Dealing With a Digging Lab
Labrador Retrievers are one of the most active and social dogs that people have as pets. To be happy, Labradors need do be around people and other dogs often. Otherwise, they can get bored. Many owners don’t realize that a big cause of digging is that the dog isn’t getting the attention and interaction that it needs. To keep this problem from happening, you have to really learn what causes the issue in the first place.
First off, you need to know that digging is an instinctive behavior for a dog. Dogs dig for one of several reasons. In the wild, a dog may dig a hole to hide its food, get away from the weather or just for entertainment. The first step in making sure your dog doesn’t dig up your yard it to determine what the cause for the digging is.
The First Step
Is your dog digging a hole to bury a bone or some type of food? Then stop giving your dog these types of things. If you just can’t stand to keep a good bone from your dog, then give it to him inside the house and do not let it be taken outside.
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Another thing to watch for is if your dog is laying in the hole that it dug. A cool place for your dog in the summer or a warm place in the winter can easily solve some digging issues. A really simple fix is to buy a dog house for your pooch.
Watch to see if your dog is digging to escape. If so, you have a larger problem on your hands. Since Labrador Retrievers are such social animals they don’t like to be alone. You dog’s digging habit may be due to this.
If you suspect that this is the cause of your Labrador digging, you have a few options. Firstly, give your Lab lots of exercise. The exercise can be done by playing fetch, walking or jogging with your dog. When you leave the house, make sure she has a lot of toys to keep him busy.
One other option is to set off a specific digging area. Give her a special treat then they dig in their special area. As a last resort, bury chicken wire where your Labrador Retriever likes to dig. This works because your dog won’t like the feel of the chicken wire.
However, not leaving your Lab is really the best option. Try sectioning off a part of the yard to keep her in when you are out. This limits the overall damage that could be done otherwise.
Labrador digging is preventable. It is as simple as figuring out why your dog is digging removing that cause. Always remember that discliplining your dog for digging won’t help. This will only serve to hinder the problem. Finding a diversion for your dog’s energy is a much better option. Give your Labrador Retriever lots of attention, interaction and exercise and you’ll find that you have much fewer problems. The biggest dog training secret is love and positive affirmation.
