From: rgoldstone@OAVAX.CSUCHICO.EDU (Robin, Girl Wonder)
Subject: Re: dog digs holes
Reply-To: rgoldstone@OAVAX.CSUCHICO.EDU
Organization: California State University, Chico
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 21:42:33 GMT

Many people have replied to my posting about my dog digging, and I just want
to make a few followup comments:

* Some people have said that there is no way that the dog knows what he is
being reprimanded for, since it is after the fact.  I might be totally
mis-reading the indications, but I really believe he knows that digging a
hole = punishment.  As I said in my original post, when he has not dug a 
hole, he comes running out of the house to greet me, with his tail wagging.
When he has dug a hole, he does not leave the house at all.  He peeks out
the dog door to see that it is me, then he goes back inside.  He has not even
seen me at this point, so it is not like there is something about my body
language or behavior that would lead him to believe that he was "bad."  On
the contrary - it is *his* behavior that tells me whether he has been good
or bad.  This is a very consistent behavior.  If he comes out to greet me,
he has not dug a hole.  If he doesn't, he has dug a hole.  

* Another person suggested that indeed he might equate the existence of the
hole with punishment, but that he cannot equate the hole with anything he
did, i.e. he knows there is a hole, but not that he dug it.  I just can't
believe this.  I can't imagine that he can make the correlation that hole = 
punishment, but not remember where the hole came from.  Like he is just
innocently walking around the yard and encounters a hole and says "Gee a
hole, where did that come from?  Oh oh, I am going to be in trouble now."
This is hard for me to believe, but then again I am not a psychologist.

* People have mentioned that maybe the dog is not getting enough exercise
and/or attention while I am home.  Wrong.  When I am not at work, I devote
a very large amount of my time to this dog.  I love him very much.  I am
not negligent of him in any way.  He goes on two bike rides daily, plus I 
play ball with him almost all evening, and take him swimming several times
a week.

* Someone asked if he has enough shady places to lay.  He has access to 
one room of my air-conditioned house, plus a covered porch, plus a wading
pool. 

* Someone asked why not just let him dig?  Well I kinda like my yard.  It
is (well, was) nicely landscaped and it is just depressing to come home and
find dirt all over the lawn and a plant or two in ruins.  However, I love the
dog much more than the yard.  I might have to just learn to live with holes.
Also, he is still young, and might outgrow this behavior.

As for other suggestions, the sand box sounds like a good idea, but I don't 
have a place in the yard for this.  It is a small yard with lawn and a border
of plants.  No bare dirt or other such space.  Also, I will try to spy on him
and catch him in the act.

Sorry this is so long-winded, but I felt the need to clarify since some people
were making comments that bordered on accusations of cruelty.  This dog is
spoiled, not abused.  No chance!

-Robin
***********************************************************************
Robin Goldstone, Systems Software Specialist
California State University, Chico  Computing Services
rgoldstone@oavax.csuchico.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs