I need ideas on how to stop a dog from digging...

[Mr. Habib]

One of these should work, but only if applied to the neighbor and not the dog.

 

[BE Mike]

I've tried pepper and it seems to help. There are also products available at pet shops that are supposed to keep animals away from shrubbery. You might try staking down chicken wire.

 

[Westside]

Maybe one of those motion activated springlers set up in the lanscaping?

Have them they work. and on kids too. My yard is a real nice place for kids to cut through to get to the other half of the neighborhood.

 

[geronimojoe85]

Look, If they are good neighbors they are good enough to talk to.

If your dog was tearing up your neighbors landscaping wouldn't you expect a conversation? If it happened on a semi-regular basis wouldn't you expect a bill?

Give them a square look in the eye and say "you're a good neighbor and I value our friendship but, this has to stop."
Set a boundary or people will walk all over you.

Or do what you want.

 

[jsharmon7]

I like the chicken wire idea. It would be fairly easy to put the chicken wire down flat on the ground over that particular area and then put the dirt back over top. That way you wouldn't see it, it wouldn't affect anything, and the dog will give up.

 

[rgrimm01]

I can see how this could be an uncomfortable situation considering that it is a 'good' neighbor. Conflict resolution by it's very nature is not a warm fuzzy place. It seems to me you have 3 options: no action, action against the owners or action against the dog. If you do not want to risk alienating the neighbor with the hit to the pocketbook(which a trail cam would substantiate your claim and be a slamdunk in smallclaims I would think) then it is up to you to train the dog that this behavior is unacceptable. If the dog were yours, how would you train it? I do not know how much area your landscaping covers but treating it seems like it could be quite a task. I wonder if there is such a thing as a sensor controlled airhorn. I wonder if a rump shot with a pump or two on the pellet gun would dissuade the landscaping digger from entering the yard (That is how the parents kept me out of the fruit trees when I was a kid.). If non of these 'solutions' are pallatable, then acceptance is the remaining option?

 

[ruger1800]

BB gun worked for me in a similar situation. dog tearing up my kennel trying to get to a ***** in heat. shoot for the hams in case you get some penetration.

 

[mainjet]

Let him dig... When he gets it deep enough, sneak up behind him and kick him in. Then quickly fill the hole.

It's up to you if you want to waste time pouring pine sol or chili powder on the area after that.

 

[CountryBoy19]

Let him dig... When he gets it deep enough, sneak up behind him and kick him in. Then quickly fill the hole.

It's up to you if you want to waste time pouring pine sol or chili powder on the area after that.

I guess I forgot to mention that he's a Weimaraner. If he got the hole big enough to kick him in and bury him then he's done quite the feat.

I'd love to talk to the neighbor about the problem, but there are some circumstances that prevent that. I'm really just looking for solutions on how to get him to stop digging in my landscaping. He can dig in his own yard for all I care, just not mine. Applying pepper won't be a big problem. It's only one small area he seems to enjoy digging in, and I have tons of ground cayenne pepper from my garden last year. My wife is going to give that a try and see how it works.

Thanks for the suggestions everybody.

 

[Benny]

I'd love to talk to the neighbor about the problem, but there are some circumstances that prevent that.

They don't speak English?

That is the only possible scenario that I can think of that would prevent you from telling them to keep their ****ing dog out of your yard.

 

[lovemachine]

They don't speak English?

That is the only possible scenario that I can think of that would prevent you from telling them to keep their ****ing dog out of your yard.

Potty mouth.

 

[Benny]

Potty mouth.

Yeah, terrible dog owners brings that out in me.

If it just happened once, that's just an accident and I wouldn't care much. Since it's happening all of the time, I think it would be pretty darn easy to buy a chain or just watch the animal while it's outside.

 

[Bunnykid68]

Bear traps?

 

[CountryBoy19]

They don't speak English?

That is the only possible scenario that I can think of that would prevent you from telling them to keep their ****ing dog out of your yard.

I won't be back from the sandbox until this summer... and there is no way to convince my wife to go talk to them, she's far too reserved to approach them about the problem.

They do have him on the chain 95% of the time, but sometimes he's not...

 

[BE Mike]

I guess I forgot to mention that he's a Weimaraner. If he got the hole big enough to kick him in and bury him then he's done quite the feat.

I'd love to talk to the neighbor about the problem, but there are some circumstances that prevent that. I'm really just looking for solutions on how to get him to stop digging in my landscaping. He can dig in his own yard for all I care, just not mine. Applying pepper won't be a big problem. It's only one small area he seems to enjoy digging in, and I have tons of ground cayenne pepper from my garden last year. My wife is going to give that a try and see how it works.

Thanks for the suggestions everybody.

I've owned Weimaraners. They make great pointers. They are very intelligent dogs and bore easily. They're very hyperactive, especially until they are about 3 or 4 years old. I had one that would dig beside the house. She would dig down about 2 or 3 feet even though I would walk her often and long. She also ate my Stetson and the cuffs of a deer hunting jacket. She gnawed on our woodwork (that is before I learned about dog crates). She ended up contracting parvo and we had to put her down. I love the breed, but don't have the energy and patience to deal with them. Maybe your neighbor will train the dog to hunt birds and invite you along.

 

[Benny]

I won't be back from the sandbox until this summer... and there is no way to convince my wife to go talk to them, she's far too reserved to approach them about the problem.

They do have him on the chain 95% of the time, but sometimes he's not...

Ahh, a scenario I didn't think about.

Bottom line is 95% on the chain while unsupervised is still 5% less than acceptable. You can come up with a solution to fix the area he/she digs, but he/she will probably just find a new spot in your yard to tear up.

 

[dubsac]

we had a similar problem with our dog digging around the deck and my wifes flower bed. we buried chainlink fencing that was left over when we installed our fence. we put it around the flowerbed and deck where she was digging and it has worked so far. we buried it last year and since then the grass has grown over it and you cannot even tell. the first time she tried to dig she hit that fence and gave up shortly after.

 

[paintman]

ive done the mouse traps before. once, maybe twice and it will stop.

 

[cwillour]

we had a similar problem with our dog digging around the deck and my wifes flower bed. we buried chainlink fencing that was left over when we installed our fence. we put it around the flowerbed and deck where she was digging and it has worked so far. we buried it last year and since then the grass has grown over it and you cannot even tell. the first time she tried to dig she hit that fence and gave up shortly after.

Depending on the dog, chicken wire or chain fencing should work. I only hold off on suggesting the buried chicken wire because if the dog is as stubborn as ours (husky-mutt) it may keep digging until its paws are a bloody mess (chain fence sounds like it would be just as effective at discouraging the dog without the two weeks of bloody footprints on the carpet.)

Also, if your landscaping can tolerate it, a little buried limestone gravel seems to discourage the digging as well.

FWIW, I was not suggesting you start by presenting them a landscaping bill earlier, just that having a professional quote for repairs has helped me get across the point that we are talking about real damages and not just a nuisance. If you are unable to have a solid talk with them, however, I can understand why this would not work.