Using pepper?

So marleys still digging in the garden, and I know it's just normal doggy behaviour and to be honest I can't stop laughing when I see him doing it because he looks so happy, and he's like a baby lamb bouncing around but the garden is terrible now all uneven and a nightmare for my 2 year old to play, she's constantly falling into his holes bless her, anyways the firm no isn't working, but a woman in the local pet shop told me to use pepper, to put it where he's digging and because they don't like the smell she reckons Marley won't go near it? Has anyone had experience with this? I don't want it to end up where he doesn't like going out in the garden at all!

I haven't heard of pepper working on dogs, Katy loves digging, I have managed to stop her in my garden ( I just kept on saying uh uh & pushing her away) However when I'm at work ( I'm a gardener) its more of a fight, if I'm digging she wants to help She wont start until my fork goes in the ground

Haha aw bless her I love seeing him do it because he's so happy but there's holes everywhere now!! When I fill he starts another one

I'd wait for Rach or Liz to chime in but I think pepper is a bad idea. It messes with their sense of smell and could cause him to not want to go out in the garden

That's what I thought, which is why I haven't tried it! I have seen a spray called keep off which is meant to do the same sort of thing but I'm not sure.. Thanx for the reply

Buddy doesn't dig but he loves to eat grass! I tried the get off sprays that are about but other than make him sneeze a bit they didn't do anything - I just have to run around like a loony distracting him so he stops ...I wouldn't use pepper

So they don't work then? Great haha I duno what I can do now other than just keep filling them in, I stop him when he starts to dig but he just bounces around then starts somewhere else he's winning at the moment no I didn't like the idea of pepper to be honest!

the only other thing I can think of that a friend of mine has done for her German Shepherd is to fence off an area of the garden for him , she has trained her dog that this is his bit of garden and he can dig and bury things in this bit of garden to his hearts content- don't know if that's a possibility in your garden she just put some small edging up and every time he dug she put him in the area and encouraged him to dig by hiding treats in the mud - now when he gets the urge he goes to "his patch" she still hides treats to encourage the behaviour. Worth a try if its feasible.

Someone told me to try this actually but my grass area isn't very big

what about filling a childs sand pit with earth and hiding some treats in it or a ball for him to dig it up- ? and getting him used to playing in that instead of your grass area , the pits that sit flat on the floor like the shell shaped ones in Argos- might be an idea

That's a good idea! I'm going to look on the net now thanx carol

You get a plastic shell pool from argos get some dirt throw in some bones, toys perhaps a wee ball. Be positive and excited about the pool.

Yh im hoping this will sort it haha prob is I think my daughter will want to get in there to at least then I might be able to re grass and have some flowers put in....... Well maybe

let us know how you get on .. pictures if possible...

Agree, I would also recommend a sand pit. It's totally normal/natural behaviour, and although not great for our gardens, it's good to give him an outlet for the behaviour. Next is just the task of teaching him that it's okay to dig in the pit, but not the ground! Good luck

Yes rach think that might be my best option now don't want to stop him doing what he enjoys but my garden can't take much more

Never heard of pepper,try some wellies

Haha