Ojay Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 Hi all, My boys, about 18 months and 12 months old, are absolute maniacs in the garden. They have eaten expensive trees, incessantly digging holes, smash into things when playing etc etc. Now they have been threatened with a rather unpleasant outcome if it does not stop, either that or they will cause a family breakdown, and that is by no means an understatement...dog lover living with dog/animal hater. It has come down to the dogs go, the garden goes or I go. Have tried many different preventive methods, such as putting their poop in the holes, citronella flakes, fencing off (this has been not too bad in some garden areas). Where they are currently digging they are doing so repeatedly and they are not just holes, they are craters. Please, any ideas.....strategies that I will be trying is chook mesh over the beds dug in at the sides with mulch over the top and read on another post here about naphtalene flakes (though am concerned about toxicity). Please...help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haven Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 Yep, peg mesh over the garden, worked like a charm on my dogs. I also made a sandpit for the dogs and taught Loki to dig on command, which is very helpful when you're gardening On a side note (and I realise this isn't practical for everyone) the dogs utilise the back yard far more than I do and as such, I'm happy for them to landscape and decorate to their liking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benji's Mum Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 OH was complaining last night that our sweet vege patch looks like a cross between Alcatraz and a bomb shelter. He would prefer everyone owned pet bilbies instead of dogs, but he's ok about them. Concrete the edges in and keep fencing. Can you build a dog run or contain them somehow and exercise them elsewhere - they may grow out of it eventually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 Hi Jaybee. Are the dogs otherwise being provided with sufficient physical and mental stimulation throughout the week? Do they 'garden' whether you are around or not, or only when you are not home? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ojay Posted November 15, 2006 Author Share Posted November 15, 2006 (edited) They could get more stimulation, couldn't they all, but I do as much as I can within my limitations, we go walking around town, long off leash walks nearly every week up the busy, we play ball in the yard regularly and tug of war. Fact is I am not there 3 days a week to keep it up every day. They do it whether we are there or not, nothing that springs to mind seems to make much difference Oh and there is another fence off area that they can utilise but OH doesn't want them in there (goodness knows why) because they dug holes in the corners.......arrrgggghhh....... the ultimatum I am faced with today is keep the garden or keep the dogs. Edited November 15, 2006 by jaybee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tara and Sam Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 have you tried putting hot chilli praprika powder in the holes ? I used that for my little girl when she started digging holes , I would sprinkle some in the hole and then she seemed to stop , I didnt have trees eaten by my male dog , but he wouldnt stay of the garden , so I fenced the whole edges of garden with chicken wire for abt 12 months , and now he wont go on garden , my male dog has one hole only undr a large Frangepani tree near corner of house ,which he dug years ago , I have let him keep that hole for coolness in summer and warmth in winter , as it by our gates and he can see who comes and goes also , its like a comfort zone for him , he wasnt too bad with the digging , it was the girl who did it more , but the chilli powder certainly worked with her I use to use a spray from the pet shop ,( cant think of the name ) that I sprayed on my feet when I whent outside as my male dog used to attack my feet , he hated the smell and eventually stopped , maybe you could try something like that around edges of garden also , good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 They could get more stimulation, couldn't they all, but I do as much as I can within my limitations, we go walking around town, long off leash walks nearly every week up the busy, we play ball in the yard regularly and tug of war. Fact is I am not there 3 days a week to keep it up every day. I'm hearing you when you say you put in as much as you can. But I am getting the feeling that what they are getting isn't quite enough particularly as they are now in what would be their most energetic (physically as well as mentally) period of life. When you're not there for the 3 days per week, what quality interaction/exercise are the dogs receiving from your OH? Do you notice ANY decrease in the digging behaviour on the days the dogs DO receive a good portion of mental/physical stimulation? Provide them with a sand pit and teach them they CAN did there and NOT elsewhere (that will also involve preventative measures to the other areas as there will be a good element of learnt behaviour). IF digging is the result of pent up energy, stopping the digging may well result in behaviour manifesting itself in other (quite probably undesireable) ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ojay Posted November 15, 2006 Author Share Posted November 15, 2006 I'm hearing you Erny. They don't get any interaction or away from home exercise when I am not there.....he's an animal hater so getting them fed is all that I can ask for. There is no change in their behaviour on a day to day basis, as in there is no pattern with my absence. The kids have a sandpit but the dogs don't utilise it for anything. By sandpit do you mean the wading clam type? If I get one, how do I reshape their digging behaviour? Am not sure what they are going after, whether it is bugs in the ground etc, as they go after three or four particular spots. He wants to tie them up but that will only make it worse, as in they will start yapping and fighting. I'll couple any changes with wire mesh over the problem areas to prevent them digging where I don't want them to. I guess I will start with the sand clam/pit by burying smelly treats in there etc......any other thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 (edited) I'm hearing you Erny. They don't get any interaction or away from home exercise when I am not there.....he's an animal hater so getting them fed is all that I can ask for. ......any other thoughts? Only that providing stimulus control (ie the sandpit) is something that may help, but I am not confident it will do the trick to the extent you require if the cause of the problem is boredom and/or attention seeking. IF I am right and IF this IS the cause, then how to fix the problem without removing the cause of the problem is problematic in itself. Have you given thought to hiring a dog walker on each of the days the dogs otherwise would not receive physical/mental stimulation? The CAUSE of the problem needs to be addressed. Then your efforts to alter the behaviour the dogs have LEARNT as a result will have a higher chance for success. Sticking a bandaid on an infected wound, without addressing the infection, is not going to cure it ..... Edited November 15, 2006 by Erny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benji's Mum Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 Get some really big bones from the butcher. Bang saucepans and show displeasure when you catch them in the act. Old pavers can weigh down edges of fencing more easily than concreting, depends how determined they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruthless Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 (edited) although i agree with erny, a short term solution we found was to fill in the holes and then put dog repellant crystals on them. our husky tried to dig under the fence 5 times in 2 days. the crystals stopped him. eta you can get them in bunnings, about $10 a bottle Edited November 15, 2006 by ruthless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pandii Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 Jaybee I have nothing to offer, Erny seems to have some great ideas If you need to vent MSN me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ojay Posted November 15, 2006 Author Share Posted November 15, 2006 Alas have not got the spare $$$ for a dog walker at present. Bones are a good idea Benji's Mum, except one is quite dominant and will aggressively attack the other one when bones are present. I also have not yet caught them in the act. Even when you go crook at the older one, he taunts you barking and laughing at you saying ner ner ya can't catch me ...suck eggs....he's a right so n so that boy. Potentially the cause may be attention seeking Erny, but not quite sure. They are very happy with each others company, play for ages good n hard too, sleep in the house and have free access in and out to the entry foyer where their beds are, HUGE yard for their play, lots of toys, can see out the front for variety and things to yap at, bones every day....just me gone two-three days each week which does not change their behaviour at all. They get a BARF type diet so not full of artificial stuff to hype them up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ojay Posted November 15, 2006 Author Share Posted November 15, 2006 although i agree with erny, a short term solution we found was to fill in the holes and then put dog repellant crystals on them. our husky tried to dig under the fence 5 times in 2 days. the crystals stopped him.eta you can get them in bunnings, about $10 a bottle Yep did that last week, made absolutely no difference. Nor does spices or chillies, they love them to eat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benji's Mum Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 It sounds like there are just no boundaries and they are running riot together - can you separate them to calm it down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ojay Posted November 15, 2006 Author Share Posted November 15, 2006 Yes I think that is part of the problem Benji's Mum, they do run riot together and the worst time are in their after dinner play and first thing in the morning. The parts of the garden that do have barriers they do not cross into very much and don't go through there full pelt, nor have they dug in those parts at all lately. I have suggested these preventive measures to OH in the past on many occasions but he has chosen not to do anything about it for whatever reason. So far, I will be meshing the garden, covering the mesh with mulch, putting the sand pit in the place they are currently so interested in then, bury the stinky treats in it for them to dig for (will even bury crickets in there for them), then will move teh sand pit gradually over time to a more suitable location. Will put them in the other part of the yard that is fenced off at high risk times and/or when they can not be supervised....just hope they learn to hold their water overnight when locked inside, thankfully the floor is tiled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zia's Nuthouse Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 Try putting their own poop in their holes. Works wonders for mine, they hate their own body waste :D I know it doesn't solve the cause though, but mine tried a few more holes, and gave up when I kept piling them up with their own poop :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benji's Mum Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 You can try to set them up for failure and catch them in the act, so the message gets thru loud and clear a few times. Hang around the area where they dig and if they do - Bang away. Will probably work better if they are separated. Clutching at straws now, good luck. Hope things calm down after the teenager stage is finished. Keep reminding him they are only pups, they will grow up soon and be really good (hopefully!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ojay Posted November 15, 2006 Author Share Posted November 15, 2006 Try putting their own poop in their holes. Works wonders for mine, they hate their own body waste :D I know it doesn't solve the cause though, but mine tried a few more holes, and gave up when I kept piling them up with their own poop :D Been there done that, it provides a short term deterrent until the poop breaks down then they are back at that spot and in another spot in the interim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 Been there done that, it provides a short term deterrent until the poop breaks down then they are back at that spot and in another spot in the interim Yes - this is what normally occurs. You need to keep "re-loading" or the effect will wear off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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