Saturday, February 28, 2009

Dog solutions

Puppies chew. Everything. Baggins is no exception. He will chew air plants, sticks, pens (from the bin), used tissues (also from the bin), garden trellises, irrigation pipes, Janel's toys, shoes, washing stands, his bed, his blanket, grass runners (that he actually will pull up for the express purpose of then chewing them - anything EXCEPT his chew toys.

Puppies dig. Again, Baggins is no exception. In the worst spots I've put down plastic mesh (which stopped him in that area). For the less fixable areas I've tried smacking, hosing him with the hose-pipe, putting his poo into the hole, and putting pellets into the hole that are supposed to repel animals (particularly dogs). Thus far, nothing has worked.

And the problem is not boredom, because he does the worst of the damage when we are home! (Although we have been rather slack at getting out for long walks on a regular basis, so maybe it is...) In his defense, I genuinely think he is digging after a mole, or something. I don't think he's just digging for the hell of it. At least, every time I've caught him digging, that's what he's been after.

This week we hired a dog walker, Kristin. (I know, it seems like a luxury, but I'm prepared to try anything.) She is training to be a dog trainer, and is doing some courses on dog psychology. I'm hoping that she can help us get him over this patch and teach him some basic skills. I had planned to take him to dog training classes at one of the local schools, but our finances just don't allow it. From a physical perspective, with my hips having come apart (oh yes, I am now wearing a belt to hold my hips together because otherwise I can't walk!), I simply can't do it. Hence Kristin, the next best thing I figure.

Anyway, she made a really interesting suggestion. She recommended we bury half blown up balloons in the holes. The idea is that next time he digs in his favourite spots, the balloon will be punctured by his digging, burst, and scare the living daylights out of him. Hopefully, he will then be too scared to dig in that spot again, and over time, he should become too scared to dig.

Has anyone else heard of this remedy? Does it work? I dutifully buried a few balloons today, so if and when, I will let you know how it goes!

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