Got a Digger
 We don't leave him out to much but the other day we were busy and he was out a lot. He seems to dig more when it is wet out and loves to dig till he gets to water and boy what a mess it was. Will this pass or is it a matter of keeping him busy and tired? |
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 The answer is....BOTH. He's digging because, well, dogs enjoy that sort of thing...and because he's a puppy who is bored. If you'll give him something constructive to do and keep him busy at it, he won't dig so much. Of course, keeping him busy is going to keep you busy for awhile.
The good news is, at least in my experience, they do outgrow it (for the most part).  |
my 3 are all diggers. I wish I could stop them but have not found a way except to put gravel in the yard.  |
| a DIGGER???????
no...no...no....HERE's a DIGGER!!!!!!! 
a MOUTH digger......   |
Beaureguard's Mom wrote: :lol: The answer is....BOTH. He's digging because, well, dogs enjoy that sort of thing...and because he's a puppy who is bored. If you'll give him something constructive to do and keep him busy at it, he won't dig so much. Of course, keeping him busy is going to keep you busy for awhile.
The good news is, at least in my experience, they do outgrow it (for the most part). yeah tell that to Morgan who was four on thursday and yes is often overlooked, oh wait he was four on Wednesday? the 28th - yep Marley went to Florida for her Birthday Morgan was forgotten. Any way Pigpen came in covered in mud this morning after being outside all of 5 minutes while I brushed my teeth. |
| It stops, but not before they've relandscaped the yard. Relax, great yards and dogs don't go together. Enjoy the dog while it is still young. Eventually they outgrow all this silliness and then you can have your nice landscape back. Just remember:
No digging in the furniture, outside only. They will not dig to China, but are within scope of digging up cable tv or other shallow (just under the ground) utilities. Beware sprinkler systems, they are good chew toys. The wetter the ground, the more fun digging, though the baths afterward aren't nearly as much fun. |
I have some experience with diggers. My own two have, thank goodness, never been particularly bad about digging. But, as evidenced by this photo of Treasure (whom I completely adore!!), I've fostered my share of diggers. I finally had to give up on hydrangeas.
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| Love the digging pictures I will post some of Harry. How do you guys clean there beards when they have a dirt sandwich for a treat Harry is getting to big to go into the utility sink.
That reminds me. What temp should the water be for a bath? Are the more a less sensitive to water temps? Giving Harry a bath is like wrestling an Aligator so I am wandering if he if water is to warm to cold ect... |
Chewie prefers a cool bath - just barely warm water. If I use the warm water the other dogs like, he pants and pants and gets fidgety.  |
my dreamer is a digger.. i now have a baby pool filled with sand and hide toys in in try that  |
| I heard lots of people swear by the baby pool filled with clean sand and hide toys in it to encourage them to dig where its clean, safe and not your favorite plant in the garden.
But they've also said to cover it when your dog isnt out to guard it or any loose cats will consider it a public toilet facility and "thankyou kindly". I use just barely warm water for Tiggy's bath but she still puffs like a steam engine. And wriggles and fidgets. But she HATES a bath. Mud puddles, ponds, sprinklers are all great but not a clean bath.  |
| I don't mean to be the Debbie Downer of the group, but at 13 weeks old, I'd be careful about leaving your puppy alone outside for even a few minutes. At that age, they're so into everything and it all goes into their mouths. They have a way of finding things that you didn't even know existed. I only mention it because, heaven forbid, your pup eat or swallow something that makes him sick or gets something stuck in his throat or intestine, causing your pup a lot of pain and you a lot of money. They really need a lot of supervision. My guys are 5, 4 and 1 and I don't trust those idiots for more than a few minutes unattended. They're good dogs but you know what they say about idle hands... |
| Lola and Lily are going to hit China any day now. I swear, there is a CRATER in my back yard. |
| My first oes Mickey was a digger. Never could stop her but managed to sort of train her to only dig in a sandbox. It was better than holes all over the yard and sand was easier to brush out than mud. |
Jackson still digs occasionally (as in maybe two small holes this summer), but this is a huge improvement over when she was little (just turned two on 9/29). I know this sounds gross and I have no idea if it lent a hand to the decrease in digging, but whenever she would dig a new spot I would put her poops  in it and then fill the hole in. She never once re-dug a freshly filled spot, and I am guessing the 'extra fertilizer' is good for the grass. |
| Tonks and Luna never did much dogging as pups. They turned 2 last month, and suddenly I can't leave them alone in the yard for 10 minutes without one of them coming back in covered in whatever they've dug up. So I don't know if its an age thing, but I sure would like for it to stop. OR to be able to control it. I have quite alot of landscaping to do, and it would be a big help if they would dig holes where I want them to!
I have also found that they seem to prefer to dig when its muddy; and we've had ALOT of rain this season... 
 [/i] |
| ^^^^^^^^^^^
Alison this photo cracks me up. I dont think they're digging! Noooo, I'd call it burrowing. You sure they havent met the US equivalent of a wombat and been taking lessons? |
| Last summer - and it was a wet one our OES pup who would have been around 9 months was a horrible digger - but only when it was wet!!!! I think it must smell different when it's wet - i am not sure. There were holes everywhere. He did seem to grow out of it. He doesn;t dig anymore. He would also eat it too - not just dig with his paws. What a mess - oh the memories - |
ButtersStotch wrote: I don't mean to be the Debbie Downer of the group, but at 13 weeks old, I'd be careful about leaving your puppy alone outside for even a few minutes. At that age, they're so into everything and it all goes into their mouths. They have a way of finding things that you didn't even know existed. I only mention it because, heaven forbid, your pup eat or swallow something that makes him sick or gets something stuck in his throat or intestine, causing your pup a lot of pain and you a lot of money. They really need a lot of supervision. My guys are 5, 4 and 1 and I don't trust those idiots for more than a few minutes unattended. They're good dogs but you know what they say about idle hands...
I have to agree. I would also worry about someone taking him-it's happend before. I have a 2.5 and 1 year old that I don't leave unattended outside more than a few minutes either...and we have a 6 foot privacy fence! |
| OMG the Tonks and Luna pics are hilarious. Yuck. LOL |
Here is my little backhoe
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| Love all the pics they are so funny |
| I was thinking o fyou last night when I was bathing Morgan and grooming at nearly midnight becasue I am taking the piggy boy out in public this weekend. This morning my husband wanted to know why I bothered since he had two mor edays to dig. With that I got up, put on my coat and took the two dogs for a long walk at sunrise. I guess its leashes only until Synday |
kerry wrote: I was thinking o fyou last night when I was bathing Morgan and grooming at nearly midnight becasue I am taking the piggy boy out in public this weekend. This morning my husband wanted to know why I bothered since he had two mor edays to dig. With that I got up, put on my coat and took the two dogs for a long walk at sunrise. I guess its leashes only until Synday
We're in the same boat. Sheepdog Day in The Park is Sunday, and I've already started with brushing and de-matting. I know why you are doing it; because EVEN IF he gets into the mud between now and then, it will be an easier clean up with all the hard work done NOW. I've been in this boat before. |
| Oh he won't get in the mud!! I am getting Marley's coat in shape for Syracuse - he's lucky I gave him one night
Actually he has (unfortunately) developed a fondness for leash walking - I guess he's eaten everything he can uncover inthe backyard 
We are doing a novice weight pull on Saturday and showing up with OES is one thing - showing up with dirty OES surrounded by all those gleaming sammy's is another |
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