Question:
I have a 10-month-old female chow/pit-bull mix who does a lot of digging around the tree in my yard. She's dug holes all over the yard. Now she's chewing the edges of the screen door and anything else she can find to chew.She's well fed and healthy, so why is she acting this way? What is she lacking? What can I do to stop this behavior?.
N.J.J., Houston, TX Jun 03, 2007
Answer:
You have a healthy, active young dog who is doing what most dogs will do when left out in the yard -- she's bored, curious, playful and, like countless other dogs, loves to dig and chew things.Either spend more time with her outdoors or get her a dog companion to chase and wrestle with. For your own peace of mind, it may be best to give the yard over to your dog, but be sure she has a kennel for shade and shelter, and freshwater to drink if she's out there for any length of time. No dog should be kept tied up in the yard, but too many are, day and night.Attempts by humane organizations and concerned individuals to establish state legislation to limit how long dogs can be tied up outdoors has been opposed by the American Kennel Club, an organization that clearly puts dollars before dogs because any such legislation is seen as a threat to commercial breeders.
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