# Destructive behavior/digging-Advice?



## ChasesMom (Jun 1, 2015)

Hi Everyone, 

I'm new here and this is my first post. Our guy Chase is 1.5 years old and generally a very sweet dog and great with our kids (ages 6 & 2). However, we are having a problem with digging and eating grass/shrubs as well as snatching and chewing up toys if they are left around the house. He's mostly indoors and we are with him, so inside chewing isn't that bad. 

However, we have a nice fenced yard and I'd like to be able to give him room to roam when we run errands. He is never outside unattended for long periods and has plenty of toys/etc to chew. We play and run with him often, so he doesn't seem to have excess pent up energy. BUT, if left outdoors unattended, even for 10 minutes, he will destroy something. He'll start digging a hole or chew on lawn chairs. The yard is very sparsely landscaped because we moved in around the time we got Chase and expected puppy behavior. However, we thought by now he should be growing out of it?? Great example happened yesterday: hubby bought a new bush to plant in the yard and placed it where he intended to dig the hole. He then left Chase and new bush just long enough to walk around to garage and get shovel (~5 min). When he returned the bush was in SHREDS. Is this normal for a 1.5 yo Golden? 

What can we do? I want him to have outdoor access to run and be a dog sometimes without all this stress. Would making him a sandbox somewhere help or is that silly? Other advice? We've tried correcting the behavior with words and redirecting to toys but he doesn't seem to get it. 

I guess I'm just looking for someone to say "Don't give up--he's still young. It won't be like this forever!". I want to believe that....advice?


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## Anon-2130948gsoni (Apr 12, 2014)

Plants are all kinds of interesting because they smell like exotic dirt, are fun to tug out of the ground, and then can be shredded and/or eaten or both. He probably won't outgrow that for a long time...my Boomer still loved to destroy plants when he was ten.

So maybe you can put up a confined area in your yard for him to spend unsupervised time in or keep him in his crate inside while you're gone. Putting a sandpit in his outdoor space would give him some quality digging time--the great thing about digging is that it burns a lot of energy!


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## Leslie B (Mar 17, 2011)

First, how much real exercise are you giving him every week? We are talking about a dog that was designed to run all day in the field in 30 degree temperatures and find birds. A 20 minute jog 3 times a week or tossing a toy in the yard is just not going to cut it. At 18 months old he is reaching his physical peak and you need to develop a plan to tire out your dog. The old rule "a tired dog is a good dog" still applies. Shoot for 5 days a week of 30-45 minutes of hard work. Swimming or running. NOT the dog park. This means you will be biking and he will run along or you will throw the bumper and he will swim out or run out and retrieve it. Get a long line and find a park or field where you can work.

Second, dogs seldom outgrow stuff you don't want them to do. You have to teach them. If you don't know how, find a local obedience school and take a class. Begin what I call 10 minute kitchen training. When I cook the dogs line up and they have to do what I say and they get treats inbetween whatever I am working on. Sit, down, back up, spin, twist, taking turns, waiting to get a treat, kennel up, waiting in a kennel with the door open, sit pretty, take treat gentle on command, you get the picture. Of course, I wash my hands lots but I was going to do that anyway while I cook so no big deal. Dogs use their brains and I get a little bit of training in while I get dinner ready. We also do real obedience too but start here. Do it every day and make your dog use his brain.

The point of this is that your boy is bored and he is creating games for himself. Yes, you bought him toys but they are sooo yesterday and today you show up with this cool new toy (a plant) and then you leave it there for him and walk away. What did you expect him to think? I suggest that you go and get a new plant. Call him over to the plant while it is still in the pot and proceed to scold the plant with him watching. Not a negative word to him while you do it. Back up a few steps and see what he does. Most likely he will look at the plant like it is the scariest thing he has seen in a long time. Repeat several times while the plant is still in the pot. That way, once the thing is planted in the yard you boy will avoid it like the plague and you will have never said a mean word to him at all.

Go look at the posts about all the stuff that goldens have eaten in another part of this forum. The list is endless so it is time to get to work to teach him what he can have and what he cannot have.

Good Luck


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## SwimDog (Sep 28, 2014)

Digging and shredding is fun. Some dogs find less entertainment as they get older, but many continue (my 14.5 year old loves to dig still).

I have never found the sandbox suggestion to be effective, though it is common advice. Usually dirt is more enjoyable - and usually areas where we don't want them digging.

Supervise outside time for now - he needs a break of not being able to dig (you structure the outside activities, calmly interrupt before he starts) before you can start adding in more freedom.


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## Apesan (Aug 23, 2013)

We had other issues with our pup, so we sought out the advice of a dog behaviorist and I think some of the things she mentioned to me apply here. First, like already mentioned, a tired dog is a better behaved dog, so exersize is key. 

The thing that stands out the most to me about what my dog behaviorist said was that even though I have my dog a TON of exerise, it was all "play time" exersize (mostly running off leash during long walks in the woods, allowing her to fetch balls (without first sitting and staying) etc) and not enough "mental stimulus" exersize (walking on heal, Fetch games with commands: sit. stay. fetch. drop, etc) I now walk or run with my dog every day for 30-45 minutes on heal, swim her with fetch using commands, play fetch using commands and (with help from my specialist) she learned to walk on a treadmill (which forces her to focus or she will fall off) and this burns not only her physical energy but also her mental energy. It has helped tremendously with the problems we were having but as an extra bonus, I've noticed that she no longer digs in the yard or plays tug of war with my plants.

It was explained to me that dogs need both forms of exersize-having only "fun time" would be like sending a child to school and having recess all day. They would come home wired and unfocused. Sending them to school all day and doing working the entire time and they come home wired and full of excess energy. It's finding a balance that works to burn off both energies that help create a stable and happy kid. Same thing with a dog.

Good luck!


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## LUCKYme (Mar 29, 2015)

As someone previously asked.... The first question that comes to mind is how much exercise is your pup getting daily?


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