Digging In The Garden!

[Stitch]

I have a Dobe boy who for some unknown reason has started to dig tiger pits in various parts of our garden.

He is 4 years old and has really never done this kind of thing much before, but now he has started. It is like he is chasing something then digging it out along with mature plants and shrubs. Nothing is safe from his digging skills and nothing is too big that it can't be excavated.

Heaven only knows what it is he is chasing but my OH is very fond of his gardens and has threatened severe retaliation if the Dobe digs in his very special garden.

So, I am currently sourcing some garden fencing for this area as it is the only way I can keep it safe but that leaves many different large areas of ordinary garden for him to choose from.

What I really need is a repellant that actually works!!!

I have been putting his poos in the tiger pits or one the top of the favourite refilled tiger pits to prevent the re-excavation work that he does and this definitely works but it would be nice if I could apply some other more user friendly material.

Can anyone help??

Edited March 23, 2010 by STITCH

[Gilypoo]

I have been putting his poos in the tiger pits or one the top of the favourite refilled tiger pits to prevent the re-excavation work that he does and this definitely works but it would be nice if I could apply some other more user friendly material.

Unfortunatley this is the only way that I have found. I even have to put it in my pot plants cause at the moment every peice of paid for plant if fair game (we live on an acre bush block and they dont touch ANY of those plants. Just the pretty ones.

Edited to asy that yes I know its un hygenic

Edited March 23, 2010 by Gilypoo

[AmandaJ]

I agree with Gilypoo, it's the only way to do it. All 3 of ours were diggers. We even threatened to hire them out for earthworks. Our girl still digs just not as much - she prefers to climb trees now. They have their side of the garden which is fenced from the landscaped side. There are no plants left on their side (other than the tree SHE climbs) coz SHE ate them all.

[Stitch]

If the dog repellants they market don't work, doesn't seem right that they can continue to sell them, does it????

[littlebear]

we have the same problem at the moment ...tried putting their deposits into the holes puppy was digging but it didn't work, we'd find the poo neatly piled in the middle of the yard and the hole empty !?! we are currently using chicken wire pegged down with tent pegs from bunnings it seems to be working *fingers crossed*

[keroppiyo]

The repellents work for some dogs, but not for others. I've tried "Get off my garden" crystals, and they didn't work for me. Depends how your dog takes to the scent of that stuff.

[gsdog2]

Can I suggest that instead of fighting the hole digging (and I've had dog's still digging at 12yrs of age ) you go with it. In other words make him his own sandpit, bury toys in it and encourage him to dig there. Put the sandpit in an area which will get shade through the day and show him it's a good place to dig. I've had two GSD's years ago that dug holes in the garden all their life, however my next GSD discovered the kids sandpit (not used as kids had outgrown it) and from there on we have always made sure our dogs had their own spot to dig. We have not had a hole dug in the yard since :D

ETA I also tried the poo's, balloons, upside-down mousetraps - the sandpit has been the only thing that has had a 100% success rate.

Edited March 23, 2010 by gsdog2

[Mystiqview]

Give him a place to dig??

I have two clam shells here filled with water (as I have water diggers). But many fill them with sand or gravel as well. Bury things in there he can find. Toys, treats etc. Many say to give them an acceptable area to dig in and encourage its use.

I have used a mouse trap set in a coffee tin and buried that in the hole and covered it over. Worked for some, not others. I have NEVER used a balloon, as this when it goes off can be lodged in their throat and kill them. I have use "get off my garden" and similar products. Worked for a little while, I don't think the scent stays there long. I have also planted chilli bushes in the past.. Except that dog found a liking for chillies. LOL

Also used the chicken wire over the hole. Problem there, is your yard can become all chicken wire if you do not address the issue. But in saying that, this goes for all methods of poo in hole etc.

Electric fence around the garden beds. Depends on how smart your dog is, after a few zaps, just leave the tape up and every now and again turn on the fence to remind them about garden. It worked for a dobe I had years ago. Just had to show him the white tape and he was fine.

[Erny]

Electric fence around the garden beds. Depends on how smart your dog is, after a few zaps, just leave the tape up and every now and again turn on the fence to remind them about garden. It worked for a dobe I had years ago. Just had to show him the white tape and he was fine.

We did that with our family's dog, when I was *cough* considerably younger. Worked a treat and we found the same - ie that after a couple of experiences and a bit of time we were able to disconnect the unit and leave the electric tape up. Eventually we took that down too (although not in a hurry) and no problems. Your dog might be finding grubs in the soil (perhaps because of all the weather you've been having) and this might have sparked his interest in digging.

[Stitch]

Thanks for all your suggestions.

I may give the sandpit idea a try although his digging is such a random thing.

I don't know that he really LOVES digging but I wish I knew what he was digging for!!!

All I know is my OH gets REALLY crabby about his garden getting dug up. Me, I don't really care except for the fact that I have to clean it up and try to disguise it before the OH sees it!!!

We can go for weeks without any digging and then - behold - the tiger pit with the plants scattered around it.

I spent up big yesterday on buying some garden fencing for the OH's favourite garden patch so at least that's safe - Dobe won't jump even a little fence - however it is pretty much impossible to fence all the garden areas we have as the gardens cover about 1/2acre of our property. We actually already have an electric fence and really it would be perfect - one zap and he would remember but it would be very difficult to install around the gardens. Maybe a hot ribbon, I will investigate that too!

Sigh!!!!!

[rubiton]

If you give them somewhere to dig as well as trying whatever you can in areas you don't want the dog to dig they usually work out that they are allowed to dig in the particular area. Ours comes back after a walk and bolts for the tree and just loves to frantically dig - if she even considers that in the grass she's in trouble and told off but left to dig around/under the tree.

When she was allowed bones she would also bury them in the dirt areas of the yard and rarely went near the grass once she understood where she was allowed to dig.

[Erny]

... it would be very difficult to install around the gardens.

My parents' property was acreage - the garden/house surrounds covered 1.5 acres. Mum is a keen gardener, and consequently we had plots all over the place. We put up the electric fence cord/tape at all the garden beds. We hooked the electronic fence unit (we used the mobile unit - ran it off a half flat car battery) on to the fence surrounding the most likely garden bed our dog would dig at. If he showed interest of giving that up but moving to another plot, we moved it again. It wasn't that difficult and he learnt within the first few days. The 'tape' (we used the orange string cord back then) was simply held by blunt wooden pegs shoved into the soil at the edges of the garden around which we wound the 'tape' until the last peg, which we tied it off to.

We had tried all manner of things before this, none of which worked and most of which 'Ben' thought was a great game. The electronic fence unit was 100% successful and proved to be the easiest as far as mucking around was concerned.

Check your State's law regarding the use of electronic systems with dogs though .