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Bentley
Posted: 1/19/2010 4:41:51 AM
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I have been having a big problem with Bentley, He is now 6 months old, his dad was a Rotti & mom a Husky
He just cannot stop digging up my yard
He has destroyed 2 fountains already.
The yard is beautifully landscaped but by the time I get home in the afternoon he has dug up holes all over the garden.
He digs in the flower gardens, next to the pool & any corner he can find. I fill the holes up once I get home but by the morning he has dug it up again.
I am caught in a situation where I don't know what to do. He is even digging & exposing electrical cables.
I have spent a fortune landscaping the yard & he is destroying it & I am also afraid if he chews into the casing & bits an electrical cable.
Please help
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sands904
Contact Me
Posted: 1/19/2010 6:53:55 AM
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I take it from your comments that Bentley is left alone in the yard while you are away and at night. Unfortunately, digging is a natural dog behavior. In fact many of the breeds were created to dig and burrow to help humans. That being said you have little hope teaching him not to dig if he is left in the yard unsupervised for that many hours a day. He is bored and so he digs to entertain himself. When you have a digging problem the best thing you can do is create a safe area for them to dig. Many people buy a child's sandbox and bury some of the dog's toys in the sand so they learn to dig there and discover safe toys to play with and not electrical cords and other dangerous items.
This might very well help in your case but it is going to be very difficult to teach him the proper place to dig if he is always left in the yard unsupervised. I would suggest getting him a crate and working on crate-training him so he can be in there during the day and at night at least until you have taught him the right and wrong places to dig. If done properly crates become like the dog's own bedroom within your house. My dog loves his crate and many times I will find him in there sleeping during the day on his own free-will. When getting rid of such behaviors in dogs it is very important to set them up for success and not let them have the opportunity to perform the undesired behavior (ie: digging). If they are left to continue the behavior it will become like second-nature to them and become harder to break.
My suggestions would be to get him a sandbox or build a safe place in the yard for him to dig. Teach him that that is a safe place to dig by burying some toys for him and praising him when he does dig there. Crate him for now when you cannot watch him directly. When you are able to watch him sit out in the yard with him and if starts to dig in the wrong location take him over to his sandbox and praise him for digging there. It won't happen overnight but you should be able to help him learn to stop digging up your yard.
Hope this helps and Best of Luck!
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Bentley
Posted: 1/19/2010 7:32:49 AM
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Thanks, I will try that.
Will getting him a friend work, I bought him from a friend & I am now thinking of adopting a companion/friend for him from the SPCA.
Would that solve the problem as he will now have company. well its not only the digging, my wife & I have been two minded about getting him company coz we can see he is bored & lonley at times.& if so what breed would be a good one to adopt? Should it be Male or Female? & what if they mate? (if its female)
Also taking into consideration that my wife & I are married for 1 year now & only plan on having kids in about 2 more years.
Would Bentley & your recommendation be good for kids, I know Bentley should be fine because he is extremely playful & loves playing with my sisters kids.
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sands904
Contact Me
Posted: 1/19/2010 9:27:35 AM
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[i]Will getting him a friend work, I bought him from a friend & I am now thinking of adopting a companion/friend for him from the SPCA. Would that solve the problem as he will now have company? Well its not only the digging, my wife & I have been two minded about getting him company coz we can see he is bored & lonely at times.[/i]
Yes, getting him a friend may help. If they are in the yard playing together that may very well stop the digging because he would have another outlet for his boredom. On the other side there is a chance it may not and you will have twice as many holes in the yard to fill.
[i]If so what breed would be a good one to adopt? Should it be Male or Female? & what if they mate? (if its female)[/i]
If you are serious about getting him a friend I would suggest a female as usually male/female pairs get along the best. Since he is 6 months old I would suggest getting him nutered before bringing a female into the house. If you want them to entertain each other in the yard while you are away you have no other way to ensure you don't have a litter of pups in a couple of months.
[i]Also taking into consideration that my wife & I are married for 1 year now & only plan on having kids in about 2 more years. Would Bentley & your recommendation be good for kids, I know Bentley should be fine because he is extremely playful & loves playing with my sisters kids.[/i]
If you are planning on having kids in the near future. I would recommend discussing that with the people at the ASPCA to make sure the dog you get is kid friendly. If you get another puppy I would suggest getting them used to kids as much as you can. Have your sister and he kids come over as much as you can and let the dogs get used to them. If you have other friends or family with kids you should introduce them to the dogs as well. The more kids they meet before you bring one into the house the better.
Best of Luck!
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pugsley
Posted: 1/25/2010 12:55:57 PM
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[:0] Hi,
I can only tell you what worked for me as I had same problem ...I made Pugsley a sand pit wooden frame 1 meter square width...When new I rubbed his sent all over it with a dirty blanket from his bed (due to be washed) I then burried bones in it and snacks and toys different things every day, it became a game with him he would sniff things out. When he found something I would give him a snack/treat, he gradually realised this was his digging place and he now loves it, digs and rolls in it. We do have sand often brought into the house, but rather that than mud. Try it, you will need to spend the time playing with him in it. ok Good luck.
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Bentley
Posted: 1/26/2010 12:29:02 AM
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Thanks allot
I will definitely try that this weekend & let you know how it goes.
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