Dog digging out - Paw Talk

kristabelle1224 · #1 05-16-2004, 07:51 PM

I have a 6 month old puppy she has been spayed but she keeps digging out from under the fence. Tonight she has gotten out twice and ended up in the neighbors house. I dont know what to do. Does anyone have any idea's of what i can do to stop her from doing this. If she continues and i dont catch her doing it she will get hit by a car.
Does anyone have any ideas ? Her brother has yet to try anything like this yet.

Pure14K · #2 05-16-2004, 08:00 PM

Dogs dig for a number of reasons: to cool off, chase rodents, bury and retrieve bones, escape confinement, or just for the fun of it.

Digging commonly occurs when pets are left alone with insufficient stimulation. Provide your dog with stimulating chew toys, increased play and exercise, and perhaps even a second pet.

Try these methods to discourage digging: remote punishment (turning on a sprinkler, pulling on an extended leash, tossing a tin can containing a few pebbles near the pet), changing or covering the surface (by placing rocks over the area or covering with concrete). For some dogs the most practical solution is to provide a digging area and to reinforce appropriate digging. Bury chicken wire where they like to dig (if you chose to use this solution, make sure you place bricks/rocks near the edge of the wire, so the dog doesn't hurt itself on the wire). Bury bricks where they like to dig. Bury an electric underground fence where they like to dig. Fill their holes with water. Fill their holes with their own stool. Unfortunately, these tactics usually are not successful for the vigilant diggers. They pose some mental stimulation for them, making them contemplate the situation and search for a new place to dig.

kristabelle1224 · #3 05-16-2004, 08:20 PM

she is stimulated. she has her brother with her and the two of them are always together. They have a ton of toys out there for them to play with and they come in the house and I play with them all the time. My daughter is outside with them too playing. Its only the female that digs. She has a playmate her brother. I am going to fill it with rocks. But i had another dog that filling the holes with all that stuff didn't work..

Deja · #4 05-16-2004, 08:28 PM

I totally agree with Nicole.

What breed is your puppy? Some breeds are diggers by nature.
I'd start with reinforcing the areas where she's been digging out. Then I would make sure she wasn't spending hours alone in the yard. Discourage her as mentioned above.

Providing lots of stimulating toys is vital as an alternative to digging. There are toys that hold treats and when pushed around will deliver a small treat. This often keeps them busy and motivated for quite a long time. Of course, nothing can be as stimulating or replace constructive time spent with you!

When she is out in the yard does she have access to fresh clean water at all times?
When she escapes - does she always go straight to the same place? A little investigation might lead you to what is triggering her to dig herself out.

kristabelle1224 · #5 05-16-2004, 08:47 PM

she is really only out for as long as she wants to be out there. Her brother scratches at the door to say let me in please and most times she has to be dragged back inside she likes outside for some reason. They are suppost to be Husky and Shepard mix. I got her from the SPCA when they were 8 weeks old.. They both almost died. The thing is she looks more shepard then her brother he looks more husky. And he has never tried to dig out before. He got out the front door but that was because the kids left the door open. They have clean water outside.

The other thing she does the annoys my mom's dog is the fact she tries to lick my moms dog's ears and it bothers her because she has a tumor in her ear.

Any idea's on that.

Pure14K · #6 05-16-2004, 09:14 PM

Well I do know that huskies are notorious diggers... Just a fyi

Formula86 · #7 05-16-2004, 10:31 PM

what kind of fence do you have? wood or chain link or other? i don't know how probable this is, but you can dig out troughs underneath the entire fence and fill it with concrete. then cover the concrete with dirt and grass so you can't see it. there won't be anything to dig then. if you just put rocks, those may get dislodged. hope it all works out!

Chinchilla_Girl · #8 05-17-2004, 04:02 AM

my suggestions are the chicken wire buried into the ground from the bottom of the fence, paving stones along the fence line, or the invisible fence system with the buried wire. We went with the invisible fence because our dogs can hop the chain link fence and since we are renting, we can't put a higher fence up. This keeps my digger from trying to dig under the fence and my jumper from hopping over it. It also keeps over excited pitbulls from barking at people with their noses against the fence which many people find scarey...instead they end up standing 3 feet away from the fence just watching people.

Chinchilla_Girl · #9 05-17-2004, 04:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kristabelle1224


	The other thing she does the annoys my mom's dog is the fact she tries to lick my moms dog's ears and it bothers her because she has a tumor in her ear. Any idea's on that.

Dogs often clean each other's ears. Kali and Orion are always doing that and Orion has an ear fettish anyway...he has to do the sniff, sniff, sniff, lick,lick,lick on EVERYONE'S ears no matter what the species! Especially on human pierced ears! It may also be with your dog licking your mom's dog's ears that your dog can smell that tumor and it trying to clean it. I'm not sure what you can do about discouraging the ear licking thing...If you figure it out, let me know! Orion's ear fettish drives me crazy! Especially when he insists on cleaning my ears! He's so forceful about it all you can do is let him do his thing...trying to push him away doesn't work!

kristabelle1224 · #10 05-17-2004, 09:56 AM

she does it to only the dogs. to her brother and my mom's dog. I don't know what to do. We haven't operated on my mom's dog's ear because of her age. And I wanted to cement the whole undeside of the fence but no one listened to me. I might get some chicken wire and dig it down and bend it and clip it on to the bottom of the fence. She looks more Shepard then her brother I see the husky in him but shepard in her.

I am going to have to do something. They are just babies and don't want to give them up. they are real nice just don't get the idea of not digging. I think i am going to just make it a point of who ever lets her out has to stay out side with her until she comes in..