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By Mike Jones, August 5, 2011

Most dogs really enjoy digging around in soft dirt. You want to have a beautiful yard and a nice garden and your dog comes along and ruins it all. It is a big disaster that you can hardly keep up with. You want a nice yard but your dog wants to have fun digging around. What is the best way to handle this problem?

Dogs are natural-born diggers. Some breeds are actually bred to dig out certain prey so this digging conduct is instinctual for them. If your dog is a natural digger it may be more challenging but there are some things you can do to contain the digging.

It is important for your dog to engage his curiosity, learn about and explore his surroundings. But most people want a nice yard too. You must contain his digging or even stop it entirely if you want to keep your yard beautiful.

Digging Dog

Dogs sometimes dig because they are bored. They need entertainment. He may be experiencing separation anxiety because you are away. Maybe he is trying to dig out an escape route so he can leave the yard. He may even be digging for something as simple as controlling his own temperature. He may be too hot and trying to cool off or he may be too cold and trying to warm-up.

You can get your dog to reduce or even stop his digging patterns. First make sure that he has enough time with you and gets enough exercise and playtime. You can also make sure that he has toys that he enjoys. Frequently dogs will try to bury bones so if you give your dog bones to chew on make sure you replace them with chew toys or rawhide bones.

You can also try clicker training to prevent digging. Anytime you see your dog in the act of digging use the clicker and a command that tells him “no”. Reward him when he stops digging. You will need to be consistent but clicker training can work.

You can also try to fill his hole up with undesirable things. You can fill the hole that he has been playing in with garden mulch, sticks, pine needles and so forth. When he comes back he will dig and find the undesirable things in his hole and he will stop digging. You can also bury a balloon that will pop in his face as he digs. This will not hurt him but it will scare him and he may stop the digging. Some trainers also recommend putting dog poop into the holes as the dog will no longer want to play after he finds his own poop!

You can try to make a spot in your yard specifically for his digging. This will take the most time and patience but it may be the best solution if your dog is just a natural digger. You can reduce your dogs digging behavior with some time and patience but be gentle because he is just being a dog.

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By Jim Navary, May 29, 2011

“When is a puppy fully grown?”

That question is probably not foremost in your thoughts when you bring a new puppy into your life. That adorable little face, those huge soulful eyes, and that cute wiggle when he walks are what come to mind when thinking about your new pup. But gradually, as your puppy gets older and perhaps a bit destructive, you may find yourself wishing that he would grow out of some of those youthful traits and begin acting more like an adult dog.  By the time he’s chewed your third pair of shoes you will probably begin to wonder…

“When will this puppy be fully grown?”

Happiness is a warm puppy -- Charles Schulz

Although there are some similarities between early development stages of puppies and human babies, the process is considerably quicker for canines.

Newborn puppies go through many changes during their first three weeks .  They open their eyes, take their first steps, and begin to act like a tiny dog. During this early stage they are not really aware of the world beyond  ”mom”  and siblings.

Somewhere between the third and fourth week your puppy’s senses of sight, smell, and hearing rapidly develop. All of a sudden he’ll discover that there is more to his world than just his canine family. His relationship with his new human family begins to take shape. This is a critical time for the development of your puppy’s personality and behavioral traits. Take care to avoid stressful or traumatic experiences as they may significantly influence how your dog will behave as an adult.

Your puppy will begin learning proper pack “etiquette” during the fifth through seventh weeks. If he begins to bite inappropriately or play too rough, his mother will correct him. These early lessons provide some of the social skills he will need as he interacts with humans and other dogs.

For the first three months of his life your puppy will experience many new things. Whenever possible, try to make these learning experiences positive. In doing so you are much more likely to avoid behavioral problems as he enters adulthood.

After three months or so your puppy enters a “toddler” stage of development. He gains more independence and tries to explore his world as he sees fit, not at the prompting of his mother or his human family. Shoes, furniture, books, and just about anything within reach will fascinate him. He will also learn what they taste like as he begins teething. This is a good time to begin very basic obedience training and establish your role as pack leader.

Your puppy will reach adolescence at around six to eight months, well on his way toward adulthood. Although the transition from adolescent to adult varies, depending upon the breed (or mix of breeds), you can be pretty sure that he has reached adulthood by the time his second birthday rolls around.

That’s when a puppy is fully grown.

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By Matt Kush, May 13, 2011

The best thing about Twitter is that you can do a quick search to find like-minded people. Teachers, writers, photographers, celebrities, Susan Boyle lovers, all are tweeting away and just waiting to have another follower. Oh yeah that’s the other thing. On Twitter you get to follow and be followed. Its great fun to see how many people you can woo in 140-characters or less.

Of course I did my usual search for dog lovers and was not disappointed. A long list of dog lovers came up, some promoting businesses and services and some just promoting their dog. It’s a great resource for free advice on training, feeding, breeding and generally caring for your dog. Here are some of the best dog-related Twitterers I’ve found:

@ EcoPup: Boasts Eco-friendly clothing and accessories for your pawsitively posh pets!

@ Dogfessions: Its Nikki Moustaki, author, TV/Radio personality, dog trainer, pet industry expert. She also runs www.dogfessions.com and www.dogvice.com.

@Petigreeworld: On Twitter to educate, inspire and create a world of entertainment for you, your lifestyle and your trusted pet. Can be found at www.petigreeworld.com

@Bluebeagle2: Just a cute beagle who checks in.

@TheHusky: The life and times of Misty The Siberian Husky.

@TheDogExpert: Sheryl Matthys, The Dog Expert, Dog Trainer, CEO of www.leashesandlovers.com. Lots of fun tips on behavior.

@dogdiaries: Its a social community for dog lovers. Check them out at www.dogdiaries.com/au.

@sylviedog: Chicagoan Sylvie whose hobbies include sleeping, eating cookies and yelling at Mugsy. www.sylviedog.blogspot.com.

@iPuppyCam: all about puppies!! Gotta love it! www.ipuppycam.com.

@Woofcp. Pet gifts. www.bigpawdesigns.com.

Like I said, these are my favorite Twitters. Each one has something I love to check up on even if its just an adorable picture of Sylvie sleeping on her doggie bed. What can I say? I really REALLY like dogs. So if you get a chance, give these people a look and see what they can do for you and your dog. Twitter them! I’m sure they’ll be more than happy to tweet back!

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By Tristan Andrews, December 28, 2010

It’s very likely that just about all puppies have chased their tails at some point. For a puppy, chasing his tail is as common as a child spinning in circles. Puppies seem to become aware that they have tails and, therefore, they are something to try to catch. Who hasn’t had a laugh at a puppy spinning around trying to catch his own tail?

Many dogs continue this behavior as they get older. It’s a playful behavior and dogs seem to enjoy it. Of course, it may also be a sign that your dog is bored and is looking for some way to entertain himself. If the behavior bothers you, try to provide your puppy or dog with lots of fun toys and safe things to chew on so he will have some other options.

It’s possible that some dogs continue to chase their tails after they are adults because it amuses their owners. They have learned that chasing their tail gets them attention and causes their owners to laugh and give them affection, so they chase their tails to get this positive attention. If you don’t want your dog to chase his tail it’s not necessary to punish your dog or to be harsh with him. Simply stop giving him the positive feedback. Stop laughing at his antics. Encourage him to do something else. Play with him with some toys, for instance. Throw a ball for him. Play frisbee with him.

Some dogs may chase their tail if there is some kind of physical problem concerning their tail. In these cases it only looks the same as a dog who is chasing his tail for fun. For example, your dog may have a flea bite at the base of his tail and it may be driving him crazy. He may spin, trying to reach the place that’s itching, but he can’t reach it. So, it looks like he’s chasing his tail. You can help your dog by checking to see what’s bothering him. This kind of spinning and chasing actually does look different from tail chasing. With tail-chasing a dog is trying to catch the tip of his tail (usually). When there is a physical problem a dog is often trying to reach the base of his tail or his body. Try to notice the difference and see what’s bothering your dog so you can help him.

Impacted anal sacs or problems with worms can also cause dogs to chase their tails.

Tail-chasing can also occur after physical trauma, surgery or illness. Bull Terriers and German Shepherds seem to be more prone to tail-chasing than other breeds.

In some cases, tail-chasing can become a compulsion as in an obsessive compulsive behavior. There is some evidence to suggest that this OCD tail-chasing behavior may be linked to high cholesterol in the diet.

Dogs with anxiety problems may also engage in compulsive tail-chasing. About two percent of the canine population is estimated to have canine compulsive disorder.

If your dog does develop this compulsive tail-chasing behavior you will need to talk to your veterinarian. He may recommend drug therapy for the problem. The most common treatment is Prozac for dogs. You will also need to work with your dog on behavior modification. In case you think this is extreme, dogs who chase their tails compulsively may do so for hours a day, so it really is necessary to help them.

Tristan Andrews is a freelance author who writes about dog information and dog training.