Dog Digging?
Graham Lee
and up to now been very pleased with her. It is only in the last few days
that she as become a worry in that when she is left in the garden (kennel
and food provided) she likes to dig huge holes in my lawn. Does anybody
have any suggestions on how I might be able to stop her from doing this.
Thanks
Debra
diddy
Sure do! I have a collection of advice from many people (sorry, because
these were collected for personal references, I didn't save the
attributions) Some look like they have potential, others look awful.
I can't tell you which worked and which did not, because I tried none,
and my back yard looks like a lunar landscape. When my puppies come in
all played out and muddy from digging, I feel a sense of peace, for
that's what dogs are supposed to do. FWIW .. here is my collected list
of suggestions from newsgroups and the net.
Mulch the area where they are digging, go to a pet store and buy a can
of STOP, thats what they call it..spray it thickly on the mulch..the
spray contains something the dogs dont like and they stay away from the
area..you will need to spray every week or so, but I have found it to
stop my dog..it is designed as a dog repellant to be used inside to keep
your dogs from peeing or laying in certain areas.. try that. But in my
experience commercial sprays you can buy that have a supposedly
offputting scent. In my opinion these don't work very well.
Make a dog run where the dog can't dig when outside unattended. (When
it's attended, it isn't digging, right?) Line the floor with patio tiles
and viola! no holes. I fthe dog does this while attended: Put a few
coins in a soda can. Watch for the dog to commit the offense and shake
the can really hard up close to the dog. My friend, a brittany
dog-trainer, uses this technique when she kennels dogs for obedience
training. The important part here is that the "punishment" occurs when
the offense occurs. Yes, this method requires that you be present when
the dog is digging, but itworked so quickly and so effectively that in
less than a week, the digging behavior is usually extinguished.
Behaviour modification is only successful if you can link the offending
behaviour with the correction in the dog's mind. If you can't be there
to witness the digging and therefore correct physically (by voice or
reprimand) then you need other ways.
Try burying a balloon full of pepper in a hole where you know he will
dig again. When dogs dig they make a few scratches (bang goes the
balloon) and then they stick their noses in to sniff (up their nose goes
the pepper). Drawbacks: this will stop a dog digging in a particular
spot but it won't stop him digging elsewhere.
Would it be possible to create an area where it might be appropriate for
the dogs to dig? (Perhaps a particular spot in part of the yard?)
Give/build a sandbox for your Diggin'Dawg. Just like the idea of giving
them toys that they CAN play with, this gives them a place where they
CAN dig. And since the sand is softer and inviting -- hopefully they
will dig there instead of the yard.
It might be easier for you to redirect the dogs' digging habit to an
appropriate area than try to stop it completely. To do this, you would
want to create a small area with a different surface than that of the
rest of the yard. You could use sand or pulverized granite, for
example. If you catch your dog digging redirect him to the appropriate
area, and you can make this area more fun for the dog by playing with
them there and maybe even burying treats.
The hardest part of this, though, is that the dogs would have to be kept
from digging in the inappropriate areas when not supervised (most likely
by denying them access to those areas), until they show a strong
preference for where they should be digging. Why? Digging is that it
typically is fun for the dogs! That is, the behavior itself is
reinforcing. Each time the dogs dig and have fun, it makes the
behavior that much stronger for them. You won't be able to provide a
consequence after the fact-- they wouldn't be able to associate the
behavior of digging with the consequence you provide.
If you punish them when they are caught 'in the act', they likely will
learn not to do it when people are around. In general, the act of
digging in an inappropriate area has to not be fun, whether or not there
are people around. This is the idea behind the chicken wire, but as
you've found, if the dogs don't have an appropriate outlet for their
behavior, they'll just choose another spot. The same often happens when
you place the dogs' feces, black pepper, or items like Snappy Trainers
(TM) in the hole. It will usually stop digging...for that hole only.
When dogs are denied access to something they find reinforcing, they
often seek another way to channel that energy. The idea behind a
digging pit is to channel it to an appropriate area where it would be ok
to dig.
Be sure the dog is getting enough interaction and interactive play and
exercise. Dogs can dig more if they are bored or understimulated.
If you can't modify the bahaviour then you have to adapt. Put down brick
paving everywhere or just pretend that the holes are really very
attractive :-)
Here are a couple websites on digging. These methods also work, and
none of them involve putting the dog in fear of its life for engaging in
perfectly normal dog activity.
http://www.amrottclub.org/dig.html
http://www.healthypet.com/Library/behavior-1.html
http://www.doggiedoor.com/diggings.shtml
Assuming that he is digging just because he finds it fun the most
effective solution is to give him a digging spot. Supervise his
outdoors time so you can redirect him to the correct spot.
Avoid anxiety based digging by making sure that your dog can get inside
the den (house) whenever he feels anxious. Do not force him to stay
outside where he may feel unable to retreat to a place of safety. The
dog's view, not reality, will govern its reactions. If he feels anxious
it won't matter if there is cause in your eyes, he will react to try to
deal with that feeling. So set things up so the dog won't be anxious.
Avoid boredom digging by making sure the dog has regular walks away from
the home at least once a day. Make sure exercise is adequate. Remember
to make sure the mind also is adequately exercised. Several short
training sessions a day often makes a big difference. Also to the best
of your ability maximize the amount of time the dog spends in your
physical presence. And when you can't be physically present have things
other than digging to occupy his mind. See e.g.
http://www.dog-play.com/toys.html
Fill up a bunch of balloons, place them in the holes, cover them with
dirt, then when the dogs start digging, the claws make them pop. It
takes about one day to stop the digging and the dogs don't seem
traumatized, just bewildered.
:
Jerry Howe
You're a liar and a animal abuser:
"diddy" <di...@nofair.spamming.com> wrote in message
news:3E25C384...@nofair.spamming.com...
> Graham Lee wrote:
> >
> > We have recently adopted a 1 year Xbred dog from the local animal
sanctuary
> > and up to now been very pleased with her. It is only in the last few
days
> > that she as become a worry in that when she is left in the garden
(kennel
> > and food provided) she likes to dig huge holes in my lawn.
Subject: Re: I Feel Sick!!Our Expert diddler "Oh My GOD!!! -
I Would Never Have Treated Her The Way I Did Last Night, If I Had
Even A Clue That She Was Sick. I Feel So Badly," diddler.
diddy (di...@nospam.diddy.net)
Subject: Oh My God
Newsgroups: View this article only
Date: 2002-01-16 13:39:59 PST
Two nights ago, Reka started acting frantic about 11pm.
I let her out. It's coyote breeding season, and she is fascinated
by them. I assumed she wanted to go out and listen to them
howling. I brought her in, and she spent the night franticly and
desperately demanding to go out.
After about 4am, I finally put her in the barn, locked
securely in a horse stall for the night.
She came in by morning, and had a normal active, playful
day. Last night, at 11pm, She franticly DEMANDED to go
out. I let her out, and brought her in. At midnight, she
DEMANDED to be let out. I let her out, but I went out
to the barn and got a crate, and decided she could
spend the rest of the night in the crate. We were NOT
going to do a repeat of the previous night AGAIN.
At 3am, she whined so loudly, I then decided not to
allow her to set a precedence of this type of behavior.
So I took her crate out to the heated gun shop and
decided to let her act out her bad behavior in peace,
and send a message that her obnoxious behavior
was not going to be tolerated.
This morning at 6am, I went out, and she had vomited
(normal looking dog food) and defecated in her crate
(not normal for Reka, but then, She normally didn't
sleep in a crate, NEVER gets corrected (she never does
anything to GET corrected for) and was probably nerves
from the outside experience, plus reprimand and solitary
confinement.)
I let her in the house while I cleaned the cage. Hoping
I had made my point. She acted healthy and normal, and
playful and chipper. But then I noticed a spot of blood on
the bathroom linoleum and in the bathtub. I was the last to
take a bath, so I knew REKA was the last in the tub.
That blood didnt come from me, so it HAD to come from
Reka. Thinking about her nearing the end of her heat cycle,
I still didnt think a lot about it. I thought her obnoxious
behavior the past couple nights WAS her heat cycle..
and corresponding coyote breeding season.
Then while feeding her breakfast, I saw the whole story.
She had blood (fresh) streaming from her RECTUM. UhOh.
I had her at the vets office this morning before he
opened. He just said her intestines were all bunched
up with huge air pockets.
Was there any chance that she ate strings of carpets? I
said, last Thursday we took a plastic tarp out of the yard
that we had over the grill to protect it from the weather
because she was chewing it. That would explain
EVERYTHING.
The strings are binding and bunching up her intestines,
cutting her internally and tying her intestines in knots as
it works its way through.
Reka is in a very critical situation. She is going to
require extensive and expensive surgery that I cant
afford. I will manage.
Even with the surgery, her condition will be critical
for awhile. Scary thoughts. I would never have
treated her the way I did last night, if I had even a
clue that she was sick. I feel so badly.
--
diddy
"diddy" <di...@nospam.diddy.net> wrote in message
news:3C55943B...@nospam.diddy.net...
> > > > > Why is everything Jerry howe on this site?
> > Who's he? I can't see any posts by anyone of that name. Tell us about
> > your dogs, please, Jennifer, Stan and Tara.
> > Alikat
> With strategic killfiling, I also don't see others rebuttals either
Yeah. Like you missed my information on breaking dogs of CHEWING
and besides, you was too busy jerking and choking and scolding your dog.
> It got quiet once I learned effective killfiling.
Didn't it though??? Seein as most every thread is about Jerry Howe
and why you should KILLFILE the INFORMATION you bums
need and don't have cause if you admit to using my methods, your
pals will be EMBARRASSED after they've been tellin everybody
my methods don't work and I'm a liar and con man.
That's O.K., diddler. I PLANNED it like that... I'm a dog trainer.
> I haven't seen a JH post since last august..
INDEED, but HE sees yours, diddler.
> and thought he ceased to exist,
Like your dog came close to not existing anyMOORE after
chewin up some stuff and got HURT on it.
Cost you THOUSANDS at the vet??? At least $1500.00, eh diddler?
> until you mentioned that it's apparently a problem for you
Seems Jerry's a bit of a problem for ALL of our dog lovers...who like
to jerk and choke and shock and spray aversives in their dog's faces,
diddler.
Have a little whine to wash down the strings of carpet your dog swallowed
cause you used it to cover something else he was chewing...
> A Salute to Casey, and sent with sympathies.
Save it diddler, you need it for yourself.
You could have avoided the entire incident had you
TRAINED your dog using my methods not to chew
stuff. But you'd rather force, intimidate and barricade
instead of handle and train your dog like a respectable
dog handler and decent human being. Adios... Thug.
Jerry.
> diddy
HOWEDY diddler,
"diddy" <di...@nospam.diddy.net> wrote in message
news:3CF77B03...@nospam.diddy.net...
> michael wrote:
> >
> > Gary & Lois Edwards wrote:
> > > Well, my idiot neighbor,
HOWEDY diddler,
"diddy" <di...@nospam.diddy.net> wrote in message
news:3CEE4943...@nospam.diddy.net...
> Alpha wrote:
> > So whats wrong with his method?
> Apparently you never read his books.
Our pal alphalpha can't read or he'd have studied his
FREE copy of my FREE Wits' End Dog Training
Method manual available for FREE and he'd still have
a LIVE up and coming Malinois puppy stud.
> Koehler is the antithesis of positive training methods.
So are you, diddler. Just cause you bribe dogs most of
the time doesn't exonerate you from your abuse.
> Every book I ever read of his (only two "The Koehler
> method of open obedience for ring, home, and field" and
> "Training Tracking Dogs") had very good theory, but his
> methods would send most dogs into meltdown.
You hurt and kill dogs too, diddler. You're a liar and a dog
abuser. Our dog abusing lying Thugs like to condemn other
to divert attention from yourselves.
Let's stay FOCUSED, people. This isn't a koehler problem,
this is what's being taught by our lying dog abusing Thugs...
> The lady with the talented Terv puppy that I'm training
That won't last long...
> used to be the head trainer at our local obedience club. S
BWWWAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!! THE BLIND LEADING THE BLIND.
> he had 14 ruined dogs for every OTCH dog she trained.
Duh-Oh! And you got what, ten? BWWWAHAHAHAHAA!!!
> The rest were shivering quivering masses of
> fear and mental basket cases.
Let's not get too carried away talking about folks
who aren't here to defend themselves. WE GOT PLENTY
TO WORK WITH RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW.
That's HOWE COME our killfile Jerry campaines.
> Perhaps that attrition rate used to be acceptable,
Still is. Look at our posters! YOU HURT and KILL
MOORE DOGS THAN YOU HELP.
> and I can only imagine Koehler had that kind of attrition rate.
Yeah. Your PALS HERE are DEVOUT KOEHLER FANS.
> Those who could take the training tended to be awesome dogs.
And 25% of the dogs ended up DEAD or thrown outta their
HOWESES.
> As I read his books, I was in awe at his knowlege of theory,
FIGURES!!! You're a DOG ABUSER, diddler.
> but discarded his methods as something not workable for most dogs.
MOST?
> They are a good read
Oh YES!!! Let me tell you sumpthin about THAT. koehler is
a master of deception, like our pals professor scruff shake
and diane blankman of dogplay.com. koehler uses advanced
psychological techniques to disinform and then BRAINWASH
the fear based ignoramus who reads and follows his "logic"
down the primrose path to make you fear and hurt your dog.
> and an opportunity to pick up concepts,
Like taking personal offense to dog behaviors he suggests
are directed at subverting the trainers AUTHORITY.
Our dog lovers have BIG EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS that
are not going to be dealt with outside of an in patient
mental health care facility... an advanced private
research facility is in order, or public health officials
are unawares of these issues... I'll be bringing this to
their attention as the future unfolds in front of you eyes...
as I identify, expose, and discredit our lying dog abusing
Thugs as the defective inferior weak minded fearful pathetic
NUT CASES they are.
> although most of us agree his methods are harsh and
> not something we would want to do with our own dogs.
Oh? Is that so? I disagree. Our dog lovers ENDORSE koheler.
Ask professor scruff shake.
> I was horrified and cringed at the things he
> did to dogs to get obedience.
You got one finger pointin, you got three pointin back at ya...diddler.
> I can only imagine the 14/1 ration that our obedience instructor had.
That DOES making 1/10 sound EXCELLENT, doesn't it, diddler.
My minimum requirements are 100% success, diddler. I won't
HURT dogs to train them and I won't KILL dogs I can't train,
cause ALL DOGS TRAIN WELL WITHOUT HURTING THEM.
Your methods are what causes dogs to FAIL.
> Now the same lady is no longer aspiring for OTCH dogs
> (simply because her husband died and she can no longer afford the
> campaigning) but she has learned positive training methods and
> EVERY dog of hers is now a happy working dog.
Well then, encourage her to come on down here and discuss
her 100% successful methods?
> The talented Terv puppy is actually very poor in obedience,
Duh-Oh! Kinda a doubletalker, ain't you diddler?
> so she is now training her in other disciplines (agility and
> tracking.. and the puppy is brilliant at both) while she waits for the
> puppy to mature and let the obedience parts soak in.
BWWWAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAAAA!!! You got me laughin
in Spanish diddler, and I don't even speak Spanish.
> She's steadily mproving in obedience and with her attention,
BWWWAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAAAA!!! You got me laughin
in Spanish AGAIN, diddler, and I STILL don't even speak Spanish.
> but 10 years ago, this puppy WOULD have been among those
> 14 basket cases. Now this puppy is a bundle of potential
You mean once ITS obedience sinks in, diddler? You got
any idea what HYPOCRITE means, diddler?
> with some awesome talents
Despite waiting for the obedience to SINK IN?
> and the handler has learned to adapt
You mean learned that delicate BALANCE between being
kindly and INFLICTING INTRACTABLE PAIN?
> and let the rest fall in place as the puppy matures and
> becomes ready to process the rest.
You're a BULLSHITTER, diddler.
> This handler, in my eyes has grown the most.
BWWWAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAAAA!!! You got me laughin
in Spanish diddler, and I don't even speak Spanish. AND
NOW YOU GOT ME CRYING, diddler. This shows us HOWE
incredibly stupid and selfish you dog lovers are.
> Danny to this day, when he sees her quivers and hides
j;~). Birds of a feather, diddler.
> (even though he hadn't seen her in 7 years)
> but she is not the same trainer she was even 7 years ago.
You're not no goddamned better than she was and she
ain't no goddamned better than she was or she wouldn't
be "training" with a lying dog abusing Thug like you, diddler.
> I think Koehler expected attrition
Your pal lying frosty "GET A 40'' STICK" dahl uses
attrition and goes into it in detail.. just look up
attrition on google under rpdb... you'll see.
> and sorted out the dogs he would use vs those who washed
> out, which might be suitable for the military environment,
> but not for the owner who only has ONE dog.
You're outta your league, diddler. You're blowin smoke up our
arses AGAIN. Uncle Sam doesn't keep dogs that can't be
trained not to turn on their handlers.
That's what GET THEM DEAD, diddler.
> washing out your only dog is not acceptable.
Yeah? Not according to MY standards. I don't accept
failure, I don't resort to HURTING and KILLING dogs
because my methods intimidate dogs, diddler.
> Although very successful in his day
HE KILLED HIS TOP 10%, diddler. And RUINED THE
NEXT 15%, diddler. And that's about the same ratio
you're gettin today, diddler and YOUR OWN DOGS
and OUR EXPERTS dogs are EVIDENCE.
> (I believe Koehler crossed over the bridge and probably
> is meeting a horde of vary aggrieved dogs)
Our pal ed w of http://www.petloss.com recommends
koehler as probably the worlds greatest trainer, diddler.
Would you call eddie a LIAR and a DOG ABUSER, diddler?
CERTAINLY NOT!!! HE'S YOUR PAL. YOU RECOMMEND
PEOPLE GO TO HIS SITE to grieve the DEAD DOGS YOU
TRAINED FOR THEM.
> there are berries of wisdom in his books,
No. His entire methodolgy is based on HALF TRUTHS
and FALSE SELF SERVING conclusions CAREFULLY
DESIGNED TO MISLEAD YOU AND MAKE YOU FEAR
YOUR DOG SO YOU'LL HURT IT.
> but his methods have been replaced by more uniformly
> and acceptable methods
Is that so, diddler? You're a liar and a dog abuser, diddler.
> for the common dog than sorting through many to find one superdog.
See "testing." Read dahl, lynn k, ron h, dogman, dermer, mooreon...
> I know my dogs (not one of any I have ever had .. it's just not the kind
> of dog that attracts me) could possibly pass the kind of job description
> that Koehler became famous for training dogs to do.
Your own dog nearly didn't make it outta his crate alive, diddler.
> In fact,
IN FACT you locked your dog in a box in an outbuilding
to muffle he screams for three nites with a twisted gut,
till IT started SHITTIN BLOOD all over your HOWES.
> I don't WANT that kind of dog.
It's EZ for you to criticize someone you view as MOORE
brutal than you are, like Steven King. At least he's not
a HYPOCRITE LYING DOG ABUSING THUG like you ,
diddler.
> With anti-dog legislation and liability tortes
> putting dog ownership under a microscope,
BWWWAHAHAHAHAAA!!! You just wait till I drop the
hammer on this industry, diddly. YOURE OUTTA BUSINESS.
> the kinds of dogs that Koehler trained should only be in
> specialized services.
EXACTLY. Anybody who can say that belongs in a maximum
security criminial mental health facility, diddler.
> I don't think there is anyone around seriously using his
> methods now,
YOU'RE A LIAR, diddler. Our dog lovers right here endorse
koehler.
> although some of them still survive.
Not for long, diddler. And you're goin down the sitter with them.
> His books are a good read,
His books waltz you by your willie and use half truths
and outright falsity to SCARE THE READER INTO HURTING
THEIR DOGS... diddler.
THAT'S AN rpdb CONVENTION, diddler. In case you
haven't noticed.
> as long as you don't use his books in practice. *shudder*
Unless it's NECESSARY to save the dog from the needle, diddler?
Now get the heel outta here.
"diddy" <di...@diddy.net> wrote in message
news:3E1E1DC3...@diddy.net...
> Dimpled Chad wrote:, its a fairly
> > good piece of information for making judgments about the incident:
> >
> > http://www.tennessean.com/video/dogshooting0103/doglg.rm
> >
> > Thanks, TD.
> > Chad
> I'm sure the officers are VERY glad that they have that tape. It
> mitigates almost all of the sensationalist inflammatory media remarks.
Kesie
area and laying chicken wire over the top pegged down into the soil. If you
don't cut the grass too short, it becomes invisible.
Drastic, but effective.
Kesie
"Graham Lee" <gra...@lee65.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:b04fl5$r44$1...@news8.svr.pol.co.uk...
R.H.
--
"Graham Lee" <gra...@lee65.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:b04fl5$r44$1...@news8.svr.pol.co.uk...
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