How to Stop a Weimaraner Digging
Your Weimaraner puppy is probably the cutest thing you have ever seen. You have already mapped out how you are going to handle potty training and you have probably already researched how to teach him how to sit, stay and roll over. Something you might not have thought of is the potential problem with digging that you may have. Not only could your puppy end up digging up your flowers and yard, but he could end up digging up everything in your neighbors yard as well. This is not a good thing.
It is important to correct this behavior right away. You can take one of two ways. You can either teach your puppy that digging is unacceptable at all times or you can teach him that there are only certain places that he is allowed to dig in. With the first route, you will have to always be around when your Weimaraner is digging. Correct him with the “stop” or “no” command. Never hit your dog or make him feel as though you are going to hit him. That type of punishment is more like abuse and it can lead to a lot of problems down the line.
If you have decided that you want to allow your dog to follow his digging instinct, but only in certain areas then you have to help set him up for success. You will need to select an area that is suitable for digging. For your own personal preferences, you might want this to be somewhere that is out of sight, such as behind a tool shed or something of that nature. Do not encourage your puppy to dig near a fence line because it is only a matter of time before he realizes that he can dig out under the fence and escape.
Maybe you could purchase or build a large sandbox. Fill it with sand, dirt and maybe even a few small rocks just so he has some sort of challenge. Buy a big nice tasty chew bone from the pet store and bury it just under the surface of the soil or sand. This will allow your puppy to catch the scent and to realize that there is something there worth digging up. Bury some favorite toys as well. Pretty soon, the rest of your yard or flower garden will look and smell boring in comparison to the little area you have created for his digging pleasure.
Make sure that you are always outside with your puppy while he is doing his business or hanging out. This way, you can catch him in the act of digging in the wrong locations. You cannot punish or scold a dog for something that was done hours ago because he simply will not be able to connect you being angry to the hole in the yard. If you can’t catch him in the act of digging in the wrong spots, you will not be able to have him trained properly.