Soi Dog Digger

[chiangmaikelly]

Wife put in new landscaping all around the house, expensive. The 7 month old 30 pound pound Soi dog is a digger. I can yell at her and hit her with a rolled up newspaper or bury her head in the dirt and she thinks I am playing with her. At wits end.

I don't want to chain her up when I go out for the day. She is a great watch dog and the neighborhood is afraid of her. She will only accept food from me. But left alone for a few minutes she begins to tear up the garden and she does it very fast; 5000 baht gone in 30 seconds. She is a big tough Soi dog afraid of nothing. Advice please.

[wayned]

I use to raise Golden Retrievers and once had a pup that would dig up anything that I planted and bring it to me. I once "planted" a rock and 15 minutes later she was sitting in front of me with the rock in her mouth. Nothing I did worked until I planted some blown up balloons. When she dug them up, "POW". Believe it or not it actually worked, she stopped digging! Worht a try, but not guaranteed.

[chiangmaikelly]

I use to raise Golden Retrievers and once had a pup that would dig up anything that I planted and bring it to me. I once "planted" a rock and 15 minutes later she was sitting in front of me with the rock in her mouth. Nothing I did worked until I planted some blown up balloons. When she dug them up, "POW". Believe it or not it actually worked, she stopped digging! Worht a try, but not guaranteed.

Good idea except she loves to eat plastic and rubber. I threw here a plastic ball. She burst it and then ate it. She eats plastic bags and the plastic pots that the plants are in. She eats rocks and wood too kind of like a goat in that respect.

[glegolo]

Why dont you either get yourself a dog that cost something ot

just forget about having a dog. Looks like you are NOT that

great dog-owner...

glegolo

[bina]

fence in the garden, or cable the dog when u arent home, and when u are home, teach where she can play... sounds like she can use a good tire swing play toy, some doggy playmates, long walk/runs, and some basic training... agility, or anything else that can chanel her energy in to something more useful/less harmful... u can also work on teaching her to dig in certain areas: her areas: bury stuff for her to find, etc... lots of posts on same, or ask nienke for ideas...she's close to u in area

bina

[lemoncake]

She digs partly out of boredom. Take her out on daily 1 hour walks, better yet take her somewhere where she can run free for that hour and you may find she will slow down and eventually stop digging as she will be too tired.

I have lost 50 000 baht sofa's , 30 000 baht rugs and much more- all part of dog ownership and all easily replaced

[AyG]

Hitting her with a newspaper - or any other punishment - will have no effect unless done when she's actually digging. Even if hit a few seconds after she's stopped she won't associated the punishment with the action. However, far better than hitting her, get a small can, put a few coins in it and close it. Then when you see her digging, rattle the can sharply.

Also, put some of her faeces in the bottom of the hole she digs when you refill it. (And it must be her faeces, not those of another dog.) When she redigs the hole she'll be repulsed and will (eventually, with luck) stop digging.

[chiangmaikelly]

Why dont you either get yourself a dog that cost something ot

just forget about having a dog. Looks like you are NOT that

great dog-owner...

glegolo

I adopted a Soi Dog and gave her all her shots and had her neutered. I feed her and care for her daily. I don't know what advice you gave me above but the content and tone is in stark contrast to the other posts which have given me some great advice.

[chiangmaikelly]

She digs partly out of boredom. Take her out on daily 1 hour walks, better yet take her somewhere where she can run free for that hour and you may find she will slow down and eventually stop digging as she will be too tired.

I have lost 50 000 baht sofa's , 30 000 baht rugs and much more- all part of dog ownership and all easily replaced

I'm just waiting for my knee to recover. I bought a bike so I could ride it and she run along side. I hit a patch of gravel on the first day out. The bike is OK but my knee is a little messed up. You are right she needs some more exercise. She runs around the house playing fetch but she thinks it cool to take a flying leap in the flowers and roll around to cool off.

You and my doctor and the dog all agree. The doc says I am supposed to walk fast or run slow till I sweat every day and the dog also wants me to play with her till I sweat.

[lemoncake]

She digs partly out of boredom. Take her out on daily 1 hour walks, better yet take her somewhere where she can run free for that hour and you may find she will slow down and eventually stop digging as she will be too tired.

I have lost 50 000 baht sofa's , 30 000 baht rugs and much more- all part of dog ownership and all easily replaced

I'm just waiting for my knee to recover. I bought a bike so I could ride it and she run along side. I hit a patch of gravel on the first day out. The bike is OK but my knee is a little messed up. You are right she needs some more exercise. She runs around the house playing fetch but she thinks it cool to take a flying leap in the flowers and roll around to cool off.

You and my doctor and the dog all agree. The doc says I am supposed to walk fast or run slow till I sweat every day and the dog also wants me to play with her till I sweat.

Best is drive out somewhere away from the road and let her run free, throw the ball or a stick that would get her tired.

Though you will find if you take out like in the park or something she will be too busy sniffing around.

I take mine to a nice park by the lake, let them run and play for 45min -1 hour, they come home and sleep all day, i do the same in the evening but only for 20 mins or so and no problems at all anymore in the house, also good for the toilet, they only do their business in the park, so no need to clean the house or outside.