dog digging up my plants!! HELP!!

littlemissteapot_2

my 8 month old springer is diggin up every palnt in my garden just for the fun of it! He doesn't eat them or anything just digs them up and leaves them on the ground! I've tried the firm NO! & taning him to the pot & showing him & saying in a firm voice NO!! He knows he does wrong as when I open the door he runs into his pen!! He's got loads of toys etc in the garden & has 3 walks a day so it can't be boredom?? Is there a deterent I can use?? Help he's driving me mad with it!!

Thanks in advance x

pboae

There are different reasosn why dogs dig, you need to know why he's doing it to know how to try and stop it.

Dogs that are left outside for long periods can do it instinctively as a means to make outdoor shelter. (They can do this even if they have a perfectly good shelter already, it's just an instinct that kicks in).

They do it because they find interesting things to eat. Manure and compost can smell good to a dog. Underground animals, like rabbits and moles can attract their interest.

They do it to try and escape, usually then it is focussed at the fence/wall edge rather than randomly in the garden.

They do it for attention.

But most dogs do it because it's great fun and keeps them entertained.

I will assume it's the latter, but if you have reason to think it is one of the others you will need to approach it differently. First you need to find other wats to entertain him. Having loads of toys isn't enough, he probably wants you to play with them as well. Telling him NO or showing him the pot is not going to have any effect on him. Digging is far too self rewarding for that to help.

So approach it from 2 angles, distract him whenever you think he is going to start digging, and play with him. Second, create a digging pit area for him where he can dig as much as he wants. Dig in it yourself, encourage him to come over and dog there too. Bury toys and treats in it to encourage him to dig there, and give him lots of praise when he does.

littlemissteapot_2

thanks pboae. I should have mentioned thats its just the pots with the flowers in he is digging he doesn't dig anywhere else!

Happychappy

I think you really should count yourself very fortunate that he sticks to the flower pots ? my little beauty has moved on from pots

My little digger

littlemissteapot_2

Happychappy wrote: »

I think you really should count yourself very fortunate that he sticks to the flower pots ? my little beauty has moved on from pots

My little digger

whoooo is that your dog?? :eek: what did you do when he did that??

Happychappy

Well he seemed so happy digging up the roads and I thought he has a good few years left in him, and I was really concerned about the damage he could do to his paws, so I spent a lot of money having him trained and he passed all his tests with flying colours. :j

He is now a full time working dog He even helped out at the new Wembley stadium, but doesnt like football.

My little digger all trained up

pboae

littlemissteapot wrote: »

thanks pboae. I should have mentioned thats its just the pots with the flowers in he is digging he doesn't dig anywhere else!

Ah, that actually makes it easier then. You can still make him a digging pot, something like a rubbery plastic trug would be good, and put it with his other toys, to make it clear that it is his. Let him see you bury some toys in it so that he has something to dig out.

You can protect your plants by putting chicken wire over the top of pots, the plants will grow through it, but it takes all the fun out of digging (it also works to stop cats using them as litter trays!).