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Question:

Wondering if anyone has any ideas to help us with our great dog. He is soooooo good except for his digging and it is driving us nuts. I do not want to abuse him and would not to make him stop but I am afraid my wife may shoot him just as soon as she reloads from shooting me for getting him LOL

Response:

> Wondering if anyone has any ideas to help us with our great dog. He is > soooooo good except for his digging and it is driving us nuts.

How much time does the dog spend outside alone? I’ve got a large Airedale that loved to dig. 4ft deep trenches in less than 5 minutes. The cure? I had to go outside with him every single time I put him out. When he started to dig, I gave him a verbal correction. When he ignored the correction, I tossed an empty can with seven pennies in it in his general direction. He would of course stop immediately to find the source of the noise and I would praise him to death. After two weeks of this, I was able to stand inside in the doorway to watch him. If he started digging all I had to do was shake the can. No more digging now. In the summer the dogs spend most of their morning out in the yard in the shade and he doesn’t even try anymore. Donna — Windows and Internet help links: http://www3.sympatico.ca/ryan7/

Response:

>Wondering if anyone has any ideas to help us with our great dog. He is >soooooo good except for his digging and it is driving us nuts.

The head trainer at the obedience school we go to says: Digging is a natural behavior for dogs.  Give them an acceptable place where they CAN dig.  Build a sandbox out of landscape timbers stacked two high. Fill with clean sand.  Bury some bones or toys in it and show it to your dog.  Talk happily and show him how to dig in it.  Train him that the sandbox is the only acceptable place to dig.  If he digs somewhere else, say no, and show him the box.  If you see him digging in the box, praise him warmly. Hope this helps your situation. Char

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