pup digging

[dkhtr]

I have had 6 labs over the years and consider myself lucky I guess as non of them have been diggers.  I now have a 9 month yellow that is digging in the yard.  I think he is after vols or moles in the yard but he is yet to catch one!!!  I haven't caught him digging (sneaky! ) and haven't been able to correct this behavior.  He is progressing nicely with other training like obedience, fetching, etc.  I've taken him to fresh digs and tried correcting him but my experience from past dogs is they really need to be corrected within a couple minutes of the action for it to take.  Any ideas on how I can get it across to him?  I keep trying to catch him but like I said he's real sneaky about it.  Any thoughts/suggestions woud be appreciated.  Thanks

[gasman]

If he diggs up the same hole, blow up a balloon and bury it in the hole. When he dis it up again and pops it, it will scare  the crap out of him. 

[rtspring]

My dad when I was younger always put pepper seeds or chili powder where they were digging..  Once they get that they usually stop....


good luck

[CAMPMEAT]

My female Rott did the same thing. I took her to the hole and crammed a handful of dirt in her mouth and held her mouth shut until she started freaking out. That was the last time she did it. It's called tough puppy love....

[windygorge]

pepper always seems to work for my yellow lab.  he's not a digger, but when he's inside he likes sneaking up on the counters to get nibblets of stuff on our counter or plates.  at night we put ceyenne pepper on a plate, woke up the next morning and he had licked it...once.  then its fine for a while, then we will have to do it again if we notice he is jumping on the counters.  can't ever catch him in the act.  but the pepper thing does wonders.  i would try that for sure if he's digging. just be consistant to break habits.  if you find a new hole put the pepper in it.  eventually he will stop.

[Bigshooter]

He's bored and needs more exercise .

[windygorge]

 

He's bored and needs more exercise .

totally agree.  my yellow will start doing things out of his character when he is bored. 

[Helix]

I agree he's bored.  Work him more/play more.  I've also seen this when our dogs have knocked over their water and get thirsty.  If he is digging for moles you might want to let him keep at it.  If that is the reason then he'll stop when they are gone.  I'd rather the dog dig and get the moles than have mole hills all year.  the moles have been horrible the last 2 years. 

To activley train him to stop, I would put him on a very long line with no tention and a training collar not a nylon/leather collar, and let him go around the other side of the house.  Be sneeky yourself and let him get into his digging.  Then while he is in the act give a hard correction.  We did this with jumping on the glass door and it worked in 3 corrections.