Kitchen Garden Forum

Anyone got any ideas?
My lovely back garden resembles the Somme just 4 weeks after aquiring a labrador X golden retriever puppy.
We've had a labrador before, and a labrador crossed with a godknowswot but neither of them dug with such enthusiasm or efficiency.
She also eats hostas, well, bits of them, but at least that has solved the snail problem!

Maybe a muzzle and boxing gloves on her paws Other than that distraction or a good squirt with a water pistol to give her a bit of a shock every time shes caught digging.
Seedling

Well I guess you dont want to shoot it!!!! My first thought. No really I bet your puppy is adorable. Suggestion re water pistol is best, very humane way, yes really, must be prompt and she must not know it came from you to start with. Later on if she continues, accompany it with a growling sound. Should work!! Be persistent though for a few days, it will pay off.

Hello Jude, walking about with a water pistol and making growling noises, i will come and visit you when they have taken you away.
What ever method you start you will have to be patient and vigilant.

Kind regards Old Herbaceous.

Theres no fool like an old fool.

Saw this on a dog training programme a while back.

It's natural for a young dog to want to dig - but you can train it to dig in just one area (perhaps under a bush, out of the way) by burying something a bit smelly for it to find (just for starters). Dog mooches over and starts to dig, hopefully ignoring the rest of the garden, finds the smelly treasure. Owner then makes appropriate 'good dog' noises. From that moment you have to make sure there is ALWAYS something rewarding for the dog to find in just that one place, ie. favourite toy, dog biscuit, chew, etc. If said dog tries to dig in other places then out comes the water pistol and owner makes growling noises of displeasure (hoping the neighbours aren't around!). In time, the dog will associate digging in this one particular area with finding a reward and will give up trying to dig to Australia in the rest of the garden. After about 3 years dog will grow some brain cells and settle for a kip on the sofa instead of potholing.

Well, you could give it a go

We used an electronic collar to train our last puppy and managed to stop her eating pooh, chasing bikes and tormenting the sheep and cattle on next door's farm. If she's being naughty (she's 5 now), we only have to open the drawer and bring out the collar and she's a little angel again.

Thanks all,
have already tried the water pistol thing - total failure I'm afraid as she's true to her breed type and anything to do with water is "Wow, that was great fun, can we do it again?"
Actually, I can stop her well enough when I catch her at it as she is in no doubt that I'm the boss and must be obeyed. I only have to walk out, stand with my hands on my hips and say "Humf!" in a disapproving voice and she stops immediately and goes all sheepish and wiggly.
Guess I'll just have to be patient and keep hoping that those brain cells develop early!

Hi Jude

My 9 month old golden retiever still digs - but we started out training her not to go on the cultivated ares and tolerated digging in the rest of the garden. As Dianne says you have to be vigilant - time spent now in training will be worth every minute over the next ten years. Make sure he or she has planty of excersise and plenty of things to chew and play with so that there is no need to dig because of boredom or lack of attention. When he/she digs on the plot get cross - but in less important areas be milder.

I guess the puppy is no more than 3 months - very early days - don't expect to get the training completed for a year or so. With the right guidance they will mature.

HOWEVER - Molly has just dug up the last of my Pink Fir Apples and left them all ready to pick up!

We have to be patient

Chris

Hi I dont know wheather this will help you but... i filled a small drink bottle with tiny stones and every time the dog started to dig i shock the bottle and startled the dog.. took a little while but i now have a ex digger... hth

Arther Holman, writing on training his policedog Rex, of using acorns and a catapult to point out to the dog it was doing something it should not.

The dog could not believe he could be touched by the boss at that range and subsequently always did as he was told.

We've actively encouraged our jack russell to dig as we got her to harass the rats, rabbits & moles that plague us! Occasionally she digs in the wrong place but we just distarct her with another digging oppurtunity in a place where it doesn't matter.

Hi all,

Hide the spade

Regards


Kevin

Very amusing, Kevin, would do if she hadn't eaten the handle.
No, only joking.
Took her to the beach today and after the hilarious bit when she saw the sea for the first time, she dug and dug and dug.
Too knackered to bother with the garden by the time we got home!

Hi Jude,
Sorry been away from this forum for a while. Yes, we have two Newfoundlands and they both love to dig, and not just little holes either Like you say I sometimes expect to see a guy with a big hat covered in corks pop up and say " G'day mate"

With ours it's always after moles or mice and so I've been gradually trying to reduce their numbers.

On the trainning side, the 'growling' bit does work It must be very low pitched and maintain eye contact while so doing.

Please, please, PLEASE do NOT put a muzzle on him. This is so cruel and I was just reading (on another forum) about a horrible experience that a dog suffered because of it. It maybe OK for the Police & Army to use these on their dogs but that is when they are constantly supervised and they only use them when not working or likely to be attacked.