Golden Retriever pup wont stop digging, any tips?

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

We have a 17 week old GR puppy. She has fitted in well with the family, gets on great with our older dog etc.

But she wont stop digging. She also chews but we are ontop of that by giving her loads of chew toys and a firm no if she chews anything she shouldnt.

When shes in the garden we cant be watching her all the time though. So Im not sure how to get the digging stopped. When caught she knows she has done wrong. But keeps going back for more. Our older dog doesnt dig.

We read that it could be down to boredom. She gets two walks a day, she still doesnt like the lead but is getting better. She spends a good part of the day running round the house after me, getting loads of affection and playing with her toys. DD also plays a lot with her.

In the garden she has her chew toys. Some squeak. Our older dog is only 3 so he still has loads of energy and the two of them chase each other etc. They also play football (yes really) and DD usually joins in, or DP.

Could she still be bored? She is intelligent, she has good recall already, though we are
building up to big open spaces and distractions, can give paw, we are teaching sit and stay at the min and shes getting there.

My golden retriever was a a huge digger during her first year, and nothing we tried put her off, we had a sand pit, covered dug areas, gave her kongs but nothing worked and our lawn was a disaster.
Thankfully she grew out of it, she is now in her second year and we finally have a lawn back.

Chickens, the reasons outside can equal bad are listed on this thread. Potential theft (more common than people realise and not just pedigrees either, any dog will do for those who want to use them to train fighting dogs ) risk of escape, risk of eating something dangerous. Of course, if the dog is supervised (and watching from the kitchen window is fairly supervised) then these risks are very much lowered, but if the dog is left completely unsupervised, (eg. if there is no-one home) then they are obviously increased.

I don't necessarily have a problem with people keeping dogs outside if they are properly secured, nor do I necessarily have a problem with dogs sleeping in kennels or a garage. However, I don't think Golden Retrievers thrive in this kind of environment, even with other dogs for company, although they are adaptable dogs and would cope. I know a lot of Goldens and I know lots that love being outside, they are naturally drawn to any mud for a start, but I don't know any that would choose to be outside over human company. My own dogs would much rather say hello to other humans on walks than their dogs, given the chance. One fo the reasons I love the breed so much.

Ah, ok Midori. I don't leave my dog outside for hours and hours. Generally, as it's summer (Ha!), the back door is open and he just wanders in and out at will. Last winter he was very young and much preferred the central heating He does like a half hour mooch at around 9pm when I just let him get on with it. He isn't a digger, though, or an escape artist.

The same nutters who think dogs cant live outside also think horses are only fit and healthy if they live in a stable. OP as anyone who has ever worked on farms will cheerfully testify dogs of all varieties and in particular working/gun dogs can and do live outside perfectly happily.

I find it inappropriate for people to make sweeping judgements when they have never met my dogs or have never seen my garden...

I have only ever known working/outside dogs, as happy has mentioned. To say dogs are stressed when left alone is alien to me. Some dogs get separation anxiety, I understand that. But to come onto a thread and tell someone their dogs are stressed and trying to escape because they are left in a secure garden for an hour is just rude.

If you want to have your dog in the house, that is your choice. That is what works for you. Hell, have them in the bed with you if you like. But it does not give you the right to tell me I am neglecting my dogs.

My lab puppy had to be hospitalised at 10 weeks because he ate an entire shrub in the 5 minutes I'd been distracted by butting my toddler dd on the potty. Puppies need supervision all the time, that's the nature of puppies!

How long are the two walks a day? Are they off lead?

My puppy likes to dig sometimes, I googled and one of the suggestions was to put one of their poo's in the hole. I tried it and it did stop her, until she finds a new spot although she doesn't do it as often now.

45mins upto an hour n a half depending on weather. They have time on lead and time of lead but puppy usually gets carried home because she just lies down and wont walk through tiredness :o

We tried the poo trick and it put her off that hole so then she attempted to start a new one but we were watching and stopped her. Thanks though :)

OP, no doubt you don't want to hear this either, but 1 1/2-2 hours is FAR too much walking for a four month old Golden Retriever and risks causing or exacerbating joint or hip problems. Two 20 minute walks a day are suitable for a puppy of this age. Did the breeder not explain this to you?

happygardening it's funny you should say that as I have spent a large portion of my life working with and have always owned my own horses/ponies and been on farms. We also own/have owned working gun dogs, as my husband shoots. Like I said, I don't inherently believe no dog should live outside, but I don't believe any Golden Retriever would thrive or be truly happy living away from human company.

I have reread this thread and really cannot see where anyone says dogs should not be outside. I don't understand how people can get so hysterical about comments that have not been made.

The OP posted about a dog digging in the garden when left alone. Some comments where made about issues with leaving a dog, especially a puppy being unattended outside- not being outside. Problems that the OP has to admit are happening.

If you think it is inappropriate for comments then don't post on a public forum

Agree with midori1999 about the walking.

Cuebill the OP was criticised for putting the dog in the garage. We used to
put our gun dogs in the "boot room" at night and I fail to see the difference between this and the garage no heating in either except that one was in the house and one wasn't. In fact there would have been more space in the garage.
I know nothing about GR's and have myself just got a new puppy (the reason why I'm reading the Doghouse for tips) and I wouldn't keep this puppy outside because its not that type of dog (non working fluffy and small) but many breeders do keep their dog of all different breeds outside in kennels at night and I certainly know of professional gun dog trainers keeping their GRs outside in kennels all the time. Its what you do with in between that counts.

We are aware that its too much for the puppy, thats why she gets carried when she gets tired. Our older dog is used to and needs that amount of exercise.

I will say again. I asked for tips on digging and digging alone. Where I chose to house my dogs or how long I choose to walk them is not relavant to this thread. I am well aware that puppies shouldnt be walked that much or that they need to be supervised. The fact is, we also have an older dog who needs walked and if puppy is in the house watching him play football she wants out. I would rather she was out playing than being locked in.

Just saying that puppies keep walking past the point of long term damage being done. Playing in the garden running around isnt the same as having to keep up with you on a walk.

If you dont like certain answers dont post on a public forum full of randoms? Google is your friend.

OP you said in your post that you want to leave your puppy in the garden when you go out..surely then she will be unsupervised.

At no point in any of my posts did I say that no dogs should ever be kept in kennels ( and I certainly did not mention horses and stables ! ) however I and other posters have said that Golden retrievers thrive on human company and are not ideally suited to living apart from the family.

This is not my or any other posters personal opinion but a well known fact about the breed, and the reason most people choose them as an excellent family pet.

I have had Goldens for 25 years, and they have given myself and my family so much pleasure and happiness. You have also had advice from other experienced owners.

Obviously it's up to you if you take any advice offered, but if you post on a public forum asking for advice, people are going to offer you advice on the basis of their experience.

madondogs I'm genuinely interested in your comments re: goldens we know of working goldens living outside in kennels who appear to be thriving is this because they are a working strain and born in kennels?

OP, I have had GRs for over 40 years, and I think in their first year, they ALL dig. Later in life they seem to either chew or dig, our last was a chewer, but she started her life with us as a digger too - she and my son used to dig together. My garden was wrecked!

It wont last - the girls tend to stop earlier than the boys.

That said, ours regressed in her dotage and started to half heartedly dig again .

Maybe have an area of the garden where she can dig happily, so that you limit the damage.

(and my GR puppy arrives in 2 weeks - Cant wait!)

Some very strange attitudes to having a dog in the garden now and then. The OP did not give any indication that the puppy is neglected and doesn't have any human interaction, just that when she pops out the dogs stay in the garden. I leave my dog in the garden too on a day like this. In fact I leave the french windows open so he can go in and out as he pleases. A lot of this depends on where you live I think.

Jeez no wonder people are calling the rspca poor puppy

Really, it doesn't matter whether a dog sleeps inside or outside as long as its needs are met. I know dogs of a very sensitive, people-friendly breed who are sometimes kennelled (when the owners are out - the kennels are very secure - and possibly also at night) and they are happy, well-adjusted and excellently trained.

But I would say to supervise the puppy in the garden until it outgrows digging. We had one that dug, but in a very confined yard, so I just put roofing tiles down all over the exposed soil. She outgrew the urge.

Do you realise this thread is from 2012? Doubt the OP will read any replies now, lol

Left unattended outdoors never a great idea, lots of dog thefts currently happening everywhere.

Labrador or Golden Retriever puppies are big business just now especially in Covid 19 situation. Lots of money to be made from breeding them. You only need to look on various well known websites to see this yourself.

Haha, SparklyGlitter95 thanks for pointing that out🤣 I hadn't even noticed!! Covid 19 definitely won't be relevant to the OP.

I have had Golden Retrievers all my life and I think how you plan to treat yourself is bloody awful.
It might not warrant a report to the RSPCA but that’s a low bar.