Dogs have a lot of lovable natural qualities, but they also have some not-so-cute behaviors. Digging is one of the latter, but it can persist as they bury bones, create impromptu shelters, and just feel the dirt between their paws.
This natural behavior can wreak havoc on your yard and garden if it goes unchecked. What is the best way to curb the digging impulse?
Why does your dog dig? Does he just like the action and feeling or is there another reason lurking underneath? Figuring out why your dog is engaging in this undesirable behavior is the first step in correcting it.
However, there may be other reasons including lack of attention or stimulation, storing food, or he?s building a den to cool off or stay warm. Alternately, he may be attracted to freshly turned earth or the scent of fertilizer.
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.
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. Unpleasant sensations can also help keep your dog from digging. Bury some chicken wire just below the surface of the ground. When his claws scratch the wire, he'll often hate the feeling so much he'll stop.
4. Spray him with a hose. Dogs hate being sprayed, especially in the face. Make sure if you do this that you have caught him in the act of digging or he won?t know why you?re spraying him.
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.
Clicker Training - A Great Training Technique
You want to teach your dog acceptable behavior in a gentle, humane way. Many people have found success with the clicker method.
Clicker training works on the principle of operant conditioning. This is when a behavior is repeated because a reward is associated with it. Here is some more on how clicker training works:
You hold a small plastic box in your hand. It has a metal strip which produces a clicking sound when pressed.
Ask your dog to perform a command, such as sit, stay, heel, etc. When he does, click right away and give your dog a treat. You are pairing the clicking sound with the treat.
Your dog will connect the clicking sound with the behavior he just performed. Since that behavior earned him a treat, he'll want to repeat it. As the training progresses, you can stop using the treat. The click will be sufficient reward. Soon, you don't even need the clicker either.
You can often train dogs with clickers faster and more effectively than with other means. Clicking is immediate, so your dog quickly learns that his behavior is producing the treat. This encourages repetition of the desired behaviors.
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. - 29895
This natural behavior can wreak havoc on your yard and garden if it goes unchecked. What is the best way to curb the digging impulse?
Why does your dog dig? Does he just like the action and feeling or is there another reason lurking underneath? Figuring out why your dog is engaging in this undesirable behavior is the first step in correcting it.
However, there may be other reasons including lack of attention or stimulation, storing food, or he?s building a den to cool off or stay warm. Alternately, he may be attracted to freshly turned earth or the scent of fertilizer.
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.
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. Unpleasant sensations can also help keep your dog from digging. Bury some chicken wire just below the surface of the ground. When his claws scratch the wire, he'll often hate the feeling so much he'll stop.
4. Spray him with a hose. Dogs hate being sprayed, especially in the face. Make sure if you do this that you have caught him in the act of digging or he won?t know why you?re spraying him.
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.
Clicker Training - A Great Training Technique
You want to teach your dog acceptable behavior in a gentle, humane way. Many people have found success with the clicker method.
Clicker training works on the principle of operant conditioning. This is when a behavior is repeated because a reward is associated with it. Here is some more on how clicker training works:
You hold a small plastic box in your hand. It has a metal strip which produces a clicking sound when pressed.
Ask your dog to perform a command, such as sit, stay, heel, etc. When he does, click right away and give your dog a treat. You are pairing the clicking sound with the treat.
Your dog will connect the clicking sound with the behavior he just performed. Since that behavior earned him a treat, he'll want to repeat it. As the training progresses, you can stop using the treat. The click will be sufficient reward. Soon, you don't even need the clicker either.
You can often train dogs with clickers faster and more effectively than with other means. Clicking is immediate, so your dog quickly learns that his behavior is producing the treat. This encourages repetition of the desired behaviors.
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. - 29895
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