[CuittisIL]

Eski has settled in happily and has become a family member very easily. Training is going well apart from a small amount of digging.
He's got plenty of areas in the garden where he's allowed to scratch himself a nice cool spot to lie. He knows the vegie garden and one other bed (both easy to observe) are off limits. No problems there.

Unfortunately, his choice of appropriate spots and mine don't always quite meet, and under the house slab is definitely a no go zone. We've liberally dosed the area with ground pepper but it's having little effect.

He gets plenty of attention through the day, 2 play sessions, a 3-4K walk and a run at the local dog park twice a week. It's not likely to be a boredom issue. It's a spot we can't always keep under observation and it's shady and cool with plenty of coarse sand that's easy to dig - I can understand why he likes it. It's a perfect cool place for a snooze.

It's not a huge problem, yet.

I don't want to have to fence to area as it'd cut off half the entire area available. Apart from increased vigilance which is obviously the best (but often impractical) solution, has anyone got any ideas on how to teach him it's a no dig zone?

[pipojambo]

If its a boredom issue we found throwing the empty milk (plastic) bottles into the yard provided hours of amusement, they make a nice rumbly noise when they are pounced on and have a nice aroma of milk. I have known a dog that would eat the plastic because of the milk taste but the people got around that by substituting lemonade bottles. Just a thought every dog is different. good luck.

[elalmhicabalp]

Have the top dog (i.e. you) pee in the hole.

[Fetowip]

maybe lay wire netting out flat around the slab ...pin it down, or weight it down .netting isn't pleasant to dig thru ,or lie on.
depending on what the legalities are in your state ..maybe consider a PINGG STRING, as a temporary teaching aid ....

get him one of those clamshell thingies they sell for kids.. fill it with the same coarse sand ...place it in the shade ..bury a few favourite toys/treats in the sand to encourage him...

[OmqMZtkv]

Eski has settled in happily and has become a family member very easily. Training is going well apart from a small amount of digging.
He's got plenty of areas in the garden where he's allowed to scratch himself a nice cool spot to lie. He knows the vegie garden and one other bed (both easy to observe) are off limits. No problems there.

Unfortunately, his choice of appropriate spots and mine don't always quite meet, and under the house slab is definitely a no go zone. We've liberally dosed the area with ground pepper but it's having little effect.

He gets plenty of attention through the day, 2 play sessions, a 3-4K walk and a run at the local dog park twice a week. It's not likely to be a boredom issue. It's a spot we can't always keep under observation and it's shady and cool with plenty of coarse sand that's easy to dig - I can understand why he likes it. It's a perfect cool place for a snooze.

It's not a huge problem, yet.

I don't want to have to fence to area as it'd cut off half the entire area available. Apart from increased vigilance which is obviously the best (but often impractical) solution, has anyone got any ideas on how to teach him it's a no dig zone?

so, dumb question from me - under the house slab means what? The slab is on the ground and he is digging into the sandy soil? or the house is on stilts and the slab means under the house?

Pissing in the hole he is digging is unlikely to have any effect.

Why don't you want him sleeping there? Is it just because you can not observe him there? Is he allowed in the house?

If the area is under the house then you are not going to get a cooler, more humid place to sleep.

When he digs he is digging a bed for himself (a shallow hole) or a hole to china because it's interesting?

The answers to these questions is going to change any advice that might be useful.

[Buincchotourbss]

You would find it easier when working with animals just to move the house

[CuittisIL]

jenna, the house has a concrete slab on the ground. Excavating under it it very bad for a number of reasons, mainly structural. Contrary to popular belief, most Queensland houses are built at ground level from Besser blocks on a concrete slab rather than up on stumps. I don't mind where he has a snooze, just not this spot. He's allowed to lie on his mat just inside the back door. As I said, he's got plenty of suitable but less than perfect spots available which he does use. The rest of the house is out of bounds. Blue carpet and red/white dog hair do not match well.

He likes to try and dig under it. More den like than a normal scrape. Until of course it's filled back in. Then the game is on! Not being able to observe him isn't really an issue apart from this one behaviour. A dog's got to have some time to himself.

I like Binji's idea with the wire. It'll allow the grass to regenerate and reduce the supervisory load. It's also inexpensive.

Oh carp!

I've just seen the time.

Off to work I go....

[OmqMZtkv]

jenna, the house has a concrete slab on the ground. Excavating under it it very bad for a number of reasons, mainly structural. Contrary to popular belief, most Queensland houses are built at ground level from Besser blocks on a concrete slab rather than up on stumps. I don't mind where he has a snooze, just not this spot. He's allowed to lie on his mat just inside the back door. As I said, he's got plenty of suitable but less than perfect spots available which he does use. The rest of the house is out of bounds. Blue carpet and red/white dog hair do not match well.

He likes to try and dig under it. More den like than a normal scrape. Until of course it's filled back in. Then the game is on! Not being able to observe him isn't really an issue apart from this one behaviour. A dog's got to have some time to himself.

I like Binji's idea with the wire. It'll allow the grass to regenerate and reduce the supervisory load. It's also inexpensive.

Oh carp!

I've just seen the time.

Off to work I go....

got it. digging under a slab on the ground is uncool for everyone .. even Eski. the wire is the way to go. depending on how enthusiastic he is you might need to dig it in and down (a la fox fencing) but hopefully not.

the appeal of the slab is likely to be that is it so much cooler there than anywhere else, which might give you another way of providing something similar elsewhere.

[CuittisIL]

Fixed!

Temporarily at least.

So simple I can't believe I didn't think of it.



Thanks Binjy.

[CuittisIL]

the appeal of the slab is likely to be that is it so much cooler there than anywhere else, which might give you another way of providing something similar elsewhere.

Absolutely. He's got one of those clamshells to have a quick cool off dip. but it's hard to have a kip there

[OmqMZtkv]

Absolutely. He's got one of those clamshells to have a quick cool off dip. but it's hard to have a kip there

Sure is!

big slap of concrete has a way of holding the cool that is very impressive.

[suilusargaino]

A less expensive (and less visible) alternative might be
Galvanized Poultry Netting
It comes in several standard different lengths & widths

[CuittisIL]

Can't beat free Ogmog. As for visibility, it won't live there permanently. No one goes near that part of the house very often.

It can be lifted easily to mow. When it's served its purpose, it can go back to the vegie garden.

Wins all round.

[suilusargaino]

Can't beat free Ogmog. As for visibility, it won't live there permanently. No one goes near that part of the house very often.

It can be lifted easily to mow. When it's served its purpose, it can go back to the vegie garden.

Wins all round.

No worries...
I use the chook netting folded & partially buried around the veg garden
to deter diggers from burrowing under Mr. McGregor's garden fence.