My Labs are digging and chewing up trees what can I do?

Question

I have 2 labs. One is 1 year a female and the other is a 8 month old boy. They both are diggers they dig holes every where as soon as their outside, either digging or stripping the bark off of the trees. We have tryed the Bitter Apple Spary on the trees. They are still stripping the trees. I want to break them of this but I dont know how. Any advice would be great.

Answer 1

I have one digs and one that digs and eats woodwork...

So I have a mole and a beaver as I like to call them. (plus the mole likes to eat poop but that's another story).

So when the herd (forget that pack thing there's 4 labs and a cocker basset from h@ll) it's a Herd... goes outside, we go with them.

We throw the tennis balls, clean up poop, chase them around etc.

When I see the mole starting to dig, she is corrected. I go and get her, grab her collar, tell her NO and direct her attention to appropriate activities. If she starts digging again, she goes inside.

Is she better - somewhat.

We put little iron fences around the flower beds and that kept her out of them and stopped her from digging in the mulch.

Occasionally she will stand in the middle of the yard, look at me and start digging to china. So I march over, grab her collar, tell her NO! and redirect her attention.

I think she likes this. (she has me well trained).

Answer 2

labs are very intelligent animals. they need lots of exercise. trying taking them both for a long walk or run before putting them out back. that way they should be too tired to chew the trees. you may also want to give them some chew toys and train them to chew the toys instead of the trees. but exercise is really going to help, and because they are still young they will need more than if they were around 4 or 5 yrs. old.. good luck!

Answer 3

I have a lab mix who also did not like the location I chose for my new tree. He dug it up and dragged it across the yard 5 times.

I replanted it every time.

The last time, I put concrete cinderblocks all around the top of it (surrounding the trunk). He dug a trench, but he never got to my tree again!

You can also buy tree wrap, or put a little "fence" around it (they sell that kind of stuff at home depot.

Answer 4

Give the dogs a job....they are naturally "very active" dogs and they dig or chew out of boredom. Labradors are some of the best family dogs because they are so good natured and intelligent. They make great pets, but that doesn't cover up the fact that they were originally and still today bred and used for Hunting. They are used for bird dogs...Duck hunting, quail, pheasant or dove....They like to fetch....if you don't hunt, Get a frizbee!

Answer 5

Try an electric (shock) collar. I am sure there are a lot of opponents to it, but it is one of the most useful tools I've used in training my dogs.

Answer 6

i found the website below when i did a yahoo search on HOW TO GET YOUR DOG TO STOP DIGGING

there were several.. good luck!