes for it and when she is finished and I tell her to straighten her bed back she never listens!!


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## pauleady (Mar 11, 2011)

Woo said:


> It looks great, did your dog try and dig the artifical grass at first?


No he didn't, it was as if he knew he wouldn't be able to. Maybe it smelt different or felt different, but he never even tried. We had it installed last Spring and when I look at the before and after photos it's unbelievable. 

It was always bad this time of year if he went out for a wee as he would bring so much mud in the house (as would the kids!). Now the worst we get is just damp paws if it's raining.


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

Bonnie is a digger. I have to watch her all the time in the garden and shout NO! at her each time she digs. Goodness knows what my neighbours think of me!


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Chumphreys said:


> I saw on tv once about digging a hole in the rea the dog digs and burying a partially blown up balloon in it.When the dog digs,the balloon pops and frightens the dog.The dog Shoukd then associate the noise with the digging and not want to dig.I have never tried it because although Malie was a terrible digger when we first got her,it only lasted for a couple of weeks.She does however love digging her bed,the sofa and our beds
> XClare


This sort of scare can lead the dog to then be worried about being in the garden at all so not something I would do personally.

I would go for supervision and distraction as the most reliable methods with a digging pit a good option if you have the space and a determined digger.


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## Chumphreys (Oct 1, 2011)

2ndhandgal said:


> This sort of scare can lead the dog to then be worried about being in the garden at all so not something I would do personally.
> 
> I would go for supervision and distraction as the most reliable methods with a digging pit a good option if you have the space and a determined digger.


The dog dog trainer that recommended it had really good results as the dogs only associated the sound with the digging action.The same as when people spray water or blast air indoors at their dog for barking.The dog is only associating the effect with the cause.The dogs don't become scared of being indoors because of being sprayed or blasted.
XClare


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## Jedicrazy (Apr 26, 2011)

pauleady said:


> We had this problem too, so I had the lawn replaced with good quality artificial turf. It looks briliant all year round, hygenic and easy to clean, no mud, the kids can play all year round (even while it's raining) and best of all it stopped Bailey digging.
> 
> The only downside is that it's very expensive, but I have no regrets whatsoever and my garden has never looked so good all year round !!!


I'm fascinated by artificial grass. What about dog poos, don't they stick to it if they have a runny bum? Do you have to clean it and if so, how? Sorry about the poo question but quite tempted to look in to having a part of our garden, under the kids climbing area, done with the stuff. We currently have rubber chippings there and the dogs dig it our everywhere!


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## pauleady (Mar 11, 2011)

Jedicrazy said:


> I'm fascinated by artificial grass. What about dog poos, don't they stick to it if they have a runny bum? Do you have to clean it and if so, how? Sorry about the poo question but quite tempted to look in to having a part of our garden, under the kids climbing area, done with the stuff. We currently have rubber chippings there and the dogs dig it our everywhere!


They don't stick anymore than they would on 'real' grass. In fact I find it easier to pick them up as the grass is short and all one length. For a runny one (and thankfully Bailey doesn't seem to suffer form that much) I just get the hose pipe put and spray it. It drains really well as they levelled the garden, put down a hard core base, weed membrane with drain holes and the grass itself has tiny drain holes so never any puddles. You can even spray anti bacterial cleaner on it, so in the Summer when it's dry, we'll spray and rinse the areas where he tends to wee (the rotary line pole for one) which we never did with grass. This can also be done during hose pipe bans as it is for hygenic reasons/animal care. Much cleaner than when the real turf/mud was there.

I'm begining to sound like a salesman !!!


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## colpa110 (Jul 5, 2011)

Any chance of a piccy Paul....I'm seriously interested as fed up with my two ruining the garden...More like the lunar surface than a lawn now!


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

friend of mine had some, I just felt sorry for the worms banging their heads when trying to come to the surface!! it did look good but they had a small urban garden and a perfect lawn looked good in that but I don't think it would suit ours which is rather wild looking at the best of times! just to say Dudley was a real digger for the first few months we had him but he doesn't bother so much now, I think it is generally something they do a lot less of as they get older.


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