he is about a 1yr. 1/2 old and has been digging huge holes in the yard since hes been big enough to stay outside. we tear his a** up but it hasn't done any good so we quit trying.
2007-11-05 03:13:49 · 16 answers · asked by nickelbabe89 3 in Pets ➔ Dogs
he is about a 1yr. 1/2 old and has been digging huge holes in the yard since hes been big enough to stay outside. we tear his a** up but it hasn't done any good so we quit trying. we have two acres for him to play on and many toys so hes not board and he sleeps inside every night. he just does it while im at school. until i get home at12:00
2007-11-05 03:43:12 · update #1
Dogs rarely entertain themselves even with great toys and lots of space to run. They need something to chase or play with.
Dogs dig because it is fun, because they want to get out of the yard, to get cool, to get warm, to bury things, for stress relief etc. It is normal behavior for a dog and you need to train him out of it and give him other things to do.
The best thing to do is to exercise him well before you leave for the day, give him a long lasting treat and leave him inside where he cannot get into the yard. When you can, take him outside, when he starts to nose around a digging hole, tell him off and then praise him as soon as he backs off. Repeat this everywhere around the yard many times.
If he can't stay in the house then invest in a kennel run with shelter. It is safer than having him around the edges of the property where he can get over or under a fence or be hurt by passers by. You can also make him a digging pit with sand and bury toys and treats in it to make it very interesting and rewarding for him.
At the very least, try giving him a couple of hours of exercise before you leave and see if this makes a difference. It you get home, he comes to see you and you scold him for a hole he dug hours ago it does not do any good. He will think you are scolding him for the behavior he is exhibiting right now. He will think you are scolding him for coming to you.
This can make him anxious and even more unsettled and he will likely dig even more in the future.
Some more tips on preventing digging.
http://www.metpet.com/Reference/Dogs/Training/digging_dogs.htm
2007-11-05 04:01:05 · answer #1 · answered by nt_sndr 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I have a digger too...I know the reason is that he gets bored. I haven't tried all these suggestions myself, but they sound like great ideas.
The best idea I read about: use one of the the holes he's dug or dig your own. Fill it with loose soil or sand. Bury toys and treats in that hole and encourage him to dig them out. The idea is that he will have one spot that he is allowed to dig in. Discourage him from digging in old holes by adding rocks or gravel when filling them up.
If it is possible, get a second dog. Obviously this depends on your dog's personality and temperament and your living situation, as well as your finances and time and ability to care for a second pet. I feel that my dogs are much happier because they have companionship with each other when we are gone. I can't imagine leaving any of them outside by themselves for any length of time.
Try some toys that you can put treats in, like Kong toys or treat balls. This may help to keep him better occupied. Toys just sit there unless a person or other dog is there to play with them too.
Try to get him some exercise in the morning. I know it's tough to do, but if you can spare even 20 or 30 minutes playing ball or going for a walk, that will help him burn off some energy before you leave.
Good luck!
2007-11-05 05:27:03 · answer #2 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I also have a rottie she is almost 2, she only digs when she is bored outdoors, if I have to tie her up she digs. It is true he needs something to do to keep his mind occupied, buy a kong toy and put treats in the middle, that will keep him occupied trying to get them out, as well as rawhide chews or those big dino bones they sell at zellers ect...anything he can chew on really will keep him occupied with that. As well I see no reason having a strictly outdoor dog if it is a larger dog, but you should spend some time every day with him outside playing fetch if he does that or teaching him basic manners and tricks to give him one on one time. This whole outdoor dog is mean bit never was a problem when I was growing up and some dogs are just too big and hairy to be indoors they get hot and uncomfortable and prefer the space of outdoors to play at their leisure.
2007-11-05 03:31:49 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
"big enough to stay outside" ? and "tear his a** up" ?
You need to make this dog part of your family ... your question reads like you leave him outside all the time and do something awful to him when he's bad. He wants your attention, not your neglect. Give him some love, socialise him, take him on long walks, let him spend time with you. Digging may be a habit now and you might not get him out of it, but you can make him happier ....
2007-11-05 03:38:36 · answer #4 · answered by Mocha 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First of all, why do you have a dog that is not part of the family all the time? It sounds like your dog is frustrated because he wants to be with his "pack family" instead of left outside in the yard!
Secondly, "tearing his a** up" certainly would not work! Abuse is not the answer. NEVER.
If your dog likes to dig, give him his own space to dig. Put some of his toys in this space. Put his feces in the holes he has dug where you do not want him.
I would certainly reconsider making him stay outside. Put a doggy door in and let him go out when he wants to and allow him to be part of his family pack again!
2007-11-05 03:22:17 · answer #5 · answered by Dog Trainer 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
sounds like he is bored, limit the amount of time he is out in the yard alone, dogs usually dig when they are bored. Also walking a Rot is a must, at least once a day for 45 mins. Tired dogs are good dogs.
2007-11-05 03:20:33 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Dogs left in the yard to entertain themselves get bored and they do what dogs do.. They dig.. If you don't want your dog to dig, bring him in the house and make him part of the family. If you don't want him as part of the family, then deal with the digging and the boredom.. When he is finished with digging, he'll move on to something even more destructive.
2007-11-05 03:36:56 · answer #7 · answered by DP 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Does she lay within the holes she digs? if she does this is a likelihood that shes seeking to keep hot. Dogs by and large dig to stick cool although seeing that of the moister within the flooring. You might constantly fence off side of your backyard. or you probably have a aspect backyard maintain her in there? ... if that does not paintings you might lay cement to your whole backyard.... only a notion.
2016-09-05 10:56:06 · answer #8 · answered by cockreham 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like your Rottie may have a bit of separation anxiety. Make sure he/she has plenty of toys in the yard to play with. It really does no good to punish your dog after the hole has been dug, I think verbal corrections are far better ways of discipline than ever hitting him, but if you don't catch him in the act then you really get no where with correcting him.
2007-11-05 03:26:04 · answer #9 · answered by Ona 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Man, that's tough. I have a Shepherd/Rottweiler mix and they do things like that when they're bored. In fact, lots of dogs do that. You have to give him something to keep him busy or else crate him to keep him out of trouble. Rotties are very trainable though, so if you spend some time teaching him something positive to do instead, then he'll have an alternative. I've found that it's easier to train him to do something than to train him to NOT do something. It might be as simple as giving him some rawhide to chew on, but your dog needs soemthing to do.
2007-11-05 03:21:57 · answer #10 · answered by gratuitouslylongemailaddress 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋