by Craig CleminsDigging and Stealing food from the trash are two of the most common dog behavior problems that dog owners face. This article will look at ways to overcome these two problems.
Firstly let’s get to the bottom of Digging. Dogs dig for a number of reasons, they might find it fun, they may be bored or frustrated, they may be able to smell something interesting such as a rat or any other kind of garden rodent, or they may in fact be trying to escape.
If you think that your dog may be bored and frustrated, start stimulating its mind more. Daily training sessions of 10 – 15 minutes can be very fun and entertaining for your dog and in some cases will be enough to stop the digging totally. If you jog or run, take your dog along – the exercise will do it benefits not only physically but also mentally. Try buying your dog some new and interesting toys and swap them around from time to time. You don’t need to give your dog all their toys at the same time.
If your dog is digging because he loves to dig, you might find it useful to allocate a portion of your yard for digging purposes. Train your dog to dig there by burying treats and toys and praising him when he digs in that area.
If all else fails, spray some dog digging deterrent around your yard. Dogs hate the stuff and it’ll almost definitely put an end to the digging (at least temporarily). Dog digging deterrents can be purchased online for around $7 or at your local vet shop.
The second common issue I want to mention is dogs breaking open trash bags. Dogs are programmed to take food whenever its on offer so doing this really comes naturally to them. Whenever a dog spots and opportunity to eat, they take it as in the wild they never knew when they would next get the opportunity.
The easiest way to solve this problem is to put the trash where your dog can’t get at it. Leave it in the garage overnight or in some other garden shed. If you have absolutely nowhere you can leave the trash, try to catch your dog opening the bag and instantly discipline him.
Another way you can teach your dog not to go through the trash is to booby trap the trash. Balance a few empty cans or nuts and bolts on top of the trash. When your dog tries to rip the bag open these will fall on the floor and hopefully make such a noise that it will be turned off returning any time soon.
Lastly, another option is to use some form of smell deterrent such as bitter apple spray or something similar. Sprinkling cayenne pepper or chilli powder on the trash bags also works well as most dogs dislike the smell and flavor of these.
The tips and tricks listed above should help you to overcome these two problems. If you want more information about these problems and much more, visit the websites listed below.
