I thought I had posted this a couple of days ago but I never saw the post.
Forgive me if it had posted and there were simply no responses.

Any ideas on how to stop my dog from digging at my carpet. He's a lab mix
and weighs 55 lbs. and I'm so afraid one day he will cut through a seam and
go down to the padding. Since he's a puppy, he began doing thi in one room
of my old house (we moved 6 mo. ago) and now he's begun to do it here. At
first I thought maybe it was something about the carpet that bothered him
since his digging was confined to one room. I had different carpet in the
living room and he chose to dig in our formal living room. He didn't start
it up right away after the move, but I noticed in the middle of the night,
he was making raking noises in our living room. He woke me up at 3:00 a.m.
and I woke my husband up wanting him to investigate the strange noise. Then
it dawned on us what it was...

How can I break him of this. He has a doggie door and goes in and out as he
pleases. He's never dug a hole in the backyard... Other than that, he's
not a digger. He doesn't even like to get his feet wet or dirty and he's a
lab! I have another dog, and she doesn't do dig at the carpet. Until I can
replace the carpet with a hardwood floor any suggestions of breaking this
habit?

TIA,
Phyllis

On Mon, 26 Apr 2004 23:57:17 GMT Phyllis whittled these words:
Any ideas on how to stop my dog from digging at my carpet. He's a lab mix
and weighs 55 lbs. and I'm so afraid one day he will cut through a seam and
go down to the padding. Since he's a puppy, he began doing thi in one room
of my old house (we moved 6 mo. ago) and now he's begun to do it here. At
first I thought maybe it was something about the carpet that bothered him
since his digging was confined to one room. I had different carpet in the
living room and he chose to dig in our formal living room. He didn't start
it up right away after the move, but I noticed in the middle of the night,
he was making raking noises in our living room. He woke me up at 3:00 a.m.
and I woke my husband up wanting him to investigate the strange noise. Then
it dawned on us what it was...

How can I break him of this. He has a doggie door and goes in and out as he
pleases. He's never dug a hole in the backyard... Other than that, he's
not a digger. He doesn't even like to get his feet wet or dirty and he's a
lab! I have another dog, and she doesn't do dig at the carpet. Until I can
replace the carpet with a hardwood floor any suggestions of breaking this
habit?

I have no suggestions specific to this problem because I have no
experience with it. I can offer a general approach.

When you have problem behavior you have a few different options. (1)
interupt and redirect to an acceptable behavior (2) remove or prevent
whatever is rewarding about the behavior from occurring (3) use management
to prevent the behavior or to prevent the problem caused by the behavior
(4) make engaging in the behavior unpleasant enough to outweigh any
pleasures (5) accept the behavior.

For example to use option 3 you could (a) put up barriers to prevent the
dog from accessing the carpeted area (b) put something down soemthing the
dog can distinguish from "carpet" (like indoor outdoor carpet)with well
defined borders and teach the dog to dig there instead (just by stopping
the dog in one place and encouaging the behavior in the right place (c)
use a tether to prevnt access (d) put "soft paws" nail caps on the dog's
toe nails to prevent damage (e) have the dog wear socks (f) keep an eagle
eye on the dog and call it away from the area before it has ever shown any
indication of digging. (g) remove the carpet (h)

This particular behavior creates challenges in using option 2. But a
typical solution for cats would be to put down wire netting or large
rocks. This changes the nautre of the surface such hat it may not feel as
rewarding.

To use option 1 you have to be paying attention. You have to learn to see
the indication of the digging so you can interupt before the dog gets any
pleasure from it. The moment you see the first hint of the behavior you
interupt then ask the dog to do something else that will be rewarding to
the dog e.g. fetch a chew toy. If you make the alternate behavior
somehing the dog can do on its own you can often change the unwanted
behavior by giving it something else rewarding to do.

Punishment, option 4, is the most commonly thought of, but in the long run
often the least effective. People tend to speed in their cars regardless
of having been caught and cited at sometime in the past because the
imediate rewards outweigh the risk of punishment. Yet it can be very
effictive. It is most effective behore the behavior has become well
established which means an especially poor prognosis in your case where
the behavior has been allowed to continue for a long time. Punishment can
be fiarly benign. For example, the moment the dog acts as though it will
start digging, or if it is caught digging it is removed and isolated for
ten-thirty minutes. A temper tantrum witout physical contact can be
effective in some cases, but in others it can make the dog fearful of the
human, and thus the overall effect is counterproductive. Fixing the
problem but breaking the dog is hardly an effective solution. Still one
has to evaluate the consequences of failure. If the message fails to get
across will the dog be facing death? If so then greater overall risks are
well warranted. In newly emerging behaviors a sharp look and removal
are sufficient.

In all the cases the solutions are rarely mutally exclusive. For example
in situations like yours I would tend to opt for prevention when I could
not supervise (#3), experssion of displeasure (#4) together with
redirection to a rewarding activity (#1) when I could be observant.

99% of dog behavior problems can be resolved if they are headed off as
soon as they are identified as undesireable by applying the twins of
prevention and redirection. Established behaviors require greaer
vigilence and attention, together with the understanding that often
(depending upon the source of the problem) an "extinction burst" in which
the behavior gets worse before it gets better. Itsa last ditch effort to
make that slot machine pay-off.

--
Diane Blackman
http://dog-play.com/
http://dog-play.com/shop2.html

On Mon, 26 Apr 2004 23:57:17 GMT Phyllis whittled these words:
Any ideas on how to stop my dog from digging at my carpet. He's a lab mix
and weighs 55 lbs. and I'm so afraid one day he will cut through a seam and
go down to the padding. Since he's a puppy, he began doing thi in one room
of my old house (we moved 6 mo. ago) and now he's begun to do it here. At
first I thought maybe it was something about the carpet that bothered him
since his digging was confined to one room. I had different carpet in the
living room and he chose to dig in our formal living room. He didn't start
it up right away after the move, but I noticed in the middle of the night,
he was making raking noises in our living room. He woke me up at 3:00 a.m.
and I woke my husband up wanting him to investigate the strange noise. Then
it dawned on us what it was...

How can I break him of this. He has a doggie door and goes in and out as he
pleases. He's never dug a hole in the backyard... Other than that, he's
not a digger. He doesn't even like to get his feet wet or dirty and he's a
lab! I have another dog, and she doesn't do dig at the carpet. Until I can
replace the carpet with a hardwood floor any suggestions of breaking this
habit?

I have no suggestions specific to this problem because I have no
experience with it. I can offer a general approach.

When you have problem behavior you have a few different options. (1)
interupt and redirect to an acceptable behavior (2) remove or prevent
whatever is rewarding about the behavior from occurring (3) use management
to prevent the behavior or to prevent the problem caused by the behavior
(4) make engaging in the behavior unpleasant enough to outweigh any
pleasures (5) accept the behavior.

For example to use option 3 you could (a) put up barriers to prevent the
dog from accessing the carpeted area (b) put something down soemthing the
dog can distinguish from "carpet" (like indoor outdoor carpet)with well
defined borders and teach the dog to dig there instead (just by stopping
the dog in one place and encouaging the behavior in the right place (c)
use a tether to prevnt access (d) put "soft paws" nail caps on the dog's
toe nails to prevent damage (e) have the dog wear socks (f) keep an eagle
eye on the dog and call it away from the area before it has ever shown any
indication of digging. (g) remove the carpet (h)

This particular behavior creates challenges in using option 2. But a
typical solution for cats would be to put down wire netting or large
rocks. This changes the nautre of the surface such hat it may not feel as
rewarding.

To use option 1 you have to be paying attention. You have to learn to see
the indication of the digging so you can interupt before the dog gets any
pleasure from it. The moment you see the first hint of the behavior you
interupt then ask the dog to do something else that will be rewarding to
the dog e.g. fetch a chew toy. If you make the alternate behavior
somehing the dog can do on its own you can often change the unwanted
behavior by giving it something else rewarding to do.

Punishment, option 4, is the most commonly thought of, but in the long run
often the least effective. People tend to speed in their cars regardless
of having been caught and cited at sometime in the past because the
imediate rewards outweigh the risk of punishment. Yet it can be very
effictive. It is most effective behore the behavior has become well
established which means an especially poor prognosis in your case where
the behavior has been allowed to continue for a long time. Punishment can
be fiarly benign. For example, the moment the dog acts as though it will
start digging, or if it is caught digging it is removed and isolated for
ten-thirty minutes. A temper tantrum witout physical contact can be
effective in some cases, but in others it can make the dog fearful of the
human, and thus the overall effect is counterproductive. Fixing the
problem but breaking the dog is hardly an effective solution. Still one
has to evaluate the consequences of failure. If the message fails to get
across will the dog be facing death? If so then greater overall risks are
well warranted. In newly emerging behaviors a sharp look and removal
are sufficient.

In all the cases the solutions are rarely mutally exclusive. For example
in situations like yours I would tend to opt for prevention when I could
not supervise (#3), experssion of displeasure (#4) together with
redirection to a rewarding activity (#1) when I could be observant.

99% of dog behavior problems can be resolved if they are headed off as
soon as they are identified as undesireable by applying the twins of
prevention and redirection. Established behaviors require greaer
vigilence and attention, together with the understanding that often
(depending upon the source of the problem) an "extinction burst" in which
the behavior gets worse before it gets better. Itsa last ditch effort to
make that slot machine pay-off.

--
Diane Blackman
http://dog-play.com/
http://dog-play.com/shop2.html

On Mon, 26 Apr 2004 23:57:17 GMT Phyllis whittled these words:
Any ideas on how to stop my dog from digging at my carpet. He's a lab mix
and weighs 55 lbs. and I'm so afraid one day he will cut through a seam and
go down to the padding. Since he's a puppy, he began doing thi in one room
of my old house (we moved 6 mo. ago) and now he's begun to do it here. At
first I thought maybe it was something about the carpet that bothered him
since his digging was confined to one room. I had different carpet in the
living room and he chose to dig in our formal living room. He didn't start
it up right away after the move, but I noticed in the middle of the night,
he was making raking noises in our living room. He woke me up at 3:00 a.m.
and I woke my husband up wanting him to investigate the strange noise. Then
it dawned on us what it was...

How can I break him of this. He has a doggie door and goes in and out as he
pleases. He's never dug a hole in the backyard... Other than that, he's
not a digger. He doesn't even like to get his feet wet or dirty and he's a
lab! I have another dog, and she doesn't do dig at the carpet. Until I can
replace the carpet with a hardwood floor any suggestions of breaking this
habit?

I have no suggestions specific to this problem because I have no
experience with it. I can offer a general approach.

When you have problem behavior you have a few different options. (1)
interupt and redirect to an acceptable behavior (2) remove or prevent
whatever is rewarding about the behavior from occurring (3) use management
to prevent the behavior or to prevent the problem caused by the behavior
(4) make engaging in the behavior unpleasant enough to outweigh any
pleasures (5) accept the behavior.

For example to use option 3 you could (a) put up barriers to prevent the
dog from accessing the carpeted area (b) put something down soemthing the
dog can distinguish from "carpet" (like indoor outdoor carpet)with well
defined borders and teach the dog to dig there instead (just by stopping
the dog in one place and encouaging the behavior in the right place (c)
use a tether to prevnt access (d) put "soft paws" nail caps on the dog's
toe nails to prevent damage (e) have the dog wear socks (f) keep an eagle
eye on the dog and call it away from the area before it has ever shown any
indication of digging. (g) remove the carpet (h)

This particular behavior creates challenges in using option 2. But a
typical solution for cats would be to put down wire netting or large
rocks. This changes the nautre of the surface such hat it may not feel as
rewarding.

To use option 1 you have to be paying attention. You have to learn to see
the indication of the digging so you can interupt before the dog gets any
pleasure from it. The moment you see the first hint of the behavior you
interupt then ask the dog to do something else that will be rewarding to
the dog e.g. fetch a chew toy. If you make the alternate behavior
somehing the dog can do on its own you can often change the unwanted
behavior by giving it something else rewarding to do.

Punishment, option 4, is the most commonly thought of, but in the long run
often the least effective. People tend to speed in their cars regardless
of having been caught and cited at sometime in the past because the
imediate rewards outweigh the risk of punishment. Yet it can be very
effictive. It is most effective behore the behavior has become well
established which means an especially poor prognosis in your case where
the behavior has been allowed to continue for a long time. Punishment can
be fiarly benign. For example, the moment the dog acts as though it will
start digging, or if it is caught digging it is removed and isolated for
ten-thirty minutes. A temper tantrum witout physical contact can be
effective in some cases, but in others it can make the dog fearful of the
human, and thus the overall effect is counterproductive. Fixing the
problem but breaking the dog is hardly an effective solution. Still one
has to evaluate the consequences of failure. If the message fails to get
across will the dog be facing death? If so then greater overall risks are
well warranted. In newly emerging behaviors a sharp look and removal
are sufficient.

In all the cases the solutions are rarely mutally exclusive. For example
in situations like yours I would tend to opt for prevention when I could
not supervise (#3), experssion of displeasure (#4) together with
redirection to a rewarding activity (#1) when I could be observant.

99% of dog behavior problems can be resolved if they are headed off as
soon as they are identified as undesireable by applying the twins of
prevention and redirection. Established behaviors require greaer
vigilence and attention, together with the understanding that often
(depending upon the source of the problem) an "extinction burst" in which
the behavior gets worse before it gets better. Itsa last ditch effort to
make that slot machine pay-off.

--
Diane Blackman
http://dog-play.com/
http://dog-play.com/shop2.html

On Mon, 26 Apr 2004 23:57:17 GMT Phyllis whittled these words:
Any ideas on how to stop my dog from digging at my carpet. He's a lab mix
and weighs 55 lbs. and I'm so afraid one day he will cut through a seam and
go down to the padding. Since he's a puppy, he began doing thi in one room
of my old house (we moved 6 mo. ago) and now he's begun to do it here. At
first I thought maybe it was something about the carpet that bothered him
since his digging was confined to one room. I had different carpet in the
living room and he chose to dig in our formal living room. He didn't start
it up right away after the move, but I noticed in the middle of the night,
he was making raking noises in our living room. He woke me up at 3:00 a.m.
and I woke my husband up wanting him to investigate the strange noise. Then
it dawned on us what it was...

How can I break him of this. He has a doggie door and goes in and out as he
pleases. He's never dug a hole in the backyard... Other than that, he's
not a digger. He doesn't even like to get his feet wet or dirty and he's a
lab! I have another dog, and she doesn't do dig at the carpet. Until I can
replace the carpet with a hardwood floor any suggestions of breaking this
habit?

I have no suggestions specific to this problem because I have no
experience with it. I can offer a general approach.

When you have problem behavior you have a few different options. (1)
interupt and redirect to an acceptable behavior (2) remove or prevent
whatever is rewarding about the behavior from occurring (3) use management
to prevent the behavior or to prevent the problem caused by the behavior
(4) make engaging in the behavior unpleasant enough to outweigh any
pleasures (5) accept the behavior.

For example to use option 3 you could (a) put up barriers to prevent the
dog from accessing the carpeted area (b) put something down soemthing the
dog can distinguish from "carpet" (like indoor outdoor carpet)with well
defined borders and teach the dog to dig there instead (just by stopping
the dog in one place and encouaging the behavior in the right place (c)
use a tether to prevnt access (d) put "soft paws" nail caps on the dog's
toe nails to prevent damage (e) have the dog wear socks (f) keep an eagle
eye on the dog and call it away from the area before it has ever shown any
indication of digging. (g) remove the carpet (h)

This particular behavior creates challenges in using option 2. But a
typical solution for cats would be to put down wire netting or large
rocks. This changes the nautre of the surface such hat it may not feel as
rewarding.

To use option 1 you have to be paying attention. You have to learn to see
the indication of the digging so you can interupt before the dog gets any
pleasure from it. The moment you see the first hint of the behavior you
interupt then ask the dog to do something else that will be rewarding to
the dog e.g. fetch a chew toy. If you make the alternate behavior
somehing the dog can do on its own you can often change the unwanted
behavior by giving it something else rewarding to do.

Punishment, option 4, is the most commonly thought of, but in the long run
often the least effective. People tend to speed in their cars regardless
of having been caught and cited at sometime in the past because the
imediate rewards outweigh the risk of punishment. Yet it can be very
effictive. It is most effective behore the behavior has become well
established which means an especially poor prognosis in your case where
the behavior has been allowed to continue for a long time. Punishment can
be fiarly benign. For example, the moment the dog acts as though it will
start digging, or if it is caught digging it is removed and isolated for
ten-thirty minutes. A temper tantrum witout physical contact can be
effective in some cases, but in others it can make the dog fearful of the
human, and thus the overall effect is counterproductive. Fixing the
problem but breaking the dog is hardly an effective solution. Still one
has to evaluate the consequences of failure. If the message fails to get
across will the dog be facing death? If so then greater overall risks are
well warranted. In newly emerging behaviors a sharp look and removal
are sufficient.

In all the cases the solutions are rarely mutally exclusive. For example
in situations like yours I would tend to opt for prevention when I could
not supervise (#3), experssion of displeasure (#4) together with
redirection to a rewarding activity (#1) when I could be observant.

99% of dog behavior problems can be resolved if they are headed off as
soon as they are identified as undesireable by applying the twins of
prevention and redirection. Established behaviors require greaer
vigilence and attention, together with the understanding that often
(depending upon the source of the problem) an "extinction burst" in which
the behavior gets worse before it gets better. Itsa last ditch effort to
make that slot machine pay-off.

--
Diane Blackman
http://dog-play.com/
http://dog-play.com/shop2.html

"Phyllis" wrote in message
...
I thought I had posted this a couple of days ago but I never saw the post.
Forgive me if it had posted and there were simply no responses.

Any ideas on how to stop my dog from digging at my carpet. He's a lab mix
and weighs 55 lbs. and I'm so afraid one day he will cut through a seam
and
go down to the padding. Since he's a puppy, he began doing thi in one
room
of my old house (we moved 6 mo. ago) and now he's begun to do it here. At
first I thought maybe it was something about the carpet that bothered him
since his digging was confined to one room. I had different carpet in the
living room and he chose to dig in our formal living room. He didn't
start
it up right away after the move, but I noticed in the middle of the night,
he was making raking noises in our living room. He woke me up at 3:00
a.m.
and I woke my husband up wanting him to investigate the strange noise.
Then
it dawned on us what it was...

How can I break him of this. He has a doggie door and goes in and out as
he
pleases. He's never dug a hole in the backyard... Other than that, he's
not a digger. He doesn't even like to get his feet wet or dirty and he's
a
lab! I have another dog, and she doesn't do dig at the carpet. Until I
can
replace the carpet with a hardwood floor any suggestions of breaking this
habit?

TIA,
Phyllis




I once read somewhere about throwing something at the dog, nothing heavy
that would hurt, but just to get his attention.
I would use an empty pop can. I found it works great in certain
circumstances doesn't hurt and makes a lot of noise.
This also works well to keep cats off of surfaces, stack up empty pop cans.
Its better to have the environment appear to be the punisher.

With dogs the theory is that it surprises and puzzles them, and they don't
understand how you did it because they cant do it.

I've had success both times I've tried it. I have a small dog that would
bark all the time in the car, it took 2 times of throwing an empty pop can
at him,and he stopped and looked at me,and when I said be quiet, he does
now.

It also worked on the larger dog. He is very sensitive,he was a year old
when we got him and didn't know anything, he is very smart, I wanted him to
lay down in the house, he wasn't getting it (this was before obedience
training so spare me all the comments on how he should have proper training)
I hurled something at him, he went and laid down, and from one time from
there on he laid down immediately.

When he is digging at the carpet, have a light object and make sure you are
in a position to not miss, and hurl it at him, telling him to stop. If he is
bullheaded and hard to train it might take 2-3 times. But it may only take
one time.
Worked for me.
NAT

"Phyllis" wrote in message
...
I thought I had posted this a couple of days ago but I never saw the post.
Forgive me if it had posted and there were simply no responses.

Any ideas on how to stop my dog from digging at my carpet. He's a lab mix
and weighs 55 lbs. and I'm so afraid one day he will cut through a seam
and
go down to the padding. Since he's a puppy, he began doing thi in one
room
of my old house (we moved 6 mo. ago) and now he's begun to do it here. At
first I thought maybe it was something about the carpet that bothered him
since his digging was confined to one room. I had different carpet in the
living room and he chose to dig in our formal living room. He didn't
start
it up right away after the move, but I noticed in the middle of the night,
he was making raking noises in our living room. He woke me up at 3:00
a.m.
and I woke my husband up wanting him to investigate the strange noise.
Then
it dawned on us what it was...

How can I break him of this. He has a doggie door and goes in and out as
he
pleases. He's never dug a hole in the backyard... Other than that, he's
not a digger. He doesn't even like to get his feet wet or dirty and he's
a
lab! I have another dog, and she doesn't do dig at the carpet. Until I
can
replace the carpet with a hardwood floor any suggestions of breaking this
habit?

TIA,
Phyllis




I once read somewhere about throwing something at the dog, nothing heavy
that would hurt, but just to get his attention.
I would use an empty pop can. I found it works great in certain
circumstances doesn't hurt and makes a lot of noise.
This also works well to keep cats off of surfaces, stack up empty pop cans.
Its better to have the environment appear to be the punisher.

With dogs the theory is that it surprises and puzzles them, and they don't
understand how you did it because they cant do it.

I've had success both times I've tried it. I have a small dog that would
bark all the time in the car, it took 2 times of throwing an empty pop can
at him,and he stopped and looked at me,and when I said be quiet, he does
now.

It also worked on the larger dog. He is very sensitive,he was a year old
when we got him and didn't know anything, he is very smart, I wanted him to
lay down in the house, he wasn't getting it (this was before obedience
training so spare me all the comments on how he should have proper training)
I hurled something at him, he went and laid down, and from one time from
there on he laid down immediately.

When he is digging at the carpet, have a light object and make sure you are
in a position to not miss, and hurl it at him, telling him to stop. If he is
bullheaded and hard to train it might take 2-3 times. But it may only take
one time.
Worked for me.
NAT

"Phyllis" wrote in message
...
I thought I had posted this a couple of days ago but I never saw the post.
Forgive me if it had posted and there were simply no responses.

Any ideas on how to stop my dog from digging at my carpet. He's a lab mix
and weighs 55 lbs. and I'm so afraid one day he will cut through a seam
and
go down to the padding. Since he's a puppy, he began doing thi in one
room
of my old house (we moved 6 mo. ago) and now he's begun to do it here. At
first I thought maybe it was something about the carpet that bothered him
since his digging was confined to one room. I had different carpet in the
living room and he chose to dig in our formal living room. He didn't
start
it up right away after the move, but I noticed in the middle of the night,
he was making raking noises in our living room. He woke me up at 3:00
a.m.
and I woke my husband up wanting him to investigate the strange noise.
Then
it dawned on us what it was...

How can I break him of this. He has a doggie door and goes in and out as
he
pleases. He's never dug a hole in the backyard... Other than that, he's
not a digger. He doesn't even like to get his feet wet or dirty and he's
a
lab! I have another dog, and she doesn't do dig at the carpet. Until I
can
replace the carpet with a hardwood floor any suggestions of breaking this
habit?

TIA,
Phyllis




I once read somewhere about throwing something at the dog, nothing heavy
that would hurt, but just to get his attention.
I would use an empty pop can. I found it works great in certain
circumstances doesn't hurt and makes a lot of noise.
This also works well to keep cats off of surfaces, stack up empty pop cans.
Its better to have the environment appear to be the punisher.

With dogs the theory is that it surprises and puzzles them, and they don't
understand how you did it because they cant do it.

I've had success both times I've tried it. I have a small dog that would
bark all the time in the car, it took 2 times of throwing an empty pop can
at him,and he stopped and looked at me,and when I said be quiet, he does
now.

It also worked on the larger dog. He is very sensitive,he was a year old
when we got him and didn't know anything, he is very smart, I wanted him to
lay down in the house, he wasn't getting it (this was before obedience
training so spare me all the comments on how he should have proper training)
I hurled something at him, he went and laid down, and from one time from
there on he laid down immediately.

When he is digging at the carpet, have a light object and make sure you are
in a position to not miss, and hurl it at him, telling him to stop. If he is
bullheaded and hard to train it might take 2-3 times. But it may only take
one time.
Worked for me.
NAT

"Phyllis" wrote in message
...
I thought I had posted this a couple of days ago but I never saw the post.
Forgive me if it had posted and there were simply no responses.

Any ideas on how to stop my dog from digging at my carpet. He's a lab mix
and weighs 55 lbs. and I'm so afraid one day he will cut through a seam
and
go down to the padding. Since he's a puppy, he began doing thi in one
room
of my old house (we moved 6 mo. ago) and now he's begun to do it here. At
first I thought maybe it was something about the carpet that bothered him
since his digging was confined to one room. I had different carpet in the
living room and he chose to dig in our formal living room. He didn't
start
it up right away after the move, but I noticed in the middle of the night,
he was making raking noises in our living room. He woke me up at 3:00
a.m.
and I woke my husband up wanting him to investigate the strange noise.
Then
it dawned on us what it was...

How can I break him of this. He has a doggie door and goes in and out as
he
pleases. He's never dug a hole in the backyard... Other than that, he's
not a digger. He doesn't even like to get his feet wet or dirty and he's
a
lab! I have another dog, and she doesn't do dig at the carpet. Until I
can
replace the carpet with a hardwood floor any suggestions of breaking this
habit?

TIA,
Phyllis




I once read somewhere about throwing something at the dog, nothing heavy
that would hurt, but just to get his attention.
I would use an empty pop can. I found it works great in certain
circumstances doesn't hurt and makes a lot of noise.
This also works well to keep cats off of surfaces, stack up empty pop cans.
Its better to have the environment appear to be the punisher.

With dogs the theory is that it surprises and puzzles them, and they don't
understand how you did it because they cant do it.

I've had success both times I've tried it. I have a small dog that would
bark all the time in the car, it took 2 times of throwing an empty pop can
at him,and he stopped and looked at me,and when I said be quiet, he does
now.

It also worked on the larger dog. He is very sensitive,he was a year old
when we got him and didn't know anything, he is very smart, I wanted him to
lay down in the house, he wasn't getting it (this was before obedience
training so spare me all the comments on how he should have proper training)
I hurled something at him, he went and laid down, and from one time from
there on he laid down immediately.

When he is digging at the carpet, have a light object and make sure you are
in a position to not miss, and hurl it at him, telling him to stop. If he is
bullheaded and hard to train it might take 2-3 times. But it may only take
one time.
Worked for me.
NAT

wrote in :

I once read somewhere about throwing something at the dog,
nothing heavy that would hurt, but just to get his attention.

i've seen recommendations to throw something noisy *near* a
dog, but never *at* a dog.

With dogs the theory is that it surprises and puzzles them,
and they don't understand how you did it because they cant do
it.

i don't know whose theory that is, but it sounds like BS to
me. the dog isn't going to sit there and wonder how you
managed to throw the can when it can't. what's actually going
to happen is that the dog will connect being hit with the can
to you throwing the can. if that happens, i think you run the
risk of making your dog skittish.

It also worked on the larger dog. He is very sensitive,he was
a year old when we got him and didn't know anything, he is
very smart, I wanted him to lay down in the house, he wasn't
getting it (this was before obedience training so spare me
all the comments on how he should have proper training) I
hurled something at him, he went and laid down, and from one
time from there on he laid down immediately.

there's no way in hell i'd punish a dog for something it
hadn't been trained *not* to do. that's abuse. why on earth
didn't you teach the dog to lie down? or at the very least,
crate him if you couldn't stand him walking around?

When he is digging at the carpet, have a light object and
make sure you are in a position to not miss, and hurl it at
him, telling him to stop. If he is bullheaded and hard to
train it might take 2-3 times. But it may only take one time.

this is really *bad* advice, IMO. i've spent years trying to
correct the damage that sort of ignorant handling did to one
of my dogs.

Worked for me.

well, that's all that matters, isn't it?

--
shelly (perfectly foul wench) and elliott and harriet
http://home.bluemarble.net/~scouvrette