How to stop a dog from digging.

Question:
Our six-month-old Golden Retriever has responded well to training. However, Sugar still tends to jump up at tables and people, and dig holes in the garden, neither of which was covered in training classes.

Answer:
I would be interested to know about the techniques used in the class. If the training was based on positive reinforcement of correct responses, you should be able to apply the same principles to these two problems.

Where your dog is jumping up, the aim of the training is to reward Sugar when all four of her feet are on the ground or when she is in a 'Sit' position. Either of these are incompatible with jumping up, so you are teaching her that these are the preferred responses in the presence of a table or person.

You may find this easier using a clicker, which enables you to accurately deliver the reward in terms of timing. You need to introduce Sugar to the clicker beforehand so that she understands that the sound is a positive reaction. This is done by sounding the clicker, followed immediately with a food reward. After several repetitions, Sugar will demonstrate her understanding by reacting positively to the sound and showing an anticipation of the reward.

Once this has been done, have a clicker in your hand and some treats in the other. As Sugar approaches the table, wait until she jumps up at it and do not interact with her. After a short time, she will probably jump down and at the moment her four feet are back on the floor, click and treat her.

If Sugar is persistent and remains on the table, you may find it helpful to attach a lightweight house line to her collar to persuade her to come down. You can then click and treat this correct response. The line enables you to influence her behavior without direct intervention. It is important to use it in a surreptitious manner and do not call her name or speak to her as you do so.

Dog digging is a perfectly normal canine behavior and therefore self-rewarding. You will need to offer something more rewarding to replace it, possibly by introducing games or providing chew toys only available when she is in the garden. In some cases, the most effective way to control inappropriate digging is to provide a digging pit.

The idea is to channel the natural behavior into an acceptable outlet to remove the need for the dog to seek his own dog digging locations. Designate a legitimate digging pit or provide a sandpit if you do not want part of your garden dug over.

Fill the pit with biscuits and treats which Sugar can unearth and eat when she digs, giving the added reward of hidden treasure. Over time, she will learn that digging in other parts of the garden is far less exciting in comparison.

_{source Your Dog Mag.}