Dogs love to dig. Whether it is to bury a bone, look for a bone, or to just see what is underneath the dirt this time, dogs enjoy digging.
While it is a natural instinct in dogs, digging can be detrimental to your yard and to your dog’s discipline. How can you get your living breathing shovel to stop?
As with children, dogs do things for a reason. Why is your dog digging? If you can figure this out, you are halfway to a solution. Does he just love to fling dirt?
There are reasons why your dog may dig in your yard: he may need more exercise and stimulation. He may be hoarding food or trying to cool off or stay warm in the ground. He may be trying to investigate the smell of fertilizer or fresh dirt.
If you have determined that your dog needs more stimulation and is digging as a way of getting attention, you can attack the problem by offering him more opportunities for exercise and interaction. Dog training collars can be a good technique for solving the problem. Hear about sitstayfetch for more respectable dog training.
If this doesn’t help, you can give one of the following techniques a try:
1. Find the spots your dog usually digs and bury a balloon that has been inflated. If your dog digs, he’ll pop the balloon. This unpleasant reaction to his digging can deter him from continuing.
2. Fill some of the holes your dog has made with his own feces. When he revisits the holes, he will be disgusted by this. It is enough to deter him from digging.
3. Try burying some chicken wire just below the surface where your dog likes to dig. When your dog pits the wire with his paws, he’ll hate the sensation and stop digging.
4. If you catch your pet in the act of digging, spray him with a water bottle or hose. Dogs hate this (but it is not harmful). They’ll get the message. Do not, however, spray him if you don’t catch him actively engaging in digging. If you do, he won’t understand why he’s being punished.
Digging is natural, but it doesn’t have to ruin your yard. Figure out why your dog is engaging in this behavior and take a little time to work on it with him. You’ll both be much happier. Not unlike puppy potty training, mischievous habits can be corrected with a little training. Read puppy training biting for more effective dog training.
Another Great Way to Modify Your Dogs Behaviour – Training With Clickers
You want to teach your dog acceptable behavior in a gentle, humane way. Many people have found success with the clicker method.
When you use clicker training, you teach your dog to associate good behavior with a treat or reward. This is known as the principle of operant conditioning. How does it work?
A clicker is a small plastic box with a metal strip. When you push and release the metal strip, it makes a sharp clicking sound.
The key to clicker training is to teach your dog to associate the click with the reward, such as a biscuit. After your dog successfully performs a command, you click. Offer the treat at the same time.
The dog learns to associate the click with the behavior and the click with the treat, which makes it more likely that he’ll repeat it. Soon, just the click will be enough, and eventually, it can be phased out altogether.
Clicking is immediate. Dogs need to know exactly what they are being praised for, and the clicking sound helps let them know. This is why the clicker method is so effective for training.
Your dog really wants to make you proud. Using the clicker method is a great way to teach your dog in an effective and humane manner. Get a line on puppy potty training for more skilled dog training.
