XPost: rec.pets.dogs.behavior   
   From: perrylep@bellsouth.net   
      
   Oh yeah, on topic..digging...the little wenches love to dig.  And they love   
   to dig....did I mention that they love to dig?   
   Perry   
   "Perry Templeton"  wrote in message   
   news:5HR6e.69151$wo1.19353@bignews6.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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