How to Stop a Cocker Spaniel Digging

Cocker Spaniels are well-rounded pets that make fantastic pets and companions.  They are quite agile and know a lot of skills to make them decent gun dogs as well.  However, not all of these skills that a mature Cocker Spaniel possesses may be desirable for people in the family.  One good example of this is digging.

Like certain other breeds, Cocker Spaniels can experience some behavioral issues like digging and should be dealt with because digging can end up being a real mess if the dog targets the wrong spots.  Knowing the causes of digging can help in this situation.

Why Cocker Spaniels are Digging

Cocker Spaniels most likely have no intentions to wreck havoc on your yard through digging.  Instead, they do it for their own personal reasons which usually involve them preparing to bury something.  This usually leads to the dog to dig again in order to retrieve whatever items that have been previously buried.  Other Cocker Spaniels may simply do this just out of curiosity.  Digging is also done by dogs that need attention or want to find a comfortable shelter.  Getting a better idea of the primary reason will help you decide if the temporary or permanent solutions should be applied to remedy the problem.

Get Rid of the Boredom

Chances are high that your Cocker Spaniel simply has nothing else better to do and only finds thrill with digging.  Cause a distraction by having your dog do other things for a change.  Simply spending some quality time with the dog and doing it consistently may lower the instances of digging.

Disallow it Altogether

Mature dogs won’t go out of their ways to dig certain spots if they are told specifically not to dig.  When telling your dog “No” or something slimier, be straight to the point and refrain from yelling or over-expressing too much frustration.  This will often intimidate the dog and can lead to other forms of erratic behavior.

It is never good for dogs to dig in areas where they shouldn’t be digging because it makes the surroundings look uglier.  However, some dogs see digging as their only way to alleviate the boredom.  Depending on your location, you can let your dog dig in other areas.  Use this as a temporary solution if the digging gets out of control.

Keep the Dog Busy

Having the dog try out other activities may cause the dog to abandon the digging habits.  Try to think of activities that can keep the dog physically busy.  This serves as a great workout for your dog and can relieve stress.  Once the dog is tired, it will sleep and you can leave the area and take a break.

The Balloon Trick

An unusual way to discourage digging is to blow up a balloon and bury it under the soil where your dog digs frequently.  Once the balloon is struck, it will pop and likely startle the dog.

Many of these techniques are designed to fix other behavioral problems as well.  Doing this early will help you appreciate your Cocker Spaniel even more because these dogs are really meant to be friendly around the family and should be treated well to avoid any bad behaviors.