# HELP NEEDED - My Dog will not stop digging holes! Please read!!



## Michaelnjo01 (Apr 30, 2011)

Hi There,

I just want to say i am 38 years of age and have always had German shepherds in our family, however i have never come across anything like this in the breed. or any breed for that matter.

As the above title states, my 3 year old Male German Shepherd will not stop digging, i know there is a tonne of other threads about this, but to no avail, i will truly state what efforts i have gone to:

1. EVERY night, i exercise him for at least 30 minutes, using different methods including walking, riding my mountain bike with him, taking him to the park to play throw, and even swimming with him!

2. The wife and i allow him to come in the house every day or so, so he can spend some relax time with us and our 2 cats.

The other night, after playing ball and walking for over 1 hour, he was quite exhausted, yet, 45 minutes later i caught him in the act of digging (not the 1st time)! Then the same night when we were sleeping, dug through 2 fences to go and play in his favorite nearby park!!!!!!

We have tried all methods over the years that i know and even ones from the net including:

Pepper
Dog Poo in hole
Balloons
2 x Dog obedience schools
Barkbusters
Stimulating Toys to stop boredom when were at work

BUT NOTHING WORKS! 

I fear i may have to find a farm or similar and donate him to a good family where he can roam, but of course that is my last resort, which i feel we are just about there.

Has anyone got any other suggestions for this German shepherd lover?

Thanks for reading, and for your time.

Kind regards

Michael


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Stop leaving him outside by himself for starters. Every time you leave him outside and he digs a hole to free himself, it reinforces in his mind that he can do it. You have to be outside with him in order to correct him. 

German Shepherds were bred to be with their people. These dogs were bred to trot all day long while herding sheep. 30 minutes of exercise simply warms their muscles up, they take a cat nap and are ready to go again. 

If you are going to leave him outside then you'll probably need to put up a kennel with a concrete base that he can't dig through.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Stop leaving him in the yard unattended. Problem solved.


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## GSD_Xander (Nov 27, 2010)

Is there any way for you to build some type of enclosure for at night?

It sounds like he is digging his way out of things (backyard) so you would need to put down some concrete or wire underground so he can't dig his way out. 

Another option would just be crating him if he can't be supervised. Like at night - bring him inside and crate him. 

IDK if this would work but could you get booties for his front feet so he can't dig?


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

You allow him in the house every day or so...? And with a grand total of 30-60 minutes of exercise and stimulation...?

Well if I had 23 hours per day to do nothing but stare at grass, I'd probably be bored too and start digging holes.

He's bored and he's digging holes because he's got nothing better to do. Stop leaving him outside and give him more activity during the day - physical and mental.


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## zyppi (Jun 2, 2006)

Agree with the others.. 

Your dog should be with you, as part of your family.


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## mriedel (Apr 18, 2011)

We had a malamute that was a master at digging her way out of the fence and we ended up pouring concrete to make a border around the inside of the fence...she never got out again....I mean a one foot deep by one foot wide border all around the yard so they realize thats not going to budge


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Your dog is bored and he's figured out a way to alleviate his boredom. 

Bring him in the house and increase his exercise and mental stimulation to at least 2 hours a day. Problem solved!


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

Pretty much exactly what everyone else has said. He's bored out of his mind and digging and then galavanting around to amuse himself. This is breed that WANTS to be with their people and from the sound of your post.... he's not getting that. My dogs and i know several others on the board.... they're all primarily inside dogs who are outside for potty breaks and walks and runs and playtime and training. Beyond that, they're inside with the family. I imagine if you brought him inside more, especially at night, and supervised and corrected him when he's outside and starts digging you wouldnt be having such an issue. He needs more exercise and attention than it sounds like he's getting both physical and mentally.


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## KLCecil (Jul 1, 2010)

Our dogs are crated in the house or sleep in our room at night. We have a crappy built wooden fence so we have "hot wire" run around the bottom perimeter so that the neighbor’s dogs don't come into our yard and Jaina doesn’t try to go into their yards.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Plus if you banish your dog to the outdoors, you can't look over and see something like this twitching away every night. 










Just my personal opinion, but they have to be so much happier indoors with their family.


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## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

Why isn't he more of a family pet? He sounds like a yard ornament, if you say he comes in every day or so and gets some exercise sprinkled here and there.

I agree with everyone on bringing him in. Give him more physical and mental stimulation. 

If you can't bring him inside, for whatever reason, I'd give him his own dig box, because with just about nothing else to do, he's probably not going to stop, so you can redirect where he digs. Just use a kiddy pool or even a little kid's sand box, fill it with sand, and teach him to dig in it. (Don't expect him to automatically know he's supposed to dig there). Try hiding chew toys and stuff underground so it's fun for him to dig there, rather than just digging.


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## KLCecil (Jul 1, 2010)

Konotashi said:


> Why isn't he more of a family pet? He sounds like a yard ornament, if you say he comes in every day or so and gets some exercise sprinkled here and there.
> 
> I agree with everyone on bringing him in. Give him more physical and mental stimulation.
> 
> If you can't bring him inside, for whatever reason, I'd give him his own dig box, because with just about nothing else to do, he's probably not going to stop, so you can redirect where he digs. Just use a kiddy pool or even a little kid's sand box, fill it with sand, and teach him to dig in it. (Don't expect him to automatically know he's supposed to dig there). Try hiding chew toys and stuff underground so it's fun for him to dig there, rather than just digging.


This is exactly what we had when we lived at my friend’s house, except it was a flower bed in front of the pool. They were only allowed to dig in it and they were pretty good about only a few time did they dig up the sod but nothing serious. They would dig to china in the flower bed lol.


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## clearcreekranch (Mar 18, 2010)

I used to be one of those "outside dog people" and we had a doberman that always dug by the back door. My solution was to put a garden there with a fence around it; it worked for that dog. Now that we have 2 big inside dogs, can't imagine why I ever had one living out in the yard, left up to his own devices, 99% of the time.

If you can't/won't bring him in, then I agree with the rehoming/kenneling if this is an aggravation for you.


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

I agree with everyone else. Dog is bored, needs more exercise and to be inside. I can guarantee you that he won't be digging holes, if he isn't in the yard. My GSD is 13 years old. Even now, I do not leave her in the yard unattended. If I am working in the yard and turn my back on her, she is likely to get into something. She dug up a section of my garden near the deck, because the fat bunny lives under there. Dogs need something to do. They need to be occupied and supervised. Leave them to their own devices and they absolutely will find 'something" to do. AND - You are probably not going to like it.

Every problem should be so easy to solve. Just take the dog in the house.


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## vat (Jul 23, 2010)

I have to agree with everyone. GSD are not meant to live outside all the time, he is a bored dog. I am not trying to be rude but I guess I do not understand why some people have dogs just to leave them in the yard.


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## GSD_Xander (Nov 27, 2010)

Lucy Dog said:


> Plus if you banish your dog to the outdoors, you can't look over and see something like this twitching away every night.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That is such a cute photo


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## Todd (Sep 6, 2004)

Lucy Dog said:


> Plus if you banish your dog to the outdoors, you can't look over and see something like this twitching away every night.
> 
> 
> Just my personal opinion, but they have to be so much happier indoors with their family.


Lucy is a beautiful dog. I get such a kick of out them when they use pillows. Heidi has even went to the extreme of getting pillows off my bed to sleep on her bed! I assume it's because I use the pillow once in awhile. 

For the OP, add me to the "let the dog inside" comments. Heidi is with me when I'm home, inside or outside.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

bad behavior gets just as much attention from an owner as good behavior


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## lisgje (Sep 3, 2010)

The dog is bored out of his mind.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

um, German Shepherd lover? you have a dog that you
leave in the yard that can dig out. where's the love?
you're willing to get rid of your dog rather than fix the problem.
where's the love? 



Michaelnjo01 said:


> Has anyone got any other suggestions for this German shepherd lover?
> 
> 
> 
> Michael


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## vicky2200 (Oct 29, 2010)

I HATE the idea of outdoor dogs. I cant even get my indoor dog to stop digging (although she hasnt been as bad) so I cant offer advice for you except to let your dog be inside with you, where he belongs. My dogs probably spend 30 minutes if even outdoors unsupervised (for their bodily functions) They play outdoors, supervised, in good weather. I could never have a dog if I was just going to leave it outside all day.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I must be lucky because I don't have nor ever had dogs that dig up my yard, maybe I just spend to much time with them


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

that's a good one.



JakodaCD OA said:


> I must be lucky because I don't have nor ever had dogs that dig up my yard, maybe I just spend to much time with them


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

i see that after multiple responses, all saying the same thing, the OP has left the building. but just in case he's still reading i have to comment...i cannot possibly believe that you've had german shepherd dogs all your life and you don't know that they LIVE to be with their humans, and that to exclude them from being inside with you and leave them to their own devices...well, you're lucky that all he's doing is digging and you're lucky that no one has poisoned or stolen him. is there any possibility that you could change the way you care for this dog and make him a member of your family with house privileges. if you really want an answer to the problem you're experiencing with him...there it is.


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## WarrantsWifey (Dec 18, 2010)

Your dog is bored, if you were the dog, stuck outside, only came in every day or SO, to NAP, and then put back outside, with the same toys you had last week and the week before, with NOTHING to do, what would you do?! Dig, it's a source of adventure for him, he is BORED OUT OF HIS MIND!!! 

Half an hour a DAY, isn't enough for a dog who lives 24 HOURS a day outside.....


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