Your puppy is just perfect! He doesn’t chew on your shoes or your furniture or your newspaper. She goes outside to do her business. He doesn’t bark needlessly. She doesn’t bite or nip. It’s all going so well, especially for a feisty toy breed dog such as a Pomeranian puppy for sale in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Until you start to notice the holes in the yard. Perhaps they were subtle and small, so you didn’t notice until your foot slipped into one, and you almost fell and twisted your ankle. Or were along the fence line, where you don’t normally go. Either way, what’s going on and how can you stop it?
First, remember that like any other behaviors, unless you catch them in the act, punishing them won’t help. They won’t associate the punishment with a past behavior or action; instead they will associate it with whatever they just did.
Secondly, you need to figure out why they are digging. It’s not like they are doing it just to make you angry or to be destructive. He or she will have a reason. Some reasons why dogs dig include: boredom, hunting, seeking comfort or protection, or trying to escape.
A dog or puppy may dig when he or she is bored and has nothing else to do. This may happen if they are left outside alone for long periods of time with no other sources of play. In addition, some terrier breeds, such as Yorkshire Terrier puppies for sale in Ohio and Pennsylvania, were original bred as diggers, so it’s in their genes and instincts to dig. Or perhaps they’ve seen you dig recently while gardening or otherwise working in the yard and want to try it, too. To alleviate boredom make sure that your dog is getting enough exercise by taking him or her on frequent walks, once or twice a day. You may be thinking, “But that’s what they yard is for, so he’ll exercise there!” However, this does not provide the same exercise benefits that a lengthy walk provides. Just like people benefit more from a cardio session than just walking around doing chores around the house. Also, make sure he or she has interesting toys to play with in the yard. And rotate these out to keep things interesting. Some useful toys for engaging a dog’s interest are the kinds that have treats hidden in them. Make sure that your dog isn’t spending too much time outside alone; there may be some separation anxiety issues at work, too.
Another reason dogs dig might be because they are hunting some sort of prey animal such as a rabbit, squirrel, snake, chipmunk, mouse, or mole or even insects. This is especially common amongst dog breeds that were bred for hunting, such as Cavalier Spaniel puppies for sale in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Signs of this are if the holes are dog in a sort of line or path, at the base of trees, or in a particular section of the yard. Try looking for other signs of burrowing animals such as holes or mole hills. Try and get rid of the pests using safe humane methods such as traps or fencing or repellant plants. Be careful of using anything dangerous or toxic as this could be harmful for your dog, as well.
Another reason your dog might dig is that he or she is looking for comfort or protection. If it’s particularly warm outside, your dog may be instinctively looking for cooler dirt to lie on than the warmer surface ground.
Finally, your dog, such as Yorkie Poo puppies for sale in Ohio and Pennsylvania – see here how look this dog breed – may be trying to escape the yard. This could be for some of the above reasons, such as being bored or chasing after another animal, such as prey animals, cats, or other dogs. Some solutions to this might be to bury chicken wire along your fence line or burying your fence line another one or two feet in the ground. Some of the other solutions can also work here: increasing exercise, introducing more toys and entertainment, and not leaving them outside unsupervised for lengthy periods of time.Read More