Two 6yo labs overnight digging

Hi everyone.
I have 2 chocolate labs, both six, but from different breeders.

Of a nighttime, they dig huge holes in the backyard. We place things over the top to restrict their access but they are still moving them and continuing to dig. They’ve done this for the last 3 or so years. They have always slept outside so it’s no change in their routine.

Also, every now and then, particularly after they’ve eaten they will eat their fresh stool. I have a theory that they are gutsy and think there will be more food in there. I have double checked and we are feeding them the right amount for their weight.

Please help!! My partner is talking about getting rid of them, as they are causing havoc!

 

Hi and welcome!

What are you feeding your dogs on? Also, how much stimulation/exercise are they getting? To be digging for the length of time you described suggests this is a habit now, and might even be self-soothing.

If you could detail their daily routine, we might be able to glean a little more insight. Have you consulted any accredited canine behaviourists yet, that might be something to consider? Good luck though, holes in the garden must be a pain, as well as a hazard!

 

Hi @kimbo could you also tell us what you have been covering the holes with? Is the coprophagy a recent phenomenon? What do you feed your dogs? Sorry for so many questions, but as much informstion you can supply would be valuable.

 

Hi @kimbo please read the following link. The article offers some potentially useful information.
https://theconversation-com.cdn.amp...oprophagy-why-do-dogs-eat-their-own-poo-91273

 

Dogs need mental stimulation and physical exercise/training daily, off the property and in new and interesting locations. If they don't receive a sufficient amount of either, they will seek it out for themselves wherever they can and in ways you may not approve of.

However, simply providing more physical and mental stimulation is not going to be sufficient, at this point - that would have worked preventatively, and would have stopped this whole situation arising in the first place, but when you have dogs that for THREE YEARS have been doing an unwanted behaviour they have been allowed to practise, it's going to take a bit more than just exercising them more... although that would always be a good start. Why have you waited until they've been digging holes for 3 years before addressing it...?

Really, you are going to need to either 1) bring the dogs inside and make them indoor dogs, thereby completely changing their environment and their access to the areas you don't want them to dig or 2) build them a secure run outside which they can't dig their way out of - whilst ALSO EXERCISING THEM MORE. Because you can't just reduce and reduce and reduce down the life of a dog without providing a lot MORE at other times... or you will end up with long-term damage and behaviour problems worse than digging.

Dogs sometimes do this if they are allowed ongoing access to their stools. Habits are powerful and dogs will keep on doing the things they have done, if the opportunity to do them remains. Again, the solution is to pick up the stools as soon as they are done - PREVENTION. Again, keeping the dogs as indoor dogs that are supervised when they go into the yard to poop, and whose stools are immediately picked up, would totally solve this.

Dogs' minds and brains are built to connect to and relate to humans - research has shown that different parts of the dog's brain are active when relating to people and when relating to other dogs. They have a biological need to be engaged with, by people, on a daily basis and in a meaningful way. You can't even substitute for this by providing them with another dog companion - it won't work, it's not a person.

I took my own indoor dogs out this morning and trained them for 50 minutes, in a new location. They came home exhausted and slept for 3 hours straight. Then one of them came to see me, at my desk, and got a cuddle. About 2 hours later, one of them brought me a toy and we had a game of tug. Every now and again, I look up and see one of them looking back at me, and I say 'hello' and smile. Then they go back to sleep and I go back to work. Research shows that dogs have lower stress levels and benefit from just spending time in the presence of their people - not even interacting with them, just sleeping in the same room. All this might seem meaningless, but it really isn't - it is why dogs need to be with their people. Unless you live outside most of the time, where the dogs are, then they can't get this, if they are outdoor dogs. They are deprived of many of their needs. You can compensate for this somewhat, if you are extra committed, by spending daily dedicated time with them training and exercising - but the quality of that time together needs to be extra great and built around them, to compensate.

You should not feed the amount specified on a packet, you need to look at your dog's physique and assess whether they are overweight or not in determining how much to feed.

Unfortunately the prognosis is never good, when someone is already talking about wanting to 'get rid' of a dog, when they are looking for help. But if you can't meet the dogs' needs - not just food, water and shelter - but exercise, stimulation, training and spending time in your presence daily - then sometimes a new home is not a bad idea for the dog.