Today's topic involves a NAUGHTY (that's what Mom thinks) trait of mine. I quite enjoy digging deep, dirty holes. Especially when they are placed right smack in the middle of a beautifully landscaped yard. I've done it since I was a puppy and I
So Mom looked up the top ten things that most dog owners claim are the worst habits their dog does...and digging is number FOUR! What can I say, Mom, I'm not that original. Anyhow-then she found this funny article about some suggestions on how to get your dog to stop digging. I HAD to blog about these because some of them are absolutely and positively RIDICULOUS. I mean, if my mom did these things to me, I think I would run away and never come back. Well...maybe I would come back after a few hours, but seriously, these ideas are plain mean.
Ideas to try if your dog is digging in an unwanted place (the not so good ideas from that article.):
1. Declaw your dog. Some owners and vets argue that it is better that your dog lose its claws, than lose its life by digging out of the yard and being hit by a car. ?
2. Blow up some balloons and bury them in the spots where your dog digs in the yard. When your dog digs....BOOM! They won't do it again. ?
3. Turn on the sprinklers when your dog starts to dig in the yard, or stand out in the yard with a hose and spray your dog when your dog digs. ?
4. Bury your dog's poop in the spot in the yard where your pup digs. When he/she finds it...she will quickly lose interest in digging. ?
See? Wouldn't you run away too? I don't think I would take well to Mom spraying me with a hose. Here are the logical suggestions from the article on how you can ACTUALLY stop your dog from digging in the yard:
1. Have an actual sand area in your yard where it is fun for your dog to dig. You can bury certain dog toys or dentabones in the area. Make sure the area is big enough to keep your dog's attention.
2. Exercise your dog before putting your dog into your beautifully landscaped yard.
3. Only leave your dog out in the yard when you are out there with them. This allows you to correct incorrect behavior when it is occurring so your dog learns right from wrong.
4. Leave a treat Kong in your yard so your dog's attention is occupied on something else, rather than digging.
What are your thoughts on this Tuesday Talk? Looking forward to hearing from you, furiends.
Since I have just come in from stopping Freddie from digging a hole in the yard (sigh), this is the perfect topic. Hide the poop there? Yea, Gloria would just dig it up and eat it! Declaw your dog? Yikes! Those ideas are ridiculous! I like the wear your dog out and give them a sand patch to dig in approach! Great topic!
ReplyDeleteI too love to dig. But I do not just dig anywhere or wherever I want. MOM lets me dig in a spot in our yard. I can dig all I want there. And when we hike or backpack as long as it's off trail I can dig there too. But on hikes and backpacking I mostly want to run, sniff and explore. During the spring MOM lets me help get the garden ready for planting. So I get to dig up the soil so she can plant.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Goose
Some of them make sense. I can't see myself burying balloons in the yard! But I should have a kong or something else out there to distract her. Finn just loves digging too. Momma does not.
ReplyDeleteThose first ones are so mean! Nothing Mom can do about my digging, I am a Doxie after all!
ReplyDeleteDachshund Nola
The first ones should be against the law....I am not a digger so it wouldn't happen to me....the last ones were nice....
ReplyDeleteDeclaw???!!! We're scotties, so we're diggers. SHE just fills in the holes. Although when Kendra started eating dirt, SHE did resort to putting laundry powder on the spot. It worked.
ReplyDeletexXXOOO Daisy, Bella & roxy
I was going to say spread some mothballs around, but you may not like the smell. I like the sandpit idea the best!
ReplyDeleteThe balloon suggestion.... OMG! My dog would run away in fear and probably never come back. We live in an apartment that faces a beautiful courtyard, which we like to hang out in with our neighbors and their dogs. Zoe used to dig up all the flower beds until we started going out with treats or something for her to chew on.
ReplyDeleteBOL! Keep the comments coming!
ReplyDeleteLOL on the sprinklers deterring anything. Brown dawgs loves them some sprinklers. One of the reasons we have the horse ball that I posted about last week was to keep Thunder busy in his dog run. I would think it would also be a good option to keep a dog who wants to dig busy in a yard.
ReplyDeleteStrangely, Yuki and Rocket have only Faux-Dug, usually right before they go to sleep. Also, strange is because it's kind of in their instincts since they were bred to be ratters. We had two chihuahuas that loved to dig little holes all over the yard. Before that we had a German Shepard, who had a whole side of the house that was just dirt, just for her digging. She usually would dig though, when it was hot, that way she could lay down on the cool earth to get some relief from the heat. Great Post, very interesting indeed!
ReplyDeleteAlmost our entire yard is a dirt box, so the dogs dig all they want and we let them. Burying their poop in the hole, actually works. Doesn't stop digging problem, but dogs won't dig in that spot at all.
ReplyDeleteI guess digging has never really been an issue for us, no matter where we have lived. It's just part of being a dog. :)
Hey Kootenai,
ReplyDeleteThis is a tricky one as I've never been a digger - it sounds like fun though……..hmmmm?! :)
Mum's previous Dogs were big diggers though and she never found a solution, she just had to keep buying new soil as it all seemed to disappear and she was left with big craters that the Dogs were very proud of!! :)
Have fun buddy
Your pal Snoopy :)
You're definitely not abnormal Kootenai! I dig too. Usually just when I'm all wound up, but sometimes it just seems fun. If your Mom figures out how to make you stop make sure she doesn't talk to my Mom. I don't wanna stop! BOL!
ReplyDeleteThe first number 4 would backfire at my house....wonderful poopie snacks. Mmmmmmm. Ha, ha.
ReplyDeleteHey Kootenai! Just letting you know that I have tagged you. No pressure just check out my blog and play along if you like.
ReplyDeleteHey Kootenai!
ReplyDeleteI have to say, the spraying of water actually works to quell a dog fight... but digging? Come on. I think you'd have a better chance doing positive reinforcement or distracting dogs with something more interesting than to water sprinkler them.
Declawing... wow, isn't that a little harsh... some dogs use their claws for traction.
By the way, I've passed the Pawsome Blogger Award to you. The details of the award are located in this post http://www.mydogslove.me/2012/02/25-awards.html
Huggies and Cheese,
Haopee