Discouraging Your Dog From Digging And Dog Clicker Education

Dogs love to dig. Whether it is to bury a bone, look for a bone, or to just see what is underneath the dirt this time, dogs enjoy digging.

This natural behavior can wreak havoc on your yard and garden if it goes unchecked. What is the best way to curb the digging impulse?

As with children, dogs do things for a reason. Why is your dog digging? If you can figure this out, you are halfway to a solution. Does he just love to fling dirt?

There are reasons why your dog may dig in your yard: he may need more exercise and stimulation. He may be hoarding food or trying to cool off or stay warm in the ground. He may be trying to investigate the smell of fertilizer or fresh dirt.

If you have determined that your dog needs more stimulation and is digging as a way of getting attention, you can attack the problem by offering him more opportunities for exercise and interaction. SitStayFetch can be a good technique for solving the problem.

If that doesn’t help, your dog may have developed a digging habit! The following suggestions can help:

1. Find the spots your dog usually digs and bury a balloon that has been inflated. If your dog digs, he’ll pop the balloon. This unpleasant reaction to his digging can deter him from continuing.

2. Fill some of the holes your dog has made with his own feces. When he revisits the holes, he will be disgusted by this. It is enough to deter him from digging.

3. Try burying some chicken wire just below the surface where your dog likes to dig. When your dog pits the wire with his paws, he’ll hate the sensation and stop digging.

4. If you catch your pet in the act of digging, spray him with a water bottle or hose. Dogs hate this (but it is not harmful). They’ll get the message. Do not, however, spray him if you don’t catch him actively engaging in digging. If you do, he won’t understand why he’s being punished.

Digging is natural, but it doesn’t have to ruin your yard. Figure out why your dog is engaging in this behavior and take a little time to work on it with him. You’ll both be much happier. Not unlike puppy training, mischievous habits can be corrected with a little coaching.

Clicker Training for Great Dog Behavior

The use of clickers in dog training has increased in recent years. It is a gentle way to condition your dog to repeat good behavior.

When you use clicker training, you teach your dog to associate good behavior with a treat or reward. This is known as the principle of operant conditioning. How does it work?

You will need a clicker. This is simply a handheld plastic box. A metal strip is attached. Depressing the strip causes a sharp click.

Ask your dog to perform a command, such as sit, stay, heel, etc. When he does, click right away and give your dog a treat. You are pairing the clicking sound with the treat.

Your dog will connect the clicking sound with the behavior he just performed. Since that behavior earned him a treat, he’ll want to repeat it. As the training progresses, you can stop using the treat. The click will be sufficient reward. Soon, you don’t even need the clicker either.

You can often train dogs with clickers faster and more effectively than with other means. Clicking is immediate, so your dog quickly learns that his behavior is producing the treat. This encourages repetition of the desired behaviors.

Dogs want to make you happy, and performing commands is a great way for them to do this. And get a treat in the process. The clicker is a great training tool for encouraging good behavior.

Get the information you need to take good care of your pet with puppy training tips.