I'm about ready to kill my dog!

[iwrbnd]

Help! I've had a Golden Retriever for 9 years and lately she's started digging! She's digging our yard into a mess and I don't know what to do! I've tried a hot spray from Walmart and that helps a little but she just finds a new spot to dig. I've tried practically beating her (just kidding) and that doesn't work. Any other suggestions? She's not left alone for long periods of time, we have 4 kids that play with her and another Golden that she plays with. She has a dog door and electric collar so she can go where she wants and she's pretty darn spoiled! But, if she doesn't stop digging I'm close to doing something drastic! I'm threatening the pound but I'm sure I would never do it! Somebody help! PLEASE!!!

 

[Jennasis]

Chicken wire.


Get a roll or two of it and lay it down over the grass in the spots where she is digging. We actually had to cover most of our yard.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Get those kids to start walking the dog. Get her tired.

 

[taylor3297]

By any chance could you have voles or moles in your yard? My dad's dog started digging and they couldn't figure out why. A dog trainer came to visit and figured out the dog was trying to get to the voles that had taken up living in the yard. Just a thought.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

By any chance could you have voles or moles in your yard? My dad's dog started digging and they couldn't figure out why. A dog trainer came to visit and figured out the dog was trying to get to the voles that had taken up living in the yard. Just a thought.

Probably. One of my dog digs when he knows they are there. He did catch it finally and left it dead in the yard. I was surprised, I thought he would have eaten it.

However walking the dog and getting it tired can work as well. Worth a shot anyway.

 

[iwrbnd]

Great ideas! I'm getting chicken wire today! And we had moles a few years ago so that very well could be it! We do walk her and she's overweight so can't get very far. I don't think she's doing it out of boredom or too much energy. She doesn't fit the digging profile. But, the moles may be it. Can moles be in our yard even when its cold outside?

 

[LindaR]

Well since you said she is overweight, cut back on the food (or switch to weight control and watch the portions) and increase the walks! She IS probably trying to get the critters in the ground.

A tired dog is a good dog!

 

[iwrbnd]

We tried to get the weight off her but failed. We were practically starving her and running her 2-3 miles a day! She barely lost anything! My mom finally said "That's dog abuse!" That's when I gave up and said "Fine, be fat!" I feed her less dog food a day than my other Golden and she still is heavy while he's not. Weird. They both get the same exercise, too! My husband comes home from work and sees her laying in the yard and will say "When did we get a manatee?" Ha!

 

[disneystacy]

Take her poop and bury it in the holes she digs. I used to work for a vet and a dog trainer told a client to do this and it worked. No more digging.

 

[puffkin]

We tried to get the weight off her but failed. We were practically starving her and running her 2-3 miles a day! She barely lost anything! My mom finally said "That's dog abuse!" That's when I gave up and said "Fine, be fat!" I feed her less dog food a day than my other Golden and she still is heavy while he's not. Weird. They both get the same exercise, too! My husband comes home from work and sees her laying in the yard and will say "When did we get a manatee?" Ha!

We don't have a digging problem but that sounds exactly like my beagle. We were feeding him next to nothing, excercising him and he lost zero weight. The vet kept insisting we needed to cut back his food more and I said absolutely not, that it was dog abuse. (he was getting 1/2 cup a day of dry food, no people food, and one small milk bone a day, thats it). I finally insisted something had to be wrong with him and they tested his thyroid and bingo. After a few months on the medication he lost most of the weight and looked great.

As for the digging, the chicken wire sounds like a good idea. I also think the moles could be a possibility since it is a new behaviour. Good luck!

 

[iwrbnd]

Poop and thyroid? I'm on it! Thanks!

I'm also going on a mole killing spree instead of a dog killing spree which is way better!

Thanks everyone for saving my dog's life!

 

[decaff38]

Any great ideas to get a puppy boxer from pooping in my house. He is my daughter's puppy and we love him but every time he comes to our house he poops on our floor. We make sure he is out for about 10 -15 before he comes in and my husband is the gustopo. He makes him go out every 20 minutes. Still we find him pooping in the house. We have scolded and made him see it . He is very shamed but still he does it. Yesterday he pooped in the garage. It is puzzling and we know he will grow out of it. He is going to Puppy Kindergarten next month. I think he feels so comfortable that he relaxes and out it comes. My hubby thinks he's a dork. Sweet as can be but not the sharpest stick. This thread made me think of him. Goofy Gauge!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I agree with increasing exercise, ie walks. (Regardless of weight issue, which may be beside the point, although ultimately the increased exercise is good for everyone.)

Your dog could simply be bored and doesn't know what else to do with the instincts he's got to "work".

Walks are more than exercise, also. They get the dog "out of the house" (and yard) and allow their mind to see and do other things. Keeping a dog who was bred to work in the house and yard all the time is like having perpetual "cabin fever", if you think about it. (How do you feel when you can't get out of the house for long periods of time? I know I go kind of crazy!)

He needs more mental stimulation, and walks will provide that *and* make him tired.

If you don't give a bored dog a job, he will find one himself. And hole digging is a classic boredom problem.

http://petcare.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_stop_a_dog_from_digging

The key to stopping digging is to identify the reason why the dog is digging.

Far and away, boredom is the most common cause for a dog's digging. If the dog is digging only when the owner is not present, this is consistent with digging due to boredom.

A dog who receives little exercise (and no - time spent outside does not count as exercise) will suffer from boredom. So the way to stop digging involves stimulating the dog's mind and body with a game of fetch, a walk, jog or other interactive and physical activities.

In addition to providing more exercise and mental stimulation, dog owners must also make the act of digging less rewarding for the dog. This can be done by filling the hole with stones or dog waste.

Some dog owners bury chicken wire or screening, which can stop digging with some success, as the dog will not appreciate the sensation of moving his feet over the wire. But chicken wire and screening can be dangerous, as the wire can injure the dog's nails and paws.

 

[Pooh93]

Our goldens started digging last year. I was going crazy trying to figure out why, and finally figured out they were digging on a mole run. We live outside of town so moles are pretty much a given in our area. Once the mole moved on they quit digging. I'll have to watch as we move into spring if the behavior returns.

 

[iwrbnd]

I went outside to put their poop in the holes when I felt the grass give in everywhere I stepped! Moles! So, I've gone to the store and armed myself with mole killing stuff! Wish me luck! I feel bad for getting on my dog so much.

Thanks everyone! I'm going to walk her more (it's been so cold we have been lacking in this), I bought her some more toys today (which she loves), and am getting rid of the moles. Hopefully my wonderful dog of 9 years will return! Oh, and I put chicken wire down. I'm ready! Bring it on!

 

[AKL_Megs]

DH's old dog used to dig like crazy.

DH put up those garden fences. It worked until the dog figured out he could jump them.

Finally, we had to just physically watch him for a few weeks, and startle him with a yelling whenever he started to dig.

Eventually, he stopped. Either he got scared we would startle him, or he got bored with his digging.

 

[sunnyday123]

We tried to get the weight off her but failed. We were practically starving her and running her 2-3 miles a day! She barely lost anything! My mom finally said "That's dog abuse!" That's when I gave up and said "Fine, be fat!" I feed her less dog food a day than my other Golden and she still is heavy while he's not. Weird. They both get the same exercise, too! My husband comes home from work and sees her laying in the yard and will say "When did we get a manatee?" Ha!

Has her thyroid been checked? My lab gained alot of weight around the same age, and she had developed an underactive thyroid.

Nevermind someone else already mentioned it. I swear I read before I posted, I really did.

 

[Feralpeg]

Be careful with the chicken wire. It can have very sharp edges and could cut the dog's paws.

One of my puppies has been digging holes in my backyard. I was told to provide a digging area. I am going to get a tiny plastic swimming pool and fill it with sand. Normally, dogs dig where it is easy. Mine has been digging in an area where the grass was already sparse. I'm hoping that he will dig in the sandbox instead of the yard.