posted 02-13-2004 10:10 PM         

My 4 1/2 month old boxer just dug a huge hole in the backyard yesterday. Now, it seems that's all he goes to when I let him out for potty! He never did this before.

posted 02-14-2004 08:39 AM         

I'll have to try your suggestions and hope they work.

posted 02-15-2004 12:19 AM         

The Old Fashioned Way to make sure that the dog gets a motivational negative association when he digs is to:

Step 1.) Leave a pinch collar and tab (one foot leash) on the dog when he's outside in the yard with another dog.

Step 2.) Bury hardware mesh or chicken wire in the spot where he's been digging. The chicken wire should be buried two to three inches below the surface. Dogs don't like scraping their paws against this stuff. So, right off the bat you've got an immediate negative association.

Step 3.) Spy on him and just wait until he start to dig.

Step 4.) As soon as he begins to dig, yell "No No No!" as you run outside and give the dog a correction. As long as you continue to say "No no no" as you run to the dog, the dog WILL still associate the correction with the behavior.

Step 5.) Be 100% consistent until you are 100% sure that the dog isn't digging any more.

The Lazy Man's Way to fix this problem behavior is to use a remote electronic collar (e-collar). Everything else remains the same. (Click on the link above to read about my recommendations for buying a remote electronic training collar).

When using the e-collar for this behavior, I'd turn the setting up to the high level. Your goal is to create absolute avoidance to this behavior (digging in the garden). And you want him to think that the dirt just jumped up and bit him! Usually if you correct the dog with the electronic collar for this type of behavior, you've only got to do it twice before the dog decides that it's in his best interest to leave your garden alone.

posted 02-15-2004 08:24 AM         

Thanks for the suggestions. I appreciate everone's advice here. I tried one suggestion (thanks Winnie)which was to spray the area with that "Granite's Bitter Apple" stuff:-( I don't know why I keep forgetting that I can use it on just about anything that I don't want Oskar to do. I've sprayed it on my furniture, my brother's pant leg and shoes, rugs, etc. This stuff has really worked . . . Oskar hates it!

So, I went outside and sprayed it where he had dug a huge hole. He hasn't dug since!(knock on wood)