How do you stop a digging terrorist?

[okmunky]

Lily, now 4.5 months old is a digging machine! At 8 weeks she was "helping" me dig up an old flowerbed. Now she wants to dig right beside the RV steps every place we park.

Is there any way to teach my morkie (1/2 yorkie, 1/2 maltese, all terrier) puppy not to dig?

[RickO]

Good luck with that. I think the TERR in terrier comes from Latin for earth and they sure know it. We've been lucky with our two Westies since they never have developed the habit but it sure wasn't due to any training on our part.

Best of luck.

Rick

[Wayne M]

Yes, you need to catch her in the act, pick her up by the scruff of the neck, shake her like her mommy would do and tell her "No," or whatever command you use to stop her from doing something. Then put her down somewhere else. Do not raise your voice or yell at her, just gently pick her up and shake her telling her your command.

Now this is not intended to be a one time shake and she is gong to obey, you have to stay with it. She'll get the message. I use the word "Off," and it works better for our dog, but DW uses No. Hmmm! I wonder why she get's confused some times. (lol)

p.s., I have only struck out at our dog one time, and that was when she growled at a child. Just a natural voice "Off," usually does the trick, or I can say "Down" and she will lay down.

Good luck. It is a continuing process. DW is still trying to train me.

[okmunky]

Thanks, I'll try that. I gave up weeding a flowerbed today because she was doing so much damage and it's too nice a day to keep her locked up in the moho. BEAUTIFUL blue skies and 74 degrees here in southern WA today, after 2 days of rain and gloom.

[Wayne M]

Wow! You are there, tearing up a flower bed, setting an example, and now you want to stop Lily from doing the same thing. That just isn't right!

[TXiceman]

Pepper the area she digs with some red pepper and tell he NO. When she does dig, she will learn a lesson.

Ken

[Yellowreef]

Catch her in the act and scold her EVERY time. Consistency is the key, if you don't say anything some times and other times you scold it doesn't do any good.

[KRV33]

put the dogs poop in the hole it will not dig there any more!!

[bigdale]

When dog digs a hole, put ammonia in it. If it makes a new hole keep putting ammonia in them. Dog will quit the digging, has worked for us. May take awhile.

[okmunky]

How long does the ammonia smell last? We fulltime and I don't want to leave a foul smell on other people's property. Her holes I can fill, but I prefer to leave them with fond memories of our visit.

"So far we have stayed either a my daughter's place or with friends -- all dog lovers, thankfully. And she is pretty darn cute. We all laugh at her, which doesn't help. She will furiously dig a hole and then flop down in it with her chest in the hole and her butt sticking out, looking at us like "it's mine and you can't have it". She only weighs 5 pounds, so these are not giant holes.

[Fencebuster]

I think Wayne M has the best idea! We have a 4 lb, 6-yr old Yorkie that we started training right when he got home. He loves to dig but he doesn't dig any longer. We too were advised to catch him in the act and tell him "no". Only difference is that we would just pinch his scruff like his mama did when he'd be doing something she didn't like. He seemed to look at us like "Wow! Where did my mama go? Did you just see her?". Anyway, the important part is consistency. It won't take long. Put your pup in the situation where the temptation will be there so you can correct over and over within a short period of time. I bet after three or four times, (or five or six) the idea will be clear.
Good luck!

[okmunky]

Oh but this one is REALLY STUBBORN and at times seems posessed by obsessions. She also likes to chew on my toes as I'm walking. Problem is -- I go barefoot whenever possible. Puppy teeth hurt! I am dedicated to consistency and hope that a little maturity will help. She just turned 5 months. Most of the time she is sweet and cuddly. But then the devil comes out and takes over. I have pick her up which seems to break her concentration and she is better when I put her back down.

[Midniteoyl]

As the Dog Whisperer would say, "Its not the dogs fault"

[Jack R]

Barb

I think RickO is on to something.

terrier1
n (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Breeds) any of several usually small, active, and short-bodied breeds of dog, originally trained to hunt animals living underground [from Old French chien terrier earth dog, from Medieval Latin terrārius belonging to the earth, from Latin terra earth]

Maybe the dog is hungry?

Our westy is just a gardner. Does a decent job. Really likes to dig after he has been to the groomer.

jack