How to stop digging dogs?

[Ruger-9mm]

Our 4 month old puppies have found the joys of digging, and I'm curious on ways to stop it. I've seen the stuff in the stores that supposedly will stop it, but I don't want to plop down money and not have it work. One spot I've gotten them to stop at, but at the expense of them doing more digging at another. I know once the grass comes in, that will help stop it but I can't get the grass to grow until they stop growing.

 

[Bunnykid68]

Pepper in the areas they are digging perhaps.

Or take away their shovels

 

[lovemachine]

Just redirect them. That's all ya gotta do.

You don't want them to start thinking digging is bad and naughty. They could become great mole-digging dogs.

 

[sepe]

Is the dog getting exercise/entertainment? Is the dog getting enough attention?

 

[Benny]

Just take away the dogs' shovels. This isn't rock science.

 

[bobbittle]

Keep them busy and tired. Toys, exercise, training, etc. If you catch them in the act you could spray with a vinegar/water or listerine/water mixture, but only if caught in the act, not afterwards.

 

[sepe]

Just take away the dogs' shovels. This isn't rock science.

It could be rock science if it is a bright dog. They've got dogs trained for everything these days.

 

[Waveraider]

They're puppies. I noticed that my last two dogs would dig, but stopped after about a year. I'd live with it for the time being.

 

[Harleyrider_50]

.......Good luck.........

 

[sepe]

We had a Jack Russell that we broke of digging simply by wearing the dog out as often as possible. He would still get out a few times to run in the woods (mostly killing small woodland creatures) but he wouldn't just randomly dig.

 

[flashpuppy]

​Buckshot.

 

[DocIndy]

Land mines? They will only dig there once!

 

[snapping turtle]

Mousetraps in those holes will detour them for a while. Had a cat that wanted to pee in my plants and the
mouse traps solved that one also. He never got near that potted plant again.

 

[wolfman]

Keep their toenails as short as comfortably possible. Dogs can move soft ground with just their pads, but need their nails to dig harder dirt.

 

[Ruger-9mm]

Thanks for all of the advice. We do get them tired a lot, and they have a fairly large fenced in area to run in . They're brother and sister, so they "fight" and play pretty hard. I'm outside with them a bunch, so I can try to catch them in the act. The ground is pretty soft since the area was a garden area until we fenced in the backyard and we're turning it back to grass. I'll take away their shovels and put some cayenne pepper in the hole to see if that helps persuade them to go do something else.

 

[Harleyrider_50]

Ya might......try train'n collars..............kind'a like underground fence.....only you control the button.....

 

[w_ADAM_d88]

Put their own crap in the hole, they won't dig in their own crap. Worked for my lab and my lab/german shepherd mix. Eventually they realize every hole they dig fills up with crap.

 

[rgrimm01]

If they are digging for moles, I would encourage it. I would borrow someone's dog and let it dig at the yard, well beyond the point of looking like a missile testing site, if it ran off or killed all of the moles.

 

[Ruger-9mm]

If they are digging for moles, I would encourage it. I would borrow someone's dog and let it dig at the yard, well beyond the point of looking like a missile testing site, if it ran off or killed all of the moles.

I know the feeling about moles, but knock on wood, we don't have those running around. The only pests here are rabbits and outdoor cats.

 

[Kernal1984]

Put their own crap in the hole, they won't dig in their own crap. Worked for my lab and my lab/german shepherd mix. Eventually they realize every hole they dig fills up with crap.

Another vote for poop in the hole, cured my dog of digging really quick and never had a problem since.