Hole digging!

Hi everyone,

I've gotten so many great tips from everyone here, but I have yet some more questions/tips to ask. So when I let him out to use the restroom in the backyard he starts digging holes in the grass! I tell him "no" and move him away and he gets really angry and growls or he'll run around everywhere so I can't bring him back in. How do I stop him from digging holes in the grass? He looks so cute doing it, but comes in the house all dirty and I have holes in my yard. Not good!

Please help, thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Sam on June 13, 2008 at 7:44am

Hole digging can be caused by a variety of reasons. Most frequently it is a result of a dog that has lots of energy and needs a way to expend it. If dogs are left outside unsupervised for a time it can be from boredom. If cats frequent the area they may be looking for the deposit that the cat left behind. If it is hot they sometimes dig to find cooler dirt to lay in. Many dogs enjoy digging and about the only fix is supervision. Sounds from your description that he has learned this is a good way to get your attention and entice you in the "chase" game which corgis dearly love.

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Permalink Reply by Charlie on June 13, 2008 at 11:15am

You just got your pup about a week ago, so he is just a few weeks old right? A sure way to stop him is to take him out on a leash, and take a few treats with you to reward him for pooping or peeing. As soon as he poops or pees, tell him "Good Potty Outside!" and hold out a treat. If he doesn't run over to you for the treat, then you can very gently lead him to you with the leash.

The growling at a you at this age needs to be nipped in the bud. Even though Corgis can be stubborn and independent, most of them are also very sensitive and do not respond well to scolding to yelling (you didn't say you yelled "no", but worth a mention in general). There will be times where you need a verbal correction, but it should only be to get his attention on you so you can redirect him to an appropriate behavior. You may find that a treat or squeaky toy gets his attention better than telling him "no". If you need to say "uh-uh", then plan to have a positive replacement behavior in mind so he can do somthing good (like Sit or Come).

Try to ignore or redirect bad behaviors and look for opportunities to praise him for the good things he does. You'll build a really solid bond with him over time.

I wouldn't chase him. As Sam said, this is a really fun game that you probably don't want to teach him. If you can get him interested in chasing you, that is a much better game!