Digging holes and ripping out plants...

[berrones30]

OK....this is an issue that HAS to be dealt with and I have no clue how, so I am here to ask help..yeah, once again!!!

Simba has been digging up my beautiful back yard and ripping out all my plants. I know WHY he is, because for 2 years he walked in, laid around in and LIVED in pure dirt, no grass around. He must not like how it smells or looks or feels or whatever....

But he is HERE with us now, and he needs to learn the rules and my backyard is absolutely beautiful, well was, and until we can get him to the doc on Sat. I cant let him come inside..he has a skin problem and is shedding really badly and tons of fleas, even after his bath.....sooooo

Can you help?

Ansley

[RottiMomCT]

WHat did you use to rid him of the fleas?? A good flea killer shampoo will get rid of the fleas on HIM, but if there are fleas outside he'll just get reinfested...

As for the garden - forget about it....landscape the areas the dog can't get to - we plant the front yard - the back yard has minimal plants except for the spots where we have raised beds which are also fened to keep the dogs out...

Shedding really badly - happens year round for me!! I love my Dyson vac!!

[HerculesMomma]

You can not correct a behavior unless you are there to consistently enforce it. So basically, you can't control what you are not willing to supervise on a regular basis. Unless you simply fence off the area with the shrubs (chicken wire or something). I would be bored too if my owners left me in the yard all day and night.

I have to tell you, if your expectations are that you're house, both inside and out will remain perfect or close to it with a big dog, you are mistaken. I've had bone digging holes, I have pee burns on my lawn, hair inside my house, hard wood floors scratched by nails, cream carpets dirtied beyond steam cleaning etc.

It's the wonderful world of having a big dog. I get dirt and grass seed to fix the holes, same with the pee burns, my dyson vacuum for the inside, carpets steamed cleaned every 6 months to try and keep up with the carpet etc. You get used to. Dogs are a lot of work, but usually anything worth having in life is.

[MijaVonDark]

TRY THIS

Get yourself some garden gloves and some treats, go to an area in the yard where it's okay for him to dig (must be somewhere the poor guy can do what comes naturally for him) Then start digging like a dog in that spot. Reward him when he starts digging, and bury treats in the new spot. Continue to bury treats in the new hole daily and whenever you see him digging there say "GOOD BOY DIG" Then you'll be able to say "GO DIG" and soon he'll just go to his spot. When it gets to big fill it in with shovel and let him dig it up again. You can spray a variety of nasty "no dig" products into his current holes or fill them with rocks to further discourage digging in none dig zone area.
GOOD LUCK!!

[LuvinNina25]

I TOTALLY DISAGREE WITH MijaVonDark !!!!!!! By this you will be teaching him to dig in one place and soon while your not looking he'll take a treat plant it in your garden and start digging and when you start scolding him hes thinking "Hey you lousy idiot you told me go dig so i went digging"...what you should do is fence out your garden and he wont dig there OR you can just keep him on a leash

[BostonRott]

I too would not reward the dog for digging. Some dogs dig, some don't. Most love fresh dirt and most love gardens. Fence off the garden, or resign your self to having him outside ONLY when you are out there with him, and possibly with him on leash.

[PuppyLove]

Well, I am one of those folks that was able to teach their dogs to only dig in one spot. I built them an in-ground sandbox (3x3x2) lined with heavy plastic, etc. and taught them they were allowed to dig in that spot. It takes some diligence in the training process, but it saved my yard. It worked for me, and I have a beautiful garden that is free of doggy tunnels. (Mine don't dig anymore, but when they were younger, freshly turned earth was almost irresistable.)

[LuvinNina25]

anyways didderent technigues work for diff dogs....i usually dont have those problems and if i do its usually at the edge of the garden where i had old plants...ANYWAYS YOU SHOULD JUST KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR PUP AND YOU WONT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS :)

[theoriginalflyingl]

barrones30, was your dog out there while you were digging in this garden? Or while you were weeding or and similar 'playing in the dirt' activity? If he was, chances are he learned from your example.

[conan020405]

Its sounds like your garden and house is more important than your dog. Your dog is infested with fleas. Your writing about a garden and his shedding, you should be worried about your dogs health. People like you shouldn't own dogs. Rotts require a lot of attention, and disipline! Obviously your dog needs it, shown by doing this, he is tring to get your attention. A dog will get attention, negative or positive.

[scooterjohansen]

He is probably rolling in the dirt to try and get rid of the fleas. Digging or anything he can do to forget about the pain he is in. DeFlea the dog, his envorinment and anything that might even give the possiblity of hatching another egg.

[AZBRAT]

Originally Posted by HerculesMomma

I have to tell you, if your expectations are that you're house, both inside and out will remain perfect or close to it with a big dog, you are mistaken. I've had bone digging holes, I have pee burns on my lawn, hair inside my house, hard wood floors scratched by nails, cream carpets dirtied beyond steam cleaning etc.

This is OT but I just had to laugh at your post - you just described my house perfectly! LOL

[bigdogweilerx2]

Also some times they dig because there nails are long and bother them.Keep them short and it will hurt them if they dig long and realize not to dig or it will hurt them.

[berrones30]

OH Please!!!!!!!!!! A dog that has been outside tied to a tree covered w/ bites and fleas and very sick and who is CHILD aggressive does NOT need to come in my home w/ my two children. I am sorry that you feel that I shouldnt own a dog. My children do come first above a dog or cat or bird etc. He is no longer with us, because he tried attacking my son while I was out with him and had him on a lead. So we had to look for another home for Simba. Thanks for all your help.

[RottiMomCT]

If he was aggressive towards humans and as you describe "a filthy creature", why did you take him??

Obviously humans come first, but you descried having a dog as a nuisance - not apleasure.