# Bentley's holes (pics)



## Bentleysmom (Aug 11, 2012)

In my thread about Bentley's digging someone wrote..


> Bentley's probably not going to damage your home's foundation. I mean unless he's digging car sized holes it's just not going to hurt things.


So I decided to show you some pics of the damage he's causing. 

This is from this winter when he dug up my gas meter. That whole pipe used to be buried.










This is where my Iris bulbs were that's been in the family since the 1800's










This one I was so tired from shoveling dirt yesterday I just covered with a planter for now.










See the opening in the left hand corner, this entire hole was open for the length of the front porch. I threw some dirt in there and hot sauce. We are having a load of dirt delivered to fix the entire yard when we get a couple of good days in a row,










Another very deep hole that I just threw dirt in and put up a small fence and hot sauce for now.










The proud culprit....










So yes, he is causing damage and it stops now. I just had him out back on a leash and noticed a hole that he has started digging under our fence that separates the neighbors yard from ours. I didn't even see that one yesterday.


----------



## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

but he looks soooooooooooooo innocent!


----------



## PrincessDi (Jun 8, 2009)

laprincessa said:


> but he looks soooooooooooooo innocent!


And Bentley looks happy! So sorry!! I know this has to be very frustrating!


----------



## ShadowGolden (Sep 4, 2012)

That face is too cute. We used to joke that my parents dogs had declared war on the backyard. There were bunkers everywhere. Now that they're both gone and the lawn has grown back in, it's kind of sad. I miss dodging holes.


----------



## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

Looks like my back yard.


----------



## canajo (Nov 25, 2012)

Oh my word! Those are craters. My puppy was a digger-I always thought it was because he was rescued from his den in the Missouri woods where he lived for the first 6 weeks of his life. He stopped once I starting putting his poop in the holes and covering it back up. Which surprised me as he, at that time, ate his poop. But, the trainer said there is something about dirty poop they don't like.

Actually, the trainer thought it would make him stop digging that particular hole and is surprised he has stopped digging altogether. Before, I could turn my back on him in our fenced yard for 2 seconds to pick up some poop, turn around and he was digging like crazy!

I had a Golden who was a big time poop eater and I stopped him by using the vibrate function on an e-collar. No shock..just vibrate. I would hide upstairs in a window and vibrate him when he started to eat the poop. Eventually, he would stand and bark at the poop in frustration. It worked well...I wonder if you could do something like that with Bentley?

If mine starts digging again I was going to try giving him a sandbox. Hopefully, he won't start again! I feel your pain! Yikes!


----------



## Bentleysmom (Aug 11, 2012)

I didn't even bother taking pics of the landmines in the yard. It really does look like a war zone back there. With those I just watch where I'm stepping. It's the digging under my foundation that got him sentenced to boot camp.
Mr. Innocent was upset when he heard the school buses pulling up and Ky went out to see them but he had to stay in his cell.


----------



## Davidrob2 (Dec 10, 2012)

Oh, but that face!!! You are made of stronger stuff than I am to crack down on a puppy with a face like that.


----------



## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

It may pass SOMEDAY joyce.


----------



## JayBen (Aug 30, 2012)

OH MY my mouth just dropped. They are some holes alright. wow


----------



## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

You should see some of my bushes out back, kopper who is10 years old,has alway.smunched on them, they are deformed now, and look like crap.


----------



## Bentleysmom (Aug 11, 2012)

goldensrbest said:


> You should see some of my bushes out back, kopper who is10 years old,has alway.smunched on them, they are deformed now, and look like crap.


Yes, all of my bushes that I've had here for 30+ years are now gone too. I will be putting my fairy garden in the front yard where Mr. Innocent doesn't have access to. 

I'm not allowed to plant a veg garden in the front yard so after we get the dirt and fix the yard I'm going to fence off an area and put a padlock on it so "nobody" can get to my veggies.


----------



## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

Dogs,and landscaping just don't go together.


----------



## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

Wow! 

Bella is capable of digging those, but she's never had the chance. She dug a couple holes about a foot wide and eight inches deep in a minute or two last summer. Between that and her stick eating past, we follow her around the yard and watch her every move. 

Those holes next to the foundation have the potential to result in water in your basement. 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Tennyson (Mar 26, 2011)

WOW! Those are some serious holes. Almost affecting the structure of your foundation.
Deaglan started digging but nothing like Bentley. I put crushed pineapple in the hole then dirt. Waiting for results.
It scares me because the guy that does my grass had a knee replacement. I don't want him OR I to get hurt.
You're going to have your hands full when the load of topsoil comes.


----------



## inge (Sep 20, 2009)

My garden has a large wood area where Tess is allowed to dig. Humans can't walk there anymore in the dark...but his face is adorable....


----------



## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

One of the most wonderful things about Bentley is that he makes Max look SOOOOOOOOO good!


(Dear Bentley, Auntie Susan loves you - you can come dig holes in my fields any time you want and maybe my stupid neighbor who insists on mowing on my land will get a wheel stuck in one and that will teach him. Thank you. )


----------



## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Joyce, how long is he allowed in the yard without a human around? Is he really bored, or just really fast? I've never had a truly dedicated digger--Bella has attempted but I seem to stop her in time--but I suspect it's hard to break them of the habit once they've developed a liking for it. 

Are you sure it wasn't Ky or the neighbor's cat? He really looks innocent in that picture...LOL


----------



## Bentleysmom (Aug 11, 2012)

OutWest said:


> Joyce, how long is he allowed in the yard without a human around? Is he really bored, or just really fast? I've never had a truly dedicated digger--Bella has attempted but I seem to stop her in time--but I suspect it's hard to break them of the habit once they've developed a liking for it.
> 
> Are you sure it wasn't Ky or the neighbor's cat? He really looks innocent in that picture...LOL


I allow him to lay there as long as he wants to. I can see the entire area from my window except for that spot. Ky lays right in front of the gate where I can see her. I knew that Bentley had "hollowed" out a little indentation where he would lay to watch the kids on the playground but I didn't mind that I thought why shouldn't he be comfy.

He's as fast as the road runner on speed when he digs. When I was filling holes yesterday he started digging a new hole (the one that I covered with a pot) he was not more than 4 feet from me and in the time it took me to get to him you see how deep the hole is.

It's frustrating because I get told "you walk him too much for his age, it's bad for his joints" I also hear "he digs because he doesn't get enough exercise".

It's all a moot point now. He's on lock down and in boot camp.


----------



## drofen (Feb 2, 2013)

I still stand by my statement, they don't look like he's damaging the foundation. Do they need to be addressed? Yes. But your house isn't going to crack in half in the meantime. But that's neither here nor there. 

I hope you get the issue figured out. Clearly I'm an inexperienced dog owner, so I have nothing of value to add. 

Best wishes to you and your dogs. :wave:


----------



## Mayve (Aug 21, 2012)

Well, he does look pretty proud of his handy work. Perhaps you could get him a job on an excavation crew, or in a cemetary or digging perk holes....the possibilities are many...**.


----------



## my4goldens (Jan 21, 2009)

I feel your pain, deeply. Except I have three diggers. And I am sick of it too. We even went so far last year to put boulders around the deck and gazebo foundations. This morning I looked out and dirt was flying, the dogs were all digging around a boulder and had a huge hole with dirt flung on the deck. I'm recovering from surgery, and don't have the patience for this anymore, I took a large jar of chili powder, a bottle of tabasco sauce and sprinkled/poured it in the hole and around the hole. Let the dogs out, and they all got a snoot full of it and didn't dig for a while, but then we got thunderstorms this afternoon which probably washed away all the stuff. Guess tomorrow I send my husband for more ammunition. Enough is enough with this digging.


----------



## KiwiD (Jan 14, 2008)

Those are some mighty big holes - yikes! I use cayenne pepper but you'd need a whole lot of it to cover that amount of territory. It's crazy what they can accomplish when they're determined


----------



## Brinkleythegolden (Jun 18, 2012)

Bentley, you really are proud of yourself! He is super cute in that picture, but I'd be frustrated too. We had a great dane once who used to dig gigantic holes!


----------



## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

Earlier, I was looking at those photos on my iphone. I did not realize how enormous those holes were until now. Wow, you have your work cut out for you on this. Hopefully, it's just a teenage thing.


----------



## Max's Dad (Apr 23, 2012)

Those are some big holes, but that sure is an adorable puppy.


----------



## goldenwarn (Mar 14, 2013)

HOLY MOLY!!!!!!!! wow just plain wow. He is a super dedicated dog!!!! Adorable absolutely adorable but just wow!!!!! I can see your frustration....I have no advice as we have never encountered a digger to that magnitude. My word the dog has skills! I sure hope for your sanity he grows out of this or you can find something that helps deter him. Those aren't holes they are ready for foundation laying holes!


----------



## Mirinde (Jun 8, 2011)

I...just...what!? Those are huge! Perhaps it is time for supervised potties only and getting tethered to a not dig-able surface for times when he is just hanging out? Management management management, especially with a dog that devoted! 

A rosidian ridgeback tried to teach Iorek how to dig when he was about 4 months old. Iorek was pretty confused and never caught on... he just stood behind her and got facefulls of dirt. I guess they all have their quirk  Bentley's is just olympic level digging abilities! Rent him out for landscaping tasks!


----------



## Katduf (Mar 10, 2013)

Bentley is too cute for his own good. He could eat my kids and I'd forgive him with that face!


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## kjohnstone82 (Sep 24, 2012)

Man those are some pretty impressive holes, I can see why its getting to you! I hope the hot sauce does the trick


----------



## gretzky (Dec 1, 2012)

I feel your pain. It's amazing how fast Gretzky can dig a hole :-/ He eats poo also, wonder if there's some correlation ... (And before someone can ask, we monitor him all the time, sometimes if he sees us with the poo bag he will stop poo'ing, turn around and gulp it down. Yuck!!)


Sent from Petguide.com App


----------

