Suggestions RE: Digging - Page 1

Is there a way to stop our dogs from digging up our water pipes (that are PVC) in our yard? 

They have fresh water available from the lick stick so I don't think they're looking for fresh water.  We provide them with fresh water daily in a wading pool in the summer so I don't think they're looking to cool off.  In fact, we have pine trees all around the perimeter of the yard where they hang the most on warm/hot days.....no digging around there either.  The water lines seem to be the places they like to dig up....even though we have turned off the water to the lines after waking up one morning with a geyser spewing out there.  The water has been off out there for over a year now and they are still digging up the lines!  

I've got fruit trees out there and I'm tired of running a hose and changing it to the different locations all the time.  Anyone have this problem and were you able to solve it?

The reinforcing behavior of digging up the pipes may be the spray. You wrote you give them access to fresh water to drink and splash in. Maybe they enjoy getting sprayed. My shepherd is crazy for getting hosed down and it is a real treat for him to drink out of a hose. Maybe you can distract them from digging up your pipes by giving them an alternative source of a spray of water. It will take some effort and creativity to transition them from the forbidden spray to the OK source. You might actually have to start out desensitizing them by catching them in the act and startling them with loud noise or maybe using a spray of citrus - whatever you think will work on them.

The longer they have been at it, the more difficult it will be.

Dogs also dig out of boredom and as an expression of aggression/dominance. Plus it's fun.   

Dogs dig because they love it!! It's a behavior very difficult to break, one that you need to control.. restrict their access tothe areas .. some folks use fencing under the ground so when they dog they hit the fencing first, kind of breaks up all the fun.. but its a ton of prep work!!

We had to put fencing down to stop our old girl from digging.  Her's was based on separation anxiety and the fencing put a stop to it.  I haven't done it myself but I've heard that if you have a digger the best thing to do is give them a sandbox.  Prepare an area with landscaping timbers to border it and then put in "diggable dirt".  Makes sense to me if the dog is just digging for the pure joy of digging.  Give them a place to dig, let them know it's ok to dig to China there but no where else and they may limit themselves to the sandbox.