How can I stop my lab mix from digging in the yard? She is 2 yrs. old. Otherwise she is very good.?

Answer 1

Most dogs are natural diggers - some breeds more than others. Punishing them for digging is useless and cruel. Without guidance, a bored and lonely dog is going to find something to do - usually something you don't like. They love the smell of freshly turned earth - they don't understand that you treasure your yard!

Make sure they're getting plenty of exercise and training and play time with a human. Try making an area with a sandbox and encourage them to dig there. Or find another fun thing to distract them. Get a tetherball game and hang the ball at a low enough height that they can grab it. (NOTE: this can sometimes lead to a lot of barking and really piss off your neighbors!) For my terriers, I installed an overhead wire across my yard, attached a pulley and ran a second wire down toward the ground with a fuzzy dog toy at the end of it. They love zipping it back and forth and playing tug-of-war with it. You can also teach them to play flyball - a competitive dog sport where the dog is trained to launch his own ball from a box with a spring inside.

http://www.abtc.org/flyball.htm

There are many devices they sell at the garden centers for discouraging deer and wild animals - it has a motion detector that turns on your sprinkler and chases them away. Of course, that won't work if your dogs love the sprinkler or if they dig everywhere! This is one of them:

http://www.critterridders.com/scarecrow.htm

And someone else suggested this to another person with the same problem - get doggie boots! I thought it was BRILLIANT! As long as they don't chew them off...

Answer 2

Does she dig near fences? If so, i've heard that chicken wire helps put a stop to it. If you get some at home depot, bury it under the fence. Not sure on the other parts of the yard. Good luck.

Answer 3

My parents used to buy this stuff from the hardware store. It was like a fertilizer-type product that came in a carton, you spread it on the ground and it smelled bad to dogs. It worked with their dogs, they stayed away. Bonus: I don't remember it smelling bad to humans. Sorry, I can't remember the name of it.

It wears off after a while, so you might have to spread it again. But this will work for short term until you can train her not to dig.

Answer 4

I had a 4 yr old rotti female that had the same problem. I did the poop thing, and it does work. the best thing to do for her is to take her for a long (45 min or so) walk every day. Your dog is bored. Also get her one of those balls that drop treats when rolled, at least that will give her something to do.

Answer 5

As gross as it may sound a trainer told to put some of their poop in the hole before refilling it. She may dig a couple more holes, but when she gets to a spot that has her mess in it she will not dig there..... after a couple times of hitting their poop spots they get discouraged and stop. Believe it or not it worked.

Good luck.

Answer 6

I've heard, if you put some of her poop in the hole before filling it back in -- that eventually she'll teach herself to stop digging. Dogs will dig in the same place after you fill it in -- so if you keep this up for a few months she'll find poop everytime she digs, so she'll eventually stop because she won't like it.

Answer 7

My father has given me a tip which seems to work, but after they dig the hole.....put some of their poop in it and fill it up with the dirt they dug out. They wont dig there again.

Answer 8

digging is generally a sign of bordom or breeding -(by breeding I mean certain breeds are known to be diggers - terriers expecially)
she needs more mental stimulation - take her to Obedience lessons and get her mind thinking in different ways - more "thinking" toys in the yard.. spray her with water when you catch her doing this - have a fenced dog run with cement floor....

you need to meet her mental needs first and foremost - again Obedience lessons and more mental activity (even playing ball)

Answer 9

i had a lab and she had the same problem, we bought this stuff called no dig and sprayed around the fence. she didnt dig any more. you can also use cyane pepper. i hope it works for you

Answer 10

she is just bored!!!! give her something to do like a ball or a chew bone!!!!! my lab also digs holes before but now she starts ripping the plastic screen of our fence another head ache huh!...he he he he!!!