Training not to dig?

[Stephanie Sullivan]

Our little Mossy is 10 weeks old and has recently started to dig in the back yard. She is currently only allowed to go out with us and supervised, but any chance she gets she tries to dig. If she doesn't has time to dig, which is usually the case, she will rip pieces of the sod. The problem is that I worry she will dig out of the fence. I would like her to eventually be able to be back there without digging through the fence. Anyway to train this? Any suggestions would be great! Thank you!

Stephanie and Mossy

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

LOL...not all that helpful, but .....
https://www.oregonhumane.org/pet_training/documents/StopYourDogDigg...

[Susan and Bentley]

thank you Ro!  I do think for him, it started out as playing and attention.  I might try the giving him an area to dig.  But that was a good read and helpful so thank you!

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Glad it helped! Good luck!

[Beverly, Zoey & Nygel]

Hi, I just joined the group. My Zoey is 5 months old and she loves to dig. We are in puppy training class now. 4 weeks in and enjoying every minute. We have tried poo in the hole.. Doesn't bother her she just moves over a few inches and starts another hole. The trainer says to give her a correction a stern "uh uh" then when she stops praise her with just "good". Now you have to be on top of this digging and continue with the correction and praise until she starts putting it together. Here's the kicker, Zoey has figured it out she knows the digging is not acceptable behavior so she waits till I go inside to start up the dig. She's very smart and not a little stubborn. Trainer says it is just consistency that will ultimately stop the unwanted behavior. So onward until she decides pleasing me is more important than the darn hole. Meanwhile I have several shallow poo filled holes all over my yard.

[Susan and Bentley]

Beverly - I hear you.  I haven't tried the poo thing but I know that's exactly what Bentley would do - just move over and start digging more.  and would definitely do it if i go in the house.  He's almost a year.  We also try saying uh uh, and call him in. But I feel badly i can't let him run around the backyard bc he pulls chunks of grass as he goes.  Hoping he grows out of it, and/or, like you said, we can just train him to stop.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

I think the key is being out there with him and catching him in the act. Once he learns it is unacceptable behavior, and age may bring this as well...things will improve. But like Beverly mentioned, he has to make the decision which is better: digging to China, or a correction and praise.n;)