So, it turns out that my Mutt-Oodle is a DIGGER!

[Kathy Janes]

Looks like Harriet may yet cost me my DH (not really, but he sure doesn't have much affection for her).  She is the cutest little bugger and so much crazy fun.  But she won't stop digging in the yard - and the multi-thousand dollar landscaping.  Not just little holes, but she digs like she is going to China!

 

I read that putting a little poop in the hole will deter them, but she will just find a new place to dig!  My thinking now is maybe bury a little treat in a gently loaded mousetrap.  Has anyone tried anything like that?  If she smelled the treat and tried to dig it up, ideally the mousetrap going off would scare her off enough to be a deterrant?  Seriously, I know she's just a puppy, but these holes would be great for a new tree or rosebush.  And to think she only weights 18 lbs!

 

Tom's other aversion to her (mine a little too) is that her little voice is so shrill.  I realized finally that she makes the same sounds as the boys, but those play growls in deep baratones don't sound nearly so bad as they do when she makes the high-pitched squealy ones!  We are trying a bark-deterrant to help with that, but I think age will stop much of it too. 

 

I love and adore her - and so does Ozzie - but Tom sure doesn't.  He was just as happy with one dog, Mater.  It's me who finally feels fulfilled with all my fur-kids. I hope he'll grow to understand, and that she will improve with age.

 

Any suggestions on the digging?

[Lorraine Bromley]

We had a sand box for Neely and he was encouraged to dig in it. He would dig a hole and put his finds or toys in them. He buried an orange rind one day and that orange rind was brought out and put back in a dozen days or so before I finally threw it away. He doesn't dig at all  any more it was just the first year or so. The great dane has decided to dig at the base of the shrubs and some unlandscaped heaps of dirt that are supposed to be flower beds someday. She can move dirt and in a hurry! She doesn't dig in anywhere that isn't bare dirt. Maybe leaving a spot or heap of bare dirt in a corner would act like the sandbox did with Neely?

[L.M.]

Ugh I have 2 diggers as well!!! It's beyond frustrating.  Here's what we learned..... poop works for a short time and then, you're right...they find elsewhere to dig.  Cayenne pepper works unless rain washes it away.  Putting rocks in a hole only kills more grass around the hole and then they will dig around the rock-filled hole.  They will eventually grow out of it (but if digging is in her breed, then I'm not sure about that.)  If they are tired or distracted by a bone or something, she probably won't dig.  In the warmer months, we won't let our 2 outside without a bone to keep them occupied.  My doods are 2 and a half and 1 and a half and we STILL will not leave them unwatched in our fenced backyard because we had sod put down last year and my husband will kill them if they dig it up LOL.  And one other observation....ours ONLY dig if there is already a dirt spot there.....if it's grass covered they have no interest...I know it's A LOT easier said than done to keep grass in a yard with dogs, but just an observation that we've made over the past couple of years.  Best of luck and try to keep her as tired as possible!  If she's bored or wound up, she will probably continue the digging.    

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I can't advise you on the digging, that's one issue I've never had with any of my dogs. But I may be able to shed some light on Harriet's genetic make-up, based on that shrill bark and the digging-to-China inclination. I'm guessing there's miniature schnauzer in there. One of my favorite breeds, and she's adorable!

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

I feel for you-I also heard about the sandbox trick. I hope your husband comes around-she's adorable!

[Barbara B., Sasha & Oliver]

Arrrggghhh..  I hear you !!!  Oliver is a digger.. not real bad but none the less a digger.  I had my property fully sodded before doodles, now the back yard is a disaster.  I do not put any chemicals down in the back yard so the sod had taken a beating over the past two years.  I have a Koi pond and flower beds that I spend lots of time on and was worried about the doodles flattening everything when they run along the fence to play with the neighbor's dogs on both sides of me.  I installed a electronic fence around the pond and around my flower beds and it was the best thing I ever did.  Both doodles were in the pond within a few hours of bringing them home as pups.   The e-fence works amazingly.   It give a beep when they get close, if they get a little closer they get a vibrate and if they get really close to the wire they get a very low current.  I tried this on myself and in no way does it hurt, I have it set on the lowest setting, its like putting your tounge on a battery.  My doodles respect the boundries so much that I hardly even put the e-collar on them when they go out now.

 

I tried putting the poop in the hole too but Ollie just finds another spot.  Sasha will dig but not as much as Ollie.  I think its just a dog thing.  They have tons of toys outside, I also go outside an play with them to keep them occupied.  I do however keep a close eye on them when they are outside, if I see either of them starting to dig or by a old hole I knock on the window and give a firm "NO", of course they turn around and give me dirty looks -LOL.  All summer long I fenced off sections of the yard so I can fill in holes, put down top soil, seed etc. etc. but as soon as I remove the fence there is a hole and the grass is barely survives.   My doodles love to wrestle and run around like nuts so the sod gets dug up from them running and wresteling.  I kind of given up on the back yard grass some whatt.  There are spots that are just dirt and when it rains what a mess, I let them out one at a time then I have to have a bucket of water to was the paws when they come in.  I bought hay for those spots but have not used it yet, I'm concerned they might eat it or play in it and that will be another issue to deal with.  BUT..... I love my doodles more than the lawn so I am just living with the mess....... at least the front lawn looks pristine :)

[Bonnie and Kona]

Digging to China. If you put that in the search box you will find lots of posts by me. Owen digs to China. In fact he was busy digging under the fence at the far back corner of our lot behind the garage. We didn't even know. Mercifully we found it before he made it big enough to get under. We do the poop routine. In every single hole. It has either helped or he is outgrowing this. As Sandy stated, Owen's next fun time was pulling out the complete raspberry patch one cane at a time. There are thorns covering the raspberry canes but he was oblivious. He has enjoyed the branches from many bushes. I'm sorry your DH is so upset. I don't know what to say. Our yard needs to re-landscaped so we are upset but it's not that he is destroying a pristine yard. Wishing you luck and good advice. Harriet has an irresistible face! Little love girl.

[Frannie & Callie]

I don't have any words of wisdom (no yard, so digging isn't an issue) but oh my goodness that face is precious!

[Christine & Camus]

Rocks (really big ones), bricks, nothing deters Camus.  The cayenne pepper trick worked for with my friend's dog, but I would only use it if your fur-kid does not have a sensitive system.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Mine still dig on occasion so then I go out with them, chastise them and put them in their crates when they have muddy paws etc. After a while just reminding them "No digging" when they go out works for a long time til we start the cycle again. It doesn't help that other critters dig holes and give them idea.

[Jen, Lachlan, and Declan]

Awww, what a sweet face!

Lachlan was a digger but at a year old he's pretty much lost interest. Declan, at four months, is trying to head for China still. Exercise, mental stimulation, poo in the holes that get started, and adult supervision until she grows out of it. She will, I promise. 

I'm looking forward to the day when I can leave my boys outside unsupervised and still have landscaping left. Lachlan on his own is fine now, but I reckon it'll be next winter with my Decky Ducky Doodle before I can turn my back.