Unlike the moles that will decorate your garden with small mounds, since you adopted your Irish Setter, your garden has become a golf course! Indeed, you have noticed holes all over your grass and the responsible person is none other than your Irish Setter. So what can you do to stop him? Punish your Irish Setter? Stop him from going into the garden? First of all, you will have to find out why your Irish Setter is digging. So you can find a solution to stop or limit the disaster… This post will help you to better understand and give you some tips to stop your Irish Setter from digging in your garden.
Your Irish Setter digs from time to time
Your Irish Setter digs because he’s a dog. And yes, whatever the breed, a dog digs naturally to have fun, to look for smells, to protect itself from heat or to hide a bone. There is no need to scold your Irish Setter if he sometimes makes a hole from time to time to bury one of his treasures in it. He would not understand what he has done wrong and the reprimand will not help. If this phenomenon is moderate, it will have to be accepted because it is instinctive and natural.
Your Irish Setter digs very often
However, if your Irish Setter gets into the practice of digging very often and everywhere, it may be because it is bored. Indeed a dog needs exercises and if your Irish Setter lacks activity, it will try to fill this gap by digging.
Your Irish Setter is digging too much – what to do?
Making a Irish Setter stop digging – Get some physical exercise
First of all, you will need to adopt the habit of walking him for at least 30 minutes a day, running him and playing with him. Indeed, if he has been physically active enough, your Irish Setter will not want to dig. He will think about resting quietly and you will find that there will be fewer holes in your garden.
Making a Irish Setter stop digging – Make him distracted
To avoid boredom when you leave, another solution is to give him toys when he is alone outside. I recommend the famous Kong with its candy that can distract him for hours. With his attention so busy, your Irish Setter will think less about digging your land….
Indeed, loneliness and boredom will anguish or stress your Irish Setter. This is what drives him to unwanted behaviour such as digging, barking or destroying objects… But if you give him a well-stocked KONG of candy when he stays outside alone, it can distract him for hours. His attention thus occupied, he will not be bored and your Irish Setter will think less about digging your ground….
Best toy for Irish Setter – The Kong
Making a Irish Setter stop digging – Educate him
If, despite everything, your Irish Setter continues to dig everywhere, you will have to train your dog. You can teach him to dig only in a limited area.
You will need to define a place on your property where your Irish Setter will be allowed to dig (by surrounding it with stones or making a sandbox). It will be necessary to hide food or toys from him precisely at this place and make him understand that he has the right to dig there.
However, use the NO and STOP with a strong and authoritative tone when you catch him digging outside the defined area. It will be necessary to be firm and always show him the place that is authorized (intended). By repeating these renunciation orders, your Irish Setter will gradually understand that he can only dig in his own area. So, your Irish Setter will continue to dig as his instinct demands but your garden will be preserved!
