Help with a couple of puppy probs pls

[MyBoyChe]

Any ideas gratefully received, not major issues but annoying all the same and not things Ive had to deal with before, guess Ive been lucky Chloe the ESS is now 6 months old and derives great joy from digging holes in the lawn. She bites the turf off the top then digs like crazy. I now have a series of small holes all over the lawn, about 6" across and about as deep, doesnt seem to matter what I do, if I fill the newest one in or cover it up she just starts somewhere else! Ive taken the view now that Ill wait till Autumn, fill in and reseed the patches, hoping she'll grow out of it but does anyone have any tips on how to stop her. The other issue is her barking at my older dog. Now Rosie is fairly deaf so she isnt too fussed but she will stand in front of her and yap, and yap, and yap!! Im sure shes attention seeking and if Rosie reacted a bit she would probably shut up but Rose just ignores her. Again Im sure this is something she will grow out of and when Im home I can call her away but Im a bit worried she may do this if Im out and although my neighbours are brill its not really fair to them or Rose. Any ideas on the best way to teach her this is not acceptable?

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

O dear naughty Chloe spangle!!

I have no real ideas I'm afraid but I would guess the little hooligan is digging the lawn partly out of boredom especailly bearing in mind the spangle attention span is shorter than a goldfishes - I would go to the butchers and get a big fresh bone and make her sit in the garden and eat it. Mine do and sit out in the pouring rain to eat a bone - seems to wear them out physically and mentally!!

 

[Spudlet]

You know my stock answer for all naughty little spangles - give them a job to do You could try puppy agility classes, or even baby gundog classes, just to occupy her mind and tire her out a bit!

Big bone sounds like a good plan too, it's a guaranteed source of peace and quiet in my house too

 

[Cedars]

No advice, but all the best dogs are called Chloe

 

[MyBoyChe]

Thanks guys, I have been toying with the idea of a third walk for her, lunchtime before I go to work. She currently goes out at 6am and 8pm, has the run of the garden all morning and evening and is indoors 1-5pm whilst I work. She runs off lead with the two older dogs, who really dont need another walk and I was a bit concerned too much exercise too soon may damage her joints but think the time has come. We walk around the outside of a 20 acre field which has a river on one side and rough stuff on the other. She can practise her doggy paddle and I can do a bit of baby training with her. Slinky and Spud, it seems so obvious when someone else says it, she probably is a bit bored now and needs a bit of mental stimulation, (I wonder if I could teach her to do housework whilst Im at work!). Flamehead, you have no idea how long it took us to choose her name, first she was gonna be Molly, then Izzy, then Poppy but when we got her home they just didnt suit her, so Chloe it is.

 

[CAYLA]

I would place some strong smelling decoys around the garden to encourage her to find them, and limit her unsupervised time, so that you can also help occupy and distract her when in the garden.
If you begin to make a game she may be more keen to associate the garden with getting out there to find her rewards rather than gardening
Some people actually place pits of sand in the garden to encourage digging in there, but im not sure if this encourages more mess and more digging.

When she barks at your older dog, if in the garden I would remove her back indoors and let her out ofter 5 minutes, if she repeats then do it again, or use a water pistol to deter her, or another option is to offer a positive discraction, I def think she will grow out of that one, but it msut be annoying she is obs being cheeky and trying to active play with her.