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Digging and Stealing food from the trash are two of the most common dog behavior problems that dog owners face. This article will look at ways to overcome these two problems.

Firstly, let’s work through the digging problem. Dogs dig for lots of reasons. Sometimes dogs dig when they are bored, at other times its because they are attempting to escape, and sometimes dogs dig just for the fun of it.

Dogs that are digging because they are bored just need some fun and mind stimulation. If you train your dog for 15 minutes a day, you may notice the digging disappears totally. Try to exercise your dog so that it can use some of the energy that is building up inside. Spark some new interest in your dog’s life by introducing him to some new toys, or swap around the toys he currently uses for new one, then swap them back a week later. Add some interest to your dog’s daily life.

If your dog is digging because he loves to dig, you might find it useful to allocate a portion of your yard for digging purposes. Train your dog to dig there by burying treats and toys and praising him when he digs in that area.

If your dog digs in the wrong places no matter what you do, try spraying some dog digging deterrent around the places you specifically don’t want your dog digging. These deterrents can be purchased online for about $7-$8 or at your local vet. In some cases they work a charm!

The second common issue I want to mention is dogs breaking open trash bags. Dogs are programmed to take food whenever its on offer so doing this really comes naturally to them. Whenever a dog spots and opportunity to eat, they take it as in the wild they never knew when they would next get the opportunity.

There are a few different ways you can deal with this common problem. The first and easiest solution is to put the trash in a place the dog can’t get to. The garage and tool shed are common options. If this isn’t a possibility for you, you might want to train your dog that it’s not allowed to break into the trash. You can do this by catching you dog in the act and disciplining your dog immediately (physical discipline isn’t required).

One trick that can work well in some cases is to booby trap the trash. Balance some cans filled with coins or some other object that would make a loud noise if it fell to the ground. Chances are that your dog will get such a fright when the objects fall to the floor that he scampers!

Finally, you might be able to teach your dog not to tamper with the trash by using some spray deterrent. Chilli or cayenne powder also works well as dogs hate the smell and flavor of these.

These suggestions should help you to overcome these problems if you’ve got them. For plenty more tips and tricks for training your dog and dealing with every possible behavioral problem imaginable, visit the links listed below.

Tags: Pets

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