HELP - Need Yard/Digging Ideas

CherylB · Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 7:15 pm Post subject: HELP - Need Yard/Digging Ideas

We just had our backyard done, and we have a dog area on the side of the house for when we need to leave (otherwise they are in the house.)

Here's the problem - they have destroyed the grass we just had put in. Shadow was never a digger, but Sandy apparently taught him. So now there are holes all over their yard. Everytime we fill in the holes, they appear again. Also, they have access to the entire yard when we are out there with them, and they do not dig anywhere in the main yard. Just in their area, when we are gone.

So what do we do? We are toying with a few different ideas.
1. Give up and let nature take it's course - hoping that when they are 3 or so...we can put down new sod and they will be old enough to leave it alone.

2. Take a portion of the grass out, and leave as dirt/add sand so that they have a designated digging area. If we do this, we need a solution to make sure they don't dig out under the fence because that is one of their digging spots...

The door/fence to their area is right next to our patio so I really don't want it to be ugly...But I don't want to fight the inevitable. They don't dig in front of us, but definitely dig if we leave them out there. It's not an option to leave them inside unless they are crated, so I'd really like to be able to leave them out there when we need to leave for extended hours during the day.

Anyone have ideas about the digging? Also - how do I make sure they don't dig under the fence??

Thanks. We are new house and dog owners, so are really not sure how to solve this one.

Here is what the area looked like (before the digging). It's not usually this empty. It normally also has a dog house, toys, small pool, food, etc...

And here is just so you can see how close it is to the patio.

lmtoth2 · Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 7:31 pm Post subject:

My opinion is that they are digging because they are bored. I know you don't like this option, but I would not leave them outside when you are gone. I would either crate them or have a dog proof room to leave them in.
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CherylB · Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 7:45 pm Post subject:

I have no doubt they get bored...because they are used to 24/7 entertainment from my two toddlers. They really are hardly ever alone. However we have to go to specialist appointments for my son that require us to travel...and be gone almost the entire day. And on occasion go visit family for the day. So it seems even more cruel to leave them crated for 12 hours at a time. That is why I think I'd rather they destroy that part of the yard for now, and not be crated that long. If we are going to my parents, we take them with us and they play with the other dogs, but I can't do that when it's doctor appointments...

We also can't figure out a place in the house that is safe. We don't have an "extra" bedroom - and the laundry room is too small. We tried using an expen in the kitchen, but Shadow jumps out of the tallest one we could find...

SadieFern · Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 8:10 pm Post subject:

Have you tried putting their poop in the holes and then covering them up again? This works for us. Otherwise, let them have at it and worry about it later. Maybe they'll get bored with it. Poop in the hole has always worked for us though!
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Lucee&Rusty · Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 2:11 am Post subject:

Our two are diggers at the moment too. We are hoping it is just a passing puppy phase. Poop in holes that they have already dug works for us too. We had a huge crater in the middle of the backyard that they would dig in every time we refilled it. We filled it with a poop load and covered it with soil and no one has dug there since. We have also been toying with the idea of having a designated digging area.
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Jac · Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 7:08 am Post subject:

I agree that 12 hours is much too long to leave them crated, but I also agree that crating is probably the best option. Left to their own devises, they will probably continue to dig...and when bored with digging may start chewing on the fence and house...and anything else they can get...BUT, don't get discouraged... Wink

Is there anyone in your neighborhood that would come over and spend an hour or so with them to break up the days? That would be especially nice if they could come twice a day. If they get your dogs tired, they will likely sleep while you are away.
I have heard of the poop in the hole idea and it probably works, but they will just find another place, I think.
The problem is bordom, I believe. You have a lovely yard and the dog area is beautiful. I am sorry that they are digging there.
Since they don't do it when you are home, it is hard to stop.
Maybe you could set up an inexpensive camera/audio combination to watch and then say "uh uhhh!" when they dig! LOL (Grasping at straws here.)
What about hiring a dog walker? Or taking them to doggie day care on those days you are gone?
This article doesn't give a lot of help with the problem, but may help to understand why your dogs are digging: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1388

About the fence and your fear that they will dig under it...that is a very legitimate fear...and I think you are right.
Be sure that they are microchipped in case they do get out...talk to your neighbors and ask them to look around while you are gone to make sure they are not seeing outside signs of digging...and you could install some deeply burried wire or brick under the fence, either from along the outside or inside...but give them a barrier that they will have a hard time getting past.
We used bricks and 4X4 boards, but our home was not in a neighborhood where the appearance would be troublesome.
You can get dog fences that are burried deeply into the soil...and since the area is relatively small, it should not cost a great deal...I'd check with fencing companies to see what they suggest.
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L's Mom · Senior Member Joined: 15 Feb 2008 Posts: 1092 Location: GA

We did the poop in the whole thing, it seems to have worked. It took a few weeks, but, I think they have stopped now... except when we go to the lake... then they go CRAZY!!
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emilee · Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 2:13 pm Post subject:

what about paving the entire area with concrete? or some kind of paving stones, or a porous surface so rainwater, etc. can still soak into the ground? they don't *need* grass to pee on. you'd just have to clean it out every so often.

-em

hmz819 · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 2:30 pm Post subject:

I just got my yard done and made my girls a sandbox. They can dig in there all they want and hopefully they will leave the rest of the yard alone. You could actually make a bottom to the box that way they can't dig out.
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He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion-Unknown

Digger 3 · Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 7:28 am Post subject:

When my dog was a puppy he was digging holes all over the yard and I put Cayenne pepper or hot pepper sauce in the holes. He stopped almost immediately. This is what our trainer told us to do.
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doodleallday · Junior Member Joined: 27 Jul 2006 Posts: 72

i think you need to determine why they are digging. there are reasons other than boredom, actually. My Libby digs for prey (little chipmunks and things). Some dogs like to bury things and dig them up later, some like to hide left over food in the holes. What worked for Libby was putting a few large rocks in the holes she dug and then covering it over with soil. When she started to dig up her hole, she hit the rocks and stopped.

CherylB · Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 2:19 pm Post subject:

Thanks everyone...I'm going to try a suggestion at a time and see if I can salvage their area. I really want them to have the outside option rather than just their crate...as long as they can be safe in the meantime. I'd rather they not dig, but will get over it as long as they don't escape. They are microchipped, but honestly, I don't trust people in this area. I am not convinced they would come back to me unless an actual city person found them. I've heard of way too many people just keeping the stray animal that wandered by their door...

I'm not convinced I trust the neighbor boys either to come and play, but just maybe they can be trusted as long as they all stay in our backyard... This is the hard part about living in a new city! But I'm going to try a few of the remedies to stop the digging - but I'm really thinking they need a digging area. I think Sandy just likes to dig. She was an outside dog her first 6 months so I'm thinking she is just used to digging. Now to figure out how to do that...Neither of us are "handy" people, so that will be our next challenge.