XPost: rec.pets.dogs.behavior   
   From: perrylep@bellsouth.net   
      
   Generally, I work at home, so if the weather is nice the dogs are outside.   
   The fenced in yard encompasses the shop and back of the house, so they are   
   not isolated.  At the back door to my shop, I have a baby gate, and they   
   love to hang out there.  If I'm in the house, they lie on the back porch of   
   the house.  I have, on occasion, left the back door of the house open so   
   they could have free run...in or out.  They literally lay on the threshold.   
   1/2 in and 1/2 out.  I don't leave them outside when I'm not home...maybe if   
   I run to the store for a quick pick up, mostly because the husband insists   
   it's ok, but *I* really don't like them human unattended.  I am doing   
   carpentry and design renovations as a sideline business now, so when I have   
   to leave for the bigger part of the day, I have a friend who comes about mid   
   afternoon, and lets them out to stretch and pee, etc.  That's a tremendous   
   service...   
   Perry   
      
   "diddy"  wrote in message   
   news:Xns96365EB48615Ddanny@216.196.97.142...   
   > in thread news:adcn51dt8hrd22g42cdansokondp8ndqoj@4ax.com: Janet B   
   >  whittled the following words:   
   >   
   >> On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 23:39:05 -0500, "les"  wrote:   
   >>   
   >>>We got a Mixed Lab from the pound a couple months ago and   
   >>>it has begun digging in the yard. It takes 15 minute breaks out   
   >>>there so it's not a matter of long boring excursions (our fenced yard   
   >>>offers plenty of entertainment besides...rabbits, squirels, etc.)   
   >>>I've tried watching from a window to correct him immediately, but   
   >>>of course it NEVER happens while I'm on duty.   
   >>>   
   >>>What drives them to this behavior?   
   >>>Any way to stop this besides babysitting him, which hasn't worked   
   >>>yet?   
   >>   
   >>   
   >> Digging is FUN.  It's great exercise.  Moles, voles, all sorts of   
   >> things may intrigue a dog to dig.   
   >>   
   >> Apparently, 15 minutes is as long as it takes for your dog to be bored   
   >> by the fun rabbits, squirrels, etc (they leave pretty quickly and then   
   >> there's nothing to play with!).  I can't think of why I'd need my dogs   
   >> to be outside for 15 minutes without supervision, but one would get   
   >> really bored and bark to come in, the other would just hang out -   
   >> different dogs.   
   >>   
   > I can. It was a gorgeous day outside yesterday. I left the kitchen door   
   > open so the dogs could come and go as they pleased while I did some   
   > painting. (Helps to fumigate paint fumes too)   
   > The two elkhounds spent most of the day playing/wrestling and generally   
   > sniffing around.  They spent time basking in the sun. Had I forced them to   
   > be with me, they would have been sitting on the floor with me.  I feel   
   > their unsupervised voluntary outside time was far more beneficial to them   
   > than being forced to mommy sit while i tried to keep them out of the   
   > paint.. JMO   
   >> You can teach an approved digging spot, but that means you need to be   
   >> out there and training. General obedience training is a good idea as   
   >> well.   
   >>   
   >>   
   >   
      
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