There is Always a Reason

Dear Dogfather,   Q...  My dog is a pit bull and keeps digging at the same general area of Sheetrock and floor, for no reason at all.  The area had to be repaired twice and my parents are threatening to get rid of him. His name is Billy and he's perfect except for the digging.  What should I do? Signed Dylan

Answer: Dear Dylan, Keep the faith. I am pretty sure Billy will be staying with you.  First of all, you are saying he is digging for "no reason at all" THERE IS ALWAYS A REASON, we just have to figure it out. I had a client with a 4 year old pug that they had since a puppy that was perfectly fine in all respects. Then, suddenly, he started urinating in the apartment and becoming more and more fearful of more and more things. The first order of business was a thorough physical at the vet to rule out something physiological.  Then I questioned the owners at length to see what, if any changes might have occurred in the vibrations of the house. Lots of fighting with an impending divorce, a job loss, a serious medical diagnosis, any of these things can dramatically change the atmosphere of the house. Dogs are extremely sensitive to any change in the vibe of the house. My questioning brought me no closer to an answer, so I had the client leave a noise activated tape recorder on the table. There is always a reason! Did I mention that they also had an African Grey parrot? African Greys are smarter than dogs. The tape recorder picked up the parrot imitating the sound of the doorbell and then sounding like the husband, screaming at the poor dog for responding to the bell. The bird was having a great time manipulating the dog. There is always a reason. As for your Billy, he's a terrier, a pit bull terrier, and terriers are bred to get rid of the vermin in the barn. There is a good chance that Billy is telling you there is a nest of mice or something equally unpleasant near where he's digging. Have your parents call an exterminator and perhaps even ask them to thank Billy for the alert. Also since dogs are great creatures of habit, try spraying the digging area with one if the many "stay away" products, and more importantly don't let him access that spot unless there's supervision.  Good luck.