Digging

Does your dog dig? One hole after another? Always digging up the holes you've just filled? Digging out of the yard?
1st lets address why dogs dig.

• Boredom
• Need an outlet for energy
• To bury things
• Place to stay cool
• Digging for rodents

Now that we have a few reasons for why dog's dig how do we solve the problem?

1st start by assessing

• Is your dog getting exercise? Does he/she have an outlet for their energy?
• No? Try a walk/bike ride before you leave for the day. Through the ball in the backyard or at your local park.
• Is your dog getting any mental stimulation when you are home?
• Join a training class and practice during the week to engage your dogs mind and to exhaust them mentally. Teach your dog new tricks, even if they are pointless, this will keep their mind busy. Play games with your dog.. hiding their toys, or treats and teaching them to find them.
• Does your dog have anything to entertain itself with when left alone?
• No? Try toys... A kong filled with peanut butter, or freeze chicken noodle soup in a kong for your pup to lick at all day. Get a treat ball for your dog. Buster Cube balls work great! Fill it up with treats and your pup will be busy for hours moving it around to get all the treats out. Or hide treats for your dog - take a handful of treats or break them up into small pieces and sprinkle them around the yard in various places each day and your dog will spend his time finding all of the treats. Make sure to leave your pup with a nylabone or sterilized beef bone to chew on. 
• Maybe he/she needs a space to dig?
• Try giving your pup a designated area to dig. Teach them to dig in this one area. Or you can get a kiddie pool or sandbox and fill it with dirt or sand and teach them to dig in this spot.
• Does your dog have a cool place in the yard?
• Make sure your pup has a shaded cool place to lie down. Or provide a kiddie pool with a shallow amount of water for them to cool off in
• Do you have rodents in your yard?
• If your pup is trying to get at, or keep the rodents out of your yard, look into calling an exterminator or looking up pet safe ways to keep rodents away.
• Is your dog spayed or neutered?
• It is very common for an unaltered dog to want to get out to find a mate. Think about altering your dog. There are many many health benefits for your dog in neutering or spaying your pup, in addition to saving your yard.
• Do you have to leave your dog outside unsupervised?
• This is the simplest solution if it is possible. If they aren't left outside unsupervised they won't dig holes. 
• Is your dog always burying his bones?
• Don't give him/her the bones he/she buries when they are outside

If you have assessed these options and reasons why your dog may be digging and have tried implementing above here are some additional tips and tricks to help stop your digging pup.

• What to do with the holes and dogs that dig out
• Try burying their poop in the hole (unless they are a poop eater)
• Try partly filling the hole with dirt, covering it with chicken wire, then cover with dirt again. The idea is the dog doesn't like the feel of the wire on their paws, and you can plant grass seed the grass will grow through the chicken wire. 
• Bury a balloon in the holes, and your dog will get a big surprise when he/she goes to dig again. (Make sure that your dog is not the kind of dog that will eat the balloon remnants if you try this)

I hope this information helps you and your digging friend.

Feel free to contact me for more information or advice if these tips and tricks don't work for you

trainer@pawsinprogress.com

www.pawsinprogress.com

(916) 735-7496

Have a diggity dog good day!

~Eleza

Whining

Why do they do it?

1. How they get attention from their mothers at an early age
2. Seeking attention
3. Uncomfortable
4. Pain
5. Uncomfortable in a new environment (crate etc.)
6. Bored
7. Lonely
8. Needs to go potty
9. Unused Energy
10. Hungry or Thirsty
11. Whine because it works
12. Fear
13. Excited
14. Anxious
15. Could be caused by separation anxiety

Things to ensure before you try corrections

1. Dry, Warm, Safe, Comfy area
2. Make sure dog is fed and watered
3. Take dog out to potty
4. Tasty dog chew toys are accessible (nylabone, sterilized beef bones, kong filled with peanut butter   etc.)
5. Burn off energy- Leash walks, Games (find it, fetch etc.), brain stimulation obedience training
6. Your scent in their crate or space - old shirt
7. Trip to the vet if there is any chance they are in pain
8. Wrapping an old ticking clock up in a towel
9. Never reward undesirable behavior

Things to try
1. Increases with reinforcement, Decreases without reinforcement
2. Ignore the behavior - no matter how hard it may be
3. Some dogs take anything as a reward - yelling at the dog even though its negative attention is still attention.
4. Squirt bottle - Don't let the dog see you squirt (him/her) it should surprise the dog enough to break the whinning
5. Covering the crate
6. Air horn, Shaker can (making a noise that will startle the dog enough to interrupt the behavior)
7. Teaching them how to whine - so its on cue (if you have the on switch you have an off switch.)