Expert: Have4Paws - 11/23/2010

Question
i have had Ranger for almost 90 days.  he walks daily, plays with my shepherd for hours, we train 3 to 5 times a day, he was a stray, he now knows, sit, down, shake, stay, wait but he is now suddenly digging my yard up. my husband said the dog has got to go.  he agreed to put himthrough two weeks of sleep away dog training campe to the tune of $1400! but if that doesn't work he is out of here.  i am very attached to the little monster already but the digging has got to stop.  Any tips? The breed is not all that into pleasing people where my shepherd would just roll over and die if i yelled at her; ranger doens't give a hoot. Please help i don't want to give him up but am running out of time.  He leaves for "boot camp" saturday after thanksgiving.

Kelly

Answer
Wow, maybe your husband will adopt me  :)  Ranger is not "suddenly" digging up your yard, he is probably finally feeling confident and comfortable enough there to feel at home and be himself. This is probably why he was available for adoption. If he wasnt adopted then he is a young puppy who hasnt learned the rules yet. I can't tell from your info how old he is or how you got him. Two week doggie camp is pretty intense for this BUT it will most likely work and you'll get a great dog back who is trained to do a lot more than not dig. If of course the place is reputable and will focus on his "issue" For that kind of money though you could have gotten hours of one on one training with a good professional trainer or behaviorist.

In the meantime while he is gone you need to do some dog proofing in the yard. Is it near a fence where he is trying to get out? Are there females in heat near by and he is not fixed? You need to try and ascertain why he is doing this... is is frustration? boredom? what? Can't speak to the Shep part of him but beagles are definately into pleasing people if there is food attached to them, lol but honestly they are "pack animals" and crave companionship. They do not like to be alone, will readily adapt to a human pack. They are highly active dogs and require a lot of wearing out, they get bored easily. They do best with a strong and consistent person, they can be trained quite well however because they are scent hounds, their nose is only beneath a bloodhounds and their brain pretty much rests on the end of their nose. If they smell something inviting or good all their training goes out the window and they WILL follow their nose. This is why a beagle must be fenced well with fool proof fencing and never be let off leash even if you think he is perfect. When it comes down to the bottom line, the nose will rule, this is most likely somehow connected to his digging as well. I would also try to put up some fencing around things you don't want dug up. Or you can provide an area where it is ok to dig, I know some people who have gotten kiddie pools and filled them with sand so their dogs could dig, remember he is a dog so digging is instinctive, it is either boredom, digging is fun or I want to get the heck out of here and he is feeling confined or alone.