I NEED advice on how to keep my dogs from continually digging and destroying my back yard shrubs. Any advice? I feel like a mean mommy when I try to let them know in firm language that this is a no doggy zone.

One reason dogs dig is because they have that energy to burn. So answer this question...am I giving my dog enough physical activity. If the answer is no, I would, actually, encourage the dog to dig...but in an approved digging area. So the next time you're at Toys R Us, pick up a kiddie pool, and a small wind-up toy. Then, stop by a pet store and grab a hamster ball. Finally, stop by your local home improvement store and buy some sand to fill the kiddie pool. Take the wind-up toy place it inside the hamster ball, bury the hamster ball in the sand, and cue the dog to dig. 1) this provides the dog some needed exercise, and 2) you can put the problem behavior on cue. This becomes important because when you start to teach an alternate behavior, perhaps 'leave-it', you'll have some control over the behavior. Otherwise, I would not allow the dogs to rehearse the behavior in your absence.

Thank you Bearded Lady--I will try that. Sounds like good advice and we already have a baby pool for them. Have a great day.

can you lock your dog?or i think you should put your dog away from the shrubs..

[wishbone]

Some owners having difficulty to settle down this dog behavior, they just let him do that business, but in one place only. They bury some treats or toy so the dog will sniff it and control to dog only on that place.

I really like the sound of that Bearded lady! I'm gonna give it a go. I also have that problem and I would not have thought of that in a million years.

[rayter]

Some dogs do that because they're bored or it is a learned behavior. Try putting their own poop in the holes and covering the holes up causes them to stop digging.