Digging:confused:

[pattycakes23]

Hey everyone, I was wondering if I could get any advice on digging. Belle is SUCH a digger, and here in Minnesota we got temperatures of up to 60 degrees this weekend!:eek: And so, of course, the snow is all melting, even though the temps are again cooling:( and the ground is nice and muddy and soft for her to dig in. So, we've got a ton of holes in the backyard. Now, I can deal with it, I mean, I don't like it or anything, but it doesn't get to me, but some other people in my family do mind. So I'm trying to think of things to discourage her from digging, because she really wants to go out in the backyard, but because of those people:rolleyes:, we started taking her out in the front yard on her leash. She still hasn't mastered that come command when she's outside :-P So I was just wondering. Any suggestions would be wonderful!

[Dogopoly]

How big is your yard? If you get desperate, you can try what I did with my rabbit pen. Buy a couple sheets of wire fencing from home depot and roll it out flat on the ground, and cover it with a bunch of dirt. The grass will eventually grow through it and you won't be able to see the wire at all. The dog won't be able to dig through this at all. It is basically a foolproof method, but if you have a big yard, it's expensive.

Or you could try some training- maybe if your dog loves to be outside, everytime you see him digging, give him a firm "NO" and bring him back inside until he learns........

Good luck! and let us know when the holes disappear!

[pattycakes23]

Thanks so much for the advice! We don't have a huge yard, but it's not small, either. I think I might try that since it's still wet and all around here, and hopefully the grass will be all grown in by the time it's summer!

[wolfsoul]

What kind of dog do you have? Terriers are bad for digging.

I would love to see some pics!

[pattycakes23]

Belle is an Alaskan Malamute. She's 13 months old, and she's just beautiful. I've got some pictures of her, but they're too big to put on here, so I'm working on getting some smaller ones to put on. Hopefully I'll get some on soon!!:D

[wolfsoul]

I can't wait to see! Alaskan malamutes are beautiful! :) Tikeyas_mom likes them too. What does your mal look like? :)

[pattycakes23]

Yes, they are beautiful:D Let's see, well she's not yet full grown, but she's black/gray on her back and has a white belly and legs. And the coolest thing about her are her facial markings. She has a big M under her eyes and down her snout. Which is perfect because we live in Minnesota:cool:

[wolfsoul]

Cool! My dog, Timber has markings like a mal because she has husky in her :D

[pattycakes23]

Aww, then she must be a cutie:) Do you have any pics of her on here?

[wolfsoul]

yep :) I have lots of pics in here:

http://64.4.36.250/cgi-bin/linkrd?_lang=EN&lah=d910ed0e06c2f532299865b6dc7ad7dd&lat=1048456111&hm___action=http%3a%2f%2fPetoftheDay%2ecom%2ftalk% 2fshowthread%2ephp%3fthreadid%3d22815%26goto%3dnew post

Here's my favourite pic of her:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid53/pfb429b99376e1df193073f6fcd41721a/fc8c2193.jpg

[wolfsoul]

Here's one I took last weekend :D

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid55/p2dc520b9b5e3f29036cc7af3b63c0d60/fc7d2a2d.jpg

Her eyes are turning yellow ;)

[pattycakes23]

Aww soo cute!!!:D How old is she?

[wolfsoul]

thanks! :) she is almost 23 months :D

[GoldenRetrLuver]

my golden used to dig, what i did was i coverd the hole with feces an she stopped digging, your mal is sooo cute!:D

[wolfsoul]

I just thought of something lol. Mals and huskies and other sled dogs can pick up digging traits because of their strong need to dig after a long sledding day. They then sink themselves into the hole for warmth. I would think that mals would keep that trait, even if it doesn't seem like that's what they are digging for :)

[wolfsoul]

your mal is sooo cute!

That's my dog, Timber, she isn't a mal, but thanks! :)

[tikeyas_mom]

I seen this thing on tv about how you can out chicken wire in the hole where the dog usually digs and then bury it. the dog will find it very unconfertible to dif on chicken wire, that might work.

[GoldenRetrLuver]

Whoops!, sorry:( Shes very cute though!:)

[wolfsoul]

Thanks! :)

[GoldenRetrLuver]

Wolfsoul, i have a question. How did you get that little wolf to be your icon under your user name?! Its very cute!:)

[pattycakes23]

yeah, I like that, too! how do you get anything under your name?? By the way, thank you all for your suggestions!! She's quit a little bit now that the ground is getting harder, and it's not so soft and sloppy since the snow has long melted :-D yay!!

[wolfsoul]

You go to user cp, and then user profile, and there should be a place that says avatar. You attach what you want to use, and that's all. Really easy! :)

Ps Goldenrtrluver, thanks about Timber being cute! ;)