# Can I teach my dog to destroy weeds in my lawn?



## umshy (Jun 10, 2012)

I am a new dog owner. I have a laser pointer he likes to chase & pounce. I would like him to start digging and biting at a weed under the laser pointer on command. I am in the process of doing a lot of yard work right now, my lawn was dug up and destroyed when a pipe underground needed to be repaired, so collateral damage during training is no worry of mine. He is about 15 weeks old right now.


----------



## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

Immediately stop with the laser pointer. As in, throw it in the garbage and never use it with any dog ever again!

Just do a search on laser pointer on this forum. You'll be horrified.

ETA -- Sorry, I got so distracted by the pointer I forgot to say... I don't know about training a dog to do such a thing. I wouldn't. I don't have any hole diggers, but I know that behavior drives many to drink.  (My youngest have tried, they've begun digging, they were shut down and thankfully, it hasn't been hard to stop.) Not something I'd want to encourage unless you'd be okay with a lumpy lawn.


----------



## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Goats make better weeders than dogs.


----------



## maureen_mickel (Jul 17, 2011)

you can teach the dig command or the pick it up command (look on youtube) ive actually thought of doing this XD you not the only one! Ive taught celia to throw things away, put my laundry in the washer, put toys away, water the garden, ect. Im sure you can teach a dog to pull weeds.....no guerentee they'll get the root though XD


----------



## Good_Karma (Jun 28, 2009)

Niko helps me pull weeds, tree roots, pretty much anything I ask him to pull on, he'll do it. I haven't taught him to dig, I don't want that habit started.

He likes to eat grass and yank on stuff naturally, so it was pretty easy to get him to do it to specific things. I just grab the weed, wiggle it a bit and tell him to "get it" and he'll start yanking. I encourage him to keep going until the weed is thoroughly trashed.  He rarely gets the root, lol.


----------



## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

Stop with the laser pointer! Some dogs become extremely OCD about it and it can lead to some very self destructive behaviors.


----------



## Valkyrierider (Jul 21, 2010)

Take it from someone that knows the damage you can do to a dog with a laser pointer. Thanks to my ignorance both of mine will attack the laser dot with no problem until you stop then they go nuts. Now one fixates on shadows and reflections on the walls. If you are outside she will chase the headlight beam on the side of the house when a car goes by. STOP using the laser with your dogs.


----------



## umshy (Jun 10, 2012)

My dog loves to dig and yank on plants. He started digging in the sand when we took him to the beach. He will dig the piles of dirt in my yard but he will not dig up a lawn covered in healthy grass. I think if I can teach him to dig up weeds he will really enjoy it. He will grow to be strong enough where he should be able to find the root if he is focused.

As for the laser pointer, can you link me to relevant threads? I did a search, but maybe my research skills are lacking, I am not finding a lot of useful info about laser pointers causing OCD in dogs. I don't know about dogs but I know that although there are risk factors in the environment, in general one cannot "cause" OCD to occur in humans.


----------



## Twyla (Sep 18, 2011)

umshy said:


> My dog loves to dig and yank on plants. He started digging in the sand when we took him to the beach. He will dig the piles of dirt in my yard but he will not dig up a lawn covered in healthy grass. I think if I can teach him to dig up weeds he will really enjoy it. He will grow to be strong enough where he should be able to find the root if he is focused.
> 
> As for the laser pointer, can you link me to relevant threads? I did a search, but maybe my research skills are lacking, I am not finding a lot of useful info about laser pointers causing OCD in dogs. I don't know about dogs but I know that although there are risk factors in the environment, in general one cannot "cause" OCD to occur in humans.



obsessive-compulsive behavior

Canine Behavior: Vizsla OCD with Shadows/lights, puppy mill, laser pointer

The list of links could go on forever with info about dogs developing OCD from laser use. Google it and you will be amazed at the number of dogs. Also do a search on this forum, information and experiences from members who have adopted dogs with this behavior.


----------



## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

You need to count your blessings that right now he won't dig in healthy grass. If you teach him this, he will learn it is fun and do it whenever he wants to weeds or no. Have you considered digging them up yourself and training him to carry them to a wagon or cart?

I think having a dog distinguish weeds from grass would not be possible.


----------

