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How I Stopped My Puppy from Digging Up My Garden
S. Gene PetsameCuring your digging puppy isn't easy, but it can be done!
Having a dog in the family is a joy, all things considered. I've always been a dog person – although I'm not sure what that says about me ... they are just such funny creatures, friendly, loyal, so entertaining and a comfort when you're feeling blue.However, there's that puppy stage. An integral part of the puppy stage is digging, just where you don't want them to dig. They like to bury their treasures, tear up your vegetable garden and destroy your flower garden, all for the sake of digging.
My beloved German Shepherd was the happiest animal on the planet. Bless her, she's now gone on to dog heaven. In her youth, she was the most avid digging puppy you'd ever hope to find.
As a puppy, she indulged in the digging puppy avocation like there was no tomorrow. I wish I'd known then what I know now!
My daughter and I naively spent days and days, improving rock laden clay soil, about four feet wide and 150 feet out to the road, just so I could plant a bevy of annuals and perennials to beautify the landscape. It was hard work and she attended us every inch of the way.
After digging out the rocks, double digging the clay and applying truckloads of compost, we had the perfect soil for our stunning display of flowers. My daughter and I collected hundreds of spectacular volcanic rocks as edging.
Then we went to the nursery. We were so proud of our efforts, looking forward to filling this entry with a lovely display of flowers.
We planted everything in a day. The next day was shopping day. When we returned home, there she was, prancing proudly around with a large chrysanthemum in her mouth.
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The entire garden was destroyed!
Every plant had been either trampled or dug up! Even at the time, we
could see the humor of it, but nonetheless, the garden was done for,
kaput!
Our happy digging puppy had done a thorough job of decimating all of our hard work.
We were clueless. I later investigated how this disaster might have been prevented. Here's what I found.
Puppies are inclined to dig. Nothing is off limits. What you need to do
to deter your digging puppy is to understand this annoying behavior.
Freshly dug dirt, particularly when enhanced with fertilizer and
compost, is an irresistible invitation. Digging, rolling in and making
your garden bed their own is a delight beyond measure for a puppy.
If you've worked the ground to this delectable state, you need to
install a fence of chicken wire around it, to a height of at least
three feet. The chicken wire should be buried in the ground about a
foot below the surface.
Should your digging puppy attempt to dig under, the wire will make it
less attractive as their paws and claws encounter this hindrance.
Never leave your puppy unsupervised in the garden area. If you need to
leave the property, put your puppy on a leash or in a kennel run, well
away from the garden.
Provide your puppy with a special digging area, filled with soft,
freshly dug dirt that's just for him. Meanwhile, as an extra deterrent,
blow up some balloons and bury them in your garden.
Should this errant digging puppy somehow circumvent the fencing, a
balloon popping in her face will form unpleasant associations with
messing in your area.
Now for a slightly gross, but effective trick. Gather up some of
puppy's poop with a pooper scooper and lace your garden with these
castoffs! Dogs instinctively are repelled from areas containing their
leavings.
If you catch your digging puppy in the act, have a hose handy and let her have it!
Much like the balloons, the surprise of the consequence will soon teach them that greener pastures lie elsewhere!
Good luck. Nip this habit in the bud. Being ignorant of these tactics at the time, we eventually turned the garden over to her shenanigans.
Read the next Puppy Behavior and Training article on Learn How To Potty Train Your Puppy