HELP! I've got a Digger!

[Baxter's Mommy]

Hi everyone,
I've got a 3 year old small black lab who has no probblem staying outside. I've recently adopted a 2 year old Black Lab/Chow mix rescue. She is very very sweet and well trained inside when I'm home but.... She's a digger! She's been in the neighbors back yards already. I'm afraid they're both going to get loose. Any advice on how to stop this? I work too far away to make lunchtime visits. Leaving them inside durng the day is not an option, because they are both chewers!

[deidra]

I would get a crate for them and keep them in it while at work and if you can ask someone to come and let them out during the day to play. I do that for someone and it has helped a lot. For when you are home I would get a small sand box for them to dig in. when they dig in the yard correct them and put them in the sand box and give them toys to dig. I don;t know what your finances are but if you have the money could you hire someone to pour concrete under your fence? Or put another fence down under ground so when they dig they hit a fence or concrete.

[Tanya]

don't leave them outside unsupervised. sorry - there is no magic way to train a dog to behave when you are not watching. so you have to set them up for sucess.

[FLMike]

I had a dog previously that would dig herself out of the yard at every opportunity (didn't leave her out all day, but if you put her out and got a phone call, she was gone). When to a family supply store and a single wire electric fence to run along the bottom of the fence line. She touched it twice and never went near it again. I only had it plugged in for the first two days then never plugged it in again.... didn't hurt her but scared her...

[CindersMyGirl]

Thank God it's not a Duggar or you'd have 19!!!

[Sophiesmama]

I have seen several members that have poured a concrete runner along their fence line. There is really no way to stop a dog from digging when you aren't home. They can get into all sorts of mischief when left alone.

[deidra]

Just thought I wouls say I didn't mean for the dog to be out by itself and to help stop the digging that is why i mentioned the sand box since I think it was on Its me or the dog that Victoria did that with a dog and it helped with the digging.

[michaelbb]

I know we have used 4 x 4 pressure treated lumber that we got a the local Home Depot or lowes or other places, Nope not expensive, why, ask for the rejected or left over stuff and they practically give it too you.

I've also used patio blocks or cement blocks, I've see chain link fence used , harder to put in but it works, with our two labs, I already have a cement block over a hole they dug, and put up black silt fence to block off the corner where the wife's Hosta's are, they already dug one up. Spring time is going to be fun around here. Putting in a new deck this summer and underneith is going to be dirt, which will lead to more holes, Oh boy, Lab's + dirt + inground pool = MUD, Yippee,

[Sams Mom]

Bury poop where she digs. Most dogs don't like to dig up poop.Failing that, keep the dogs inside except for potty breaks and supervised play.

[Mark_J]

There is no scenario where locking two dogs up in a cage all day is better than keeping them outside and teaching them where they are allowed to dig.

Make a sandbox, use play sand or beach sand and then before you leave each day bury a few things in the sand, chew toys, hard treats, and things like that. They will love how the soft sand digs and finding worthwhile rewards for digging in there will help teach them where to dig.