Re: Digging

In Reply to: Digging
Posted by:  Rachel
Posted on:  December 29, 2001 at 01:52:39

: Hi
: My JRT is 6 months , we let him out often , but at home he has this tendency to sniff my sofa or mattress before launchin into digging it as if some sort of treasure is embedded in the mattress/sofa cushion. He stops when we tell him to , but once we walk away , he starts digging again and act so determine to uncover whats beneath. Is it a behavior problem or something? Or just a characteristic?

------------------ Response Area -------------------
Hi Rachel,

All terriers were bred as earthworking dogs so subsequently digging is in their nature. This is really not a behavior that you can do much about to correct except to try and find ways of keeping him off of your furniture so he can't dig.

Indoor digging can become obsessive so you are best to try and find ways of discouraging him. Scolding and yelling doesn't do much as you are finding out.

The best thing you can do as I mentioned is to keep him off the furniture. If he cannot behave himself on the couch or bed he loses his priveleges.

You will have to start to teach him the "OFF" command and maybe reinforce it by booby-trapping the couch or bed. Of course the bedroom is an easy fix, just don't allow him in it. There are things you can do to set him up as far as the couch and even the bed goes. You need to get yourself some Snappy-traps (these can be found at pet specialty stores). They are mouse-traps with paddles on them so the dog gets the "surprise" of the snapping trap but can't hurt himself. Lay some of these on the couch or bed and cover them with some light-weight material. When he goes to jump up on the couch he is sure to set at least one of these off. It make take a few tries for him to convince himself it's not worth the effort of getting up on the couch.

If he is really "hard-core" you can up the ante using a scat-mat. These are expensive but they are invaluable in keeping determined terriers out of places or things you don't want them in. I own several and life is soooo much easier with them haha! These are mats that plug into the wall and give off a shock when stepped on. There are degrees that you can set them on from very mild (which is totally useless on a JRT) up to the strongest setting. The shock that is given is very much like the one you might get walking across carpeting in a very dry room. It doesn't hurt it's just uncomfortable.

Just remember, when you are doing your set-ups to make sure your terrier is not in the room when you are setting things up. These guys are that smart....they will catch on. It has to appear that these booby-traps have appeared out of nowhere.