Discouraging Hole Digging by putting his poop in the hole?
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My pup was digging, but I put a large black plastic bag in with some dog repellent in it. He started digging other place. I got him a play pen where he is allowed to dig.
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I've put poop in holes before. I figured the reason the dogs were digging is because they were chasing moles / voles. I hoped putting poop in the holes would help deter the critters from returning to that spot. The best way to reduce digging is to deal with why the dog is digging. Some causes are easier to fix than others.
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I bought from walmart. It seems to be working with him. But he is very sensitive to stuff anyways.
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Hmmm, thanks, thinking I could spread that along my mulch. The bugger loves to dig in my mulch.
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I was having the same issue. But it was 2yr old. Just random 4 inch holes all around the backyard. Not the common long shallow digging they do to lay in cool dirt. My backyard was a mine field of tripping hazards. I did put poop in the holes, and those holes were left alone. The ones I didn’t put poop in were dug up again.
What finally stopped the digging? Constantly being out with him (thank god for the mobility chair!) and corrected him with a verbal “attt” when he would start. I also gave him an area he could dig in, and he doesn’t seem all that interested anymore and dug there maybe once or twice. But I also started giving him jobs outside, but I think your pup is too young for that yet. We’d put his backpack on him with weights, or let him pull his sled around with weights.
He typically goes back to digging if he isn’t worked enough, so I’m not sure about it working on a pup, but could t hurt to try! My pups don’t dig.
I don’t know about the mulch, we have heavy river rock. The dogs would race through it chasing each other and knock the rocks out, and then we had a mine field of rocks and holes. We just fenced off that area (which also has access to the pool) and now no more holes or rocks everywhere. And the grass is finally starting to come back in too. That was a combo of upping mental/physical stimulation, constant watching when he was outside with verbal corrections, and the fence, but the fence was just so they couldn’t go swimming whenever they wanted to.
What finally stopped the digging? Constantly being out with him (thank god for the mobility chair!) and corrected him with a verbal “attt” when he would start. I also gave him an area he could dig in, and he doesn’t seem all that interested anymore and dug there maybe once or twice. But I also started giving him jobs outside, but I think your pup is too young for that yet. We’d put his backpack on him with weights, or let him pull his sled around with weights.
He typically goes back to digging if he isn’t worked enough, so I’m not sure about it working on a pup, but could t hurt to try! My pups don’t dig.
I don’t know about the mulch, we have heavy river rock. The dogs would race through it chasing each other and knock the rocks out, and then we had a mine field of rocks and holes. We just fenced off that area (which also has access to the pool) and now no more holes or rocks everywhere. And the grass is finally starting to come back in too. That was a combo of upping mental/physical stimulation, constant watching when he was outside with verbal corrections, and the fence, but the fence was just so they couldn’t go swimming whenever they wanted to.
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Unless he already hates poop enough to avoid it, its probably not going to have much of an effect. I'd bet that a lot of people who thought it did, also interrupted it and or corrected for it. I'd just pay attention for a little while and make sure he know's what leave it means.
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There are places my dogs can dig and places I'd rather they not. If I work with soil, I try to "work" a "Dig Here" area last. In homes with less property accessible (aka places in town) my dog liked a spot against the foundation so she got to do a self-selection on the "spot".
Poop to discourage digging? No I pick up the dog crap as soon as I see it. I've had dogs that would think I was putting a snack in the hole for them.
Poop to discourage digging? No I pick up the dog crap as soon as I see it. I've had dogs that would think I was putting a snack in the hole for them.
Great feedback, thank you. Yes, I discourage it and tell him no and pull him away. It's not out of control, but in a month or two (when he is too big for coyotes to mess with) he will be allowed to go out unsupervised a bit and from experience, I'd rather get ahead of the digging to China.
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The most effective way to deal with a puppy digging is to always be outside when your puppy is out so you can prevent it/stop it immediately and not let them get used to engaging in the behavior. The more times they are able to dig, the harder it will be to stop. Just always be outside with your dog, especially when they are a puppy
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Instead of pulling him away, I'd walk him on leash past that spot multiple times a day and as close as you need to so that his attention will go to it. "Leave It" followed by an immediate leash pop. Nothing too harsh.
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If there's an obsession with one spot, some cayenne powder or red pepper flakes cause most dogs to leave that spot alone. You may not have to buy anything special beyond what's already in your spice cabinet. (However, I say "most dogs," because I have one "Cajun" Shepherd that likes it and basically says "bring it" to spicy stuff. He's weird.)
Thanks, I ordered some of that Ortho B Gone stuff above.
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Maybe it will encourage poop eating. Give him something better to do, prevent it or not giving them the opportunity. The only times my dogs have been digging was when they were by themselves or when I gave them the command when they smelled or heard something interesting underground.
I do put dog poop in gopher holes as retaliation for digging up my lawn from underneath but even they don't seem to care.
I do put dog poop in gopher holes as retaliation for digging up my lawn from underneath but even they don't seem to care.
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