Stop puppies digging…now! This is a thought that has come across the
minds of many dog owners. Regardless of
what breed a person has, at some point in time they will experience this
problem.
However, there is a bit of good news. Contrary to what some believe,
puppies do not dig out of emotion.
Usually, it is a matter of instinct.
So, when trying to get a puppy to stop digging, you must take one of two
approaches. You can either indulge his
instinct or encourage him to override it with a deterrent.
To indulge your puppy’s instinct,
you can create a special digging area in your yard. One way you can do this is to build a
pit. Just dig up an area that is around
2 feet long and 20 inches deep. Mix the
dirt you dug up with sand, and then bury your dog’s favorite treat. Make sure he sees everything. If you do this regularly, your puppy will
naturally gravitate to the pit. The same
is also true if you use a sand box. It
is offers a more organized alternative when you try to stop the digging.
Deterrents are another approach
to stopping the digging. The easiest and
most humane deterrent can be made right in your kitchen. Simply mix together chili powder and water
and put the solution in a spray bottle.
Sprinkle a little bit of the mixture around the areas that your dog
likes to dig up. When he smells it,
instinct will tell him something is “off” with that location.
You can make things even more
powerful if you refill each hole with the dog’s feces. If he still decides to dig, he will not like
what comes up. Instinct will then take
over again, since every animal knows that you should stay away from feces.
Scolding is another deterrent you
can use to stop puppies digging. To be
effective, you must catch the dog in action.
As he is digging, remove him from the area and tell him, “No, bad
dog!” Use a stern tone of voice. The dog will know that he upset his
master. And if you do this enough times,
the scolding alone will be enough for him to get the message. Just make sure you aren’t mean in the
process.
You should never hit a dog, nor should you scold
him for too long a time. Both can be
very detrimental to a puppy’s psyche.
One quick reprimand is all you need to get things in order.
