# Digging



## TippysMom (Oct 3, 2008)

I have a friend with a Cocker Spaniel who is digging up the back yard. He plays with the other dogs, has lots of toys & bones, goes for walks, gets plenty of exercise and attention - and still he digs.

Does anyone have a solution?


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

TippysMom said:


> I have a friend with a Cocker Spaniel who is digging up the back yard. He plays with the other dogs, has lots of toys & bones, goes for walks, gets plenty of exercise and attention - and still he digs.


The dog is bored. 

Playing with other dogs is great. How often does he do it? You'd be surprised to learn that many people think once a week at the dog park is sufficient play.

Toys and bones mean very little to a bored dog. Too many toys seem to be worse than just a few. I prefer giving a dog 3 or 4 toys and no more. They should be different textures. Something hard (bone), Something medium (a hard rubber toy of some king), something soft (a soft furry something), and a Kong or other food holding toy.

As for walks: Again, you would be surprised to know that most people think a walk around the block is exercise for a dog. It's nothing. Dogs need to run and play, chasing balls or frisbees or sticks or something. They need to run until they are ready to drop. A 1 or 2 mile jog would be good exercise for a dog this size.

Attention: Many dogs spend 8 or more hours at home alone each day and the owners think they get plenty of attention because they play with them for 30 mins or an hour each day.

I'm not saying that all these things apply to your friend, but some may. They are problems I have encountered in my 15 years of training dogs.

Something that will help is to build the dog a sand box in the corner of the yard and let him dig there when he feels the urge to dig. It shoudn't be too difficult to teach him that the sand box is an accpetable digging place.


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## TippysMom (Oct 3, 2008)

Actually he's got playmates that live with him. They play all day long. He has bones and soft toys too, and the walks are quite lengthy - not just around the block. 

I like the sandbox idea though - she's going to try that.

thanks for the info!!!

:biggrin:


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

After getting mad at my dogs for digging in our yard, they started digging in our sandbox on their own, clever puppies.


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## TippysMom (Oct 3, 2008)

That's funny! They are clever little creatures! She's got the sandbox & is going to hide a couple of his toys in there so he knows it's an okay place to dig....

We're keeping our fingers crossed! 

Thanks for your input!


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## Guest (Oct 18, 2008)

My Lab loves to dig and I was told by a trainer that it's because he had more energy than he knew what to do with. A sandbox is a neat idea. That would work for my Lab.


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## TippysMom (Oct 3, 2008)

The sandbox does seem to be working. He's a foster doggie (saved by Cast Off Cockers) and is going to be adopted today, so we're hoping the new family has a sandbox fo rhim to play in too! :biggrin:


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

You should definitely tell them about the digging and the sandbox, then they won't hate him when he digs up their yard and it decreases their chance of returning him. You'd be surprised how quickly people give up on dogs.


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## TippysMom (Oct 3, 2008)

Oh yes. She's told them all about him. Cast Off Cockers has one of the lowest return rates....there's pretty strict rules and we aren't supposed to make the animals out to be anything more or less that they are. He's such a precious boy! If they're the right people for him it will work out.

Thanks!!!


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