Hot Diggity Dog: Case Study
Here is the story of Tyson, a Pit Bull Terrier with a habit his owners just couldn't dig. Tyson was a bright Pit Bull Terrier who dug holes. He dug holes in the lawn and he dug holes in the garden. He just loved to dig! I mean he just LOVED to dig.
As you can imagine, his owners preferred their yard neat and tidy – and ideally, hole-free! They hunted high and low for ways to eradicate his urge to excavate. They tried filling Tyson’s holes with Tyson’s poop, as someone had suggested to them. But Tyson was too smart for that trick. He would just make a new hole somewhere else! They tried burying balloons in the holes (Tyson didn't mind the resulting Pop). They tried spiking the holes with cayenne pepper (Tyson sourced new, non-spicy spaces).
In a crafty switch of psychology they built a special sand pit to cater exclusively to Tyson’s digging desires. They even buried a few of Tyson’s favorite toys in there to encourage him further.
To be fair, Tyson did use the sand pit a lot but after a time, probably fancying a change of texture, he would go back to the lawn or garden. At least he only used the garden when his owners weren’t looking. By now he knew he was not really allowed to dig in the garden.
Finally, the wily owners invested in a dramatic and elaborate new strategy. In a desperate bid to turn the most appealing digging location into the least appealing one they laid chicken wire a few inches below the top soil in the areas where Tyson most often dug. It worked. Tyson did not like the feel of his claws striking the chicken wire and stopped digging there. Thereafter he confined himself to his sand pit where he could dig and be rewarded for it too!"
Solutions for your digging dog …
Just as Tyson disliked digging with the mesh your dog may not like digging when the ground is covered with something unusual. Mesh is very useful and safe outside (just check for sharp edges) while tinfoil or stones may be useful for indoor plants. Although meshing your whole yard may be more than you want to do, meshing select problem areas may be enough. You could also try using foul smelling substances such as cayenne pepper on favorite digging areas.
It is also important you give your dog a good amount of mental stimulation as well as physical exercise. Getting him to work on some useful new training is an excellent form of mental stimulation. It can tire out high-energy dogs in a way that physical exercise never can.
Its also a good idea to invest in some toys that will keep your dog active and occupied during your absence. There are some really fun toys out there - some good, durable, hard-rubber toys that are designed to bounce crazily around at the touch of a paw. There are also hard plastic balls which dispense a treat if rolled over a certain number of times, plus various flavored items of varying textures and degrees of chewiness. The thick rubber ‘kong’ toys which can be stuffed with food and requires the dog to work the food out are also excellent.
Genuine raw marrowbones bought from the butcher will provide your dog with hours of tasty, nutritious entertainment, just make sure you remove them before they become too old and brittle. Raw hide chews are also a great option.
Companionship is on a par with plentiful exercise for its effectiveness in keeping your dog happy and free from boredom. If you can make it home during the day to pay a quick visit, that’s a big step in the right direction. If this isn’t possible, you might consider investing in a dog walker or dog-sitter.
Some people actually adopt a second dog for companionship and this is effective in many cases. Obviously you’ll need to think this through VERY carefully before taking the plunge - not least because there’s no telling whether the two will actually get along in the long term. Also there is still the possibility they may enjoy digging even bigger holes together!
All the best,
Daniel Stevens and the Secrets to Dog Training Team
"Secrets to Dog Training - STOP Dog Behavior Problems!"
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