Hi Everyone,

We have a staffy X called 'Rosy' she is 2 years old and we are having problems trying to train her not to dig. She digs small to medium holes around the back yard. She tends to excavate mainly when we are not at home. I have taught her not to dig in the garden beds (as I caught her in the act a few times and disciplined her) but she still digs in the lawn. We exercise her daily (30-60min walks) and she is a great dog in all other respects.

Is there any tips in stopping them doing this?? When we come home and show her the hole and discipline her I dont think she understands us?? Will she grow up?? What is the adult age for the staffy breed??

Thanks in advance for the help!

Regards,

Glenn.

Hi Glenn,
Disciplining her after the event will do no good at all, and in fact could make her distrust you. By all means scold her while she is digging to stop her, but not later.

Some people cure this by providing the dog with a 'digging area' where it is allowed, and encouraging them to dig there by burying toys etc for the dog to find.

In the meantime can you confine her to an area where she has no opportunity to dig while you are not with her?

How many times a day do you take her out?

Glenn,
do you know what breed she is crossed with ? as this may be an inherited trait so to speak from the cross .
Some dogs unfortuntely do love to dig - its just in their nature .
Our last Staffy loved to eat plants etc and I could never have any flower tubs etc on the patio as he ate everything !!!
Staffys do tend to mature later than some breeds but like JeanGenie has said you should NEVER reprimand her after she has already done it as she will only be responding to the tone of your voice if you are angry and not realise why you are scolding her .
She may be bored - does she only dig when alone ? Where do you leave her when you go out etc ?
All I can suggest is to keep her attention if she starts to dig by playing with her , talking to her etc and dont leave her out there alone .
My Staffy pup sometimes likes to "dig" his bed for some reason .
Good luck
Lel

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for helpful comments. I am from Australia and I have not had this breed before (previously kelpie & border collie X dogs). Rosy has a medium to large backyard as we have 700 square metres of land.

Lel - I dont know what breed she is Xed with.. possible a boxer?? We got her as a pup from the RSPCA so there is little history. Interesting about your comments about your pup 'digging' his bed as ours does the same thing. She is also a great sniffer and will spend hours snuffling around in the backyard. I have seen her dig in the front yard and eat witchitty-grubs which she can smell in the soil. I think the trick will be to catch her 'in the act' so she understand why she gets in trouble.

Glenn

Hi Glenn,
*sigh* Been there and done that and FINALLY someone gave me an answer (that worked) to the problem :)
MOTHBALLS!!! Take a few mothballs, crush them up and sprinkle them over the area where your dog is digging. They HATE the smell and it gets absorbed into the ground so more than likely they will not go there again. i was also told that one of the reasons they dig in summer is because they get hot. So they dig to lay their bellies in cool sand. I wet an old blanket in summer and left it where there is shade and that seemed to keep them pretty happy as well :)
I hope this helps

Paula (shrektao)

Thanks Paula... I don't mind if they have a favourite digging hole and lie in the dusty hole.. but holes all over the yard is jut too much :-). I will break out the moth balls!!

Glenn