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?

[BG and Gavin]

Gavin dug a bit, but gave it up by one year old.  Lots of exercise helps - wear them out so they are too tired to dig :)

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Our girls were diggers as well when they were younger.  I also was just always out there with them and redirected them if they started digging.  They will still do it every now and then but not like they used to. 

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

I read that you could get them a sand box to dig in....just hide some toys in there and let them have at it...it needs to be a covered one of course do to stray cats but it seems like it might work.

All that being said, I had a digging doodle and then it turned winter (and she turned 14 months) the next year she didn't dig. So maybe it's just puppy behavior.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I don't know....she's looking pretty innocent and adorable in this picture!  Unfortunately at this puppy stage I think the only "foolproof" way to stop the digging is to be out there with her and correct her every time she starts.  She'll get it eventually.  Good luck with DH...LOL

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Luna was a CRAZY digger when she was little.  Thank goodness our yard is a work in progress and not well landscaped.  She eventually grew out of it (mostly) - still does it if there is some fresh dirt or a hole is already started.

We tried filling in the holes and sprinkling cayenne pepper on top - she would just sneeze a bit and continue digging.

What worked was firm, consistent training.  Every time we caught her digging, we would call her away from the digging and give a high reward treat (freeze dried liver), then play with her.  Basically that taught her that if she stops her digging to come see us that she gets good things.

Distracting the pup from the "zone" when they're digging is key I think.  The balloon thing would probably work - I never thought of doing that.  The only problem I see is that if you pick the wrong place to put the balloon then you're out of luck!

[Linda, Webber and Seda]

Get pet insurance for the broken toe if you decide to use a mouse trap.  Ouch!!

[Elizabeth & *Kosci*.]

Bury a blown up balloon and when it pops it will scare but not harm.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Each of my puppies outgrew digging and pulling up the plants.  I think the mousetrap idea is a very good one.  Another is to place blown up balloons in the hole and cover with dirt.  When the dog digs the claws pop the balloons and startle.

[Doris, Knox & Flash]

I have heard about putting cayenne pepper in the hole. Don't have a lot of advice but I'm sure others on here do! Good luck!!