Daisy Is Digging Holes In My Yard!!!!

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Originally Posted by Giselle

Or you could encourage her to dig in a designated area. You have kids. Try getting her to dig in a sandbox :) This works for a lot of dogs, but you have to make sure she's digging only in the sandbox.

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It's a very healthy exercise for them. I never had any desire to stop my dogs from doing something that was so enjoyably natural to them.

My Rat Terrier was the worst culperate. She was another one of those land mine dogs. ...until i taught her to only dig in a designated area. Does your dog know the concept of "Good" and "Bad"? If so this will help tremendously. ...If not, try working on that first. Make an outline with some twine, or LARGE sticks, or some other edging of the area that you wouldn't mind your dog digging in. Dig a small hole or two in that area. Go get your dog and walk them to the area where you want them to go dig. Praise them. Take them back over to one of their naughty holes and scold them a little (Or exclude this phase is you are of the "only praise and reward" camp.) Take them back over to area you want them to go to and praise them. Repeat each part once more for the first time. Took only two days and my Rat Terrier didn't dig in the rest of the yard again (Until the cicadas came... and then she only dug tiny holes to get out the pupae.)

My Shepherd only dug holes in the earth to bed down in (He was an inside dog, but he still enjoyed earthly pleasures.) He had about two spots in the yard. One under some bushes... i didn't mind. The other was on a flower bed next to the house. No matter what i could not train him to stay out of that spot. He never got into any other trouble, so if that was his one sin i think he was doing pretty darn good.

Sandbox or designated area is good. To discourage her from the "non designated area you could try some water balloons - filled - put in one of her favorite digging areas - and lightly cover with dirt - BUT MONITOR HER WHEN SHE'S OUTSIDE (no popping them and chewing/swallowing balloons) The idea is to startle her. On the opposite side for the designated area get some rawhides/bones and put them in holes, cover lightly, Several of them. Idea is she finds rawhides and says "wow there's a cow buried here" :D and sticks to the one area ;)

I can relate too! I don't really have any advice but my backyard looks like a minefield explosion. I've just learned to live with it.

Roxey was a notorious digger when she was a pup and can still dig some pretty good holes. The poop thing worked great for us...that and lots of exercise and training! Keep her busy:) Good luck!