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.
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?
The first step in stopping your dog from digging is to determine why he is doing it in the first place. Some dogs just love it.
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 obedience training can be a nice technique for solving the problem.
If that doesn’t help, your dog may have developed a digging habit! The following suggestions can help:
1. Bury inflated balloons in places where your dog likes to dig. One popped balloon can be a great deterrent.
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. Chicken wire is another thing you can bury in your yard to deter your dog from digging. He’ll hate the feeling of his claws against the wire and will be prompted to 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. Not unlike puppy training, mischievous habits can be corrected with a little training.
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.
Because clicking is quicker than speaking, the dog learns exactly which behavior he is being rewarded for, so clicker-trained dogs tend to learn more quickly.
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.
Take your pet’s conditioning to the next level with SitStayFetch.
