Scratching the carpet…… again

[JennyBee]

I had some advice from the forum last year with Brodie scratching the carpet and managed to control it - but now she’s started doing it again with a vengeance, and nothing’s working. I think I’m doing something wrong . When she starts I put her into a down and then reward her, and then she goes right back and scratches the carpet again! I end up putting her on her houseline which isn’t really helping to get to the route of the problem. I always ignore her when she does something ‘bad,’ but I can’t do that as she’ll damage the carpet.....

Sometimes she will just dig but other times she will scratch the carpet and then stand and look at me so I assume she is attention seeking, although I‘m worried she may be stressed. It mostly happens at night when she goes through the whole Wall of Death routine - I know she is not as mentally stimulated as she should be because of her walkie problem but I am trying to fix this with clicker training and games etc.

What am I doing wrong . Any ideas appreciated x

[GinnyB]

can't give any advice I'm sorry but Mali does a similar thing but only on the large coir (sp) mat in the hallway before she settles down to sleep on it. The only other place she does the same thing is on her dog beds so I wonder if it's a settling down thing?

[JennyBee]

can't give any advice I'm sorry but Mali does a similar thing but only on the large coir (sp) mat in the hallway before she settles down to sleep on it. The only other place she does the same thing is on her dog beds so I wonder if it's a settling down thing?

Nope it's a 'I want to go to Australia' thing . She's always done it but in the last few months I've been able to stop her if I see she's about to start, but it's not working now

[joanne_v]

Lily does this sometimes too but not to the extent it damages the carpet, although its a bit 'thin' in parts! I have put it down to her being over-tired or slightly stressed so she finds it harder to settle down. Its always in the evenings and often accompnaied by her barking too. I ignore it and let her settle herself.

[JennyBee]

Lily does this sometimes too but not to the extent it damages the carpet, although its a bit 'thin' in parts! I have put it down to her being over-tired or slightly stressed so she finds it harder to settle down. Its always in the evenings and often accompnaied by her barking too. I ignore it and let her settle herself.

It does sound very similar - with Brodie it's chronic though, almost every day. I have tried ignoring her but she just goes on and on. If it was my house I would keep on ignoring her but it's not .... If it's stress, do you think putting some rescue remedy in her water would help? I'm not sure how often you can give it to a dog? 

[laurie_champagne]

my little fellow scratches the carpet & it's definately when he wants attention or if I refuse to give him my breakfast - I put him into a down which doesn't really make him stop except for the moment when I am responding to him (which is what he wanted in the first place).  well at least it's better than when he is totally bored & disgusted & chews the fringe on the carpet.

[JennyBee]

my little fellow scratches the carpet & it's definately when he wants attention or if I refuse to give him my breakfast - I put him into a down which doesn't really make him stop except for the moment when I am responding to him (which is what he wanted in the first place).  well at least it's better than when he is totally bored & disgusted & chews the fringe on the carpet.

They sound identical! Brodie had a thing for the rug in the living room and would chew the corner of it as well - she's stopped now thankfully x
I've just had had to put her on the houseline again

[fifer]

Digging or scratching (in this case your carpet) is a primeval nesting instinct; a throwback to the times of wild dogs etc, who would dig up dead bracken, grass or soft earth etc to make a comfy pile of "bedding" to settle on.  That of course brings us to the other nightly ritual the turning round and round and round until you get fed up with them before they settle down to sleep.  

[joanne_v]

What's the longest you have let her do it for? Are we talking 1 minute, 5 minutes, 20 minutes? Does she do it in spots she lies down in and does she circle/nest as eileen says? What does she do if you call her to you?have you tried a time out or a down stay?

[JennyBee]

What's the longest you have let her do it for? Are we talking 1 minute, 5 minutes, 20 minutes? Does she do it in spots she lies down in and does she circle/nest as eileen says? What does she do if you call her to you?have you tried a time out or a down stay?

The longest I have left her is about 2 minutes, and it can occur anywhere - she tends to lie on the sofa instead of the floor (being a princess, you see ) and there's no circling. In fact, I don't think I've ever saw her circle or nest before lying down . When she's digging, she only reacts to me if I put her into a down which I then reward . I haven't tried time-outs yet so I could try putting her in the kitchen....

[MegandMolly]

Do you think the digging could be attention seeking?
'If I do this, Mummy fusses me and gives me a bickie?' sort of thing?

(I tend to think of dog training in a similar way to interaction with nursery children  , one of the children I worked with would hold her breath to get attention. The Ed Psyc recommended a similar time out / no interaction approach with praise for not doing the action)

[JennyBee]

Do you think the digging could be attention seeking?
'If I do this, Mummy fusses me and gives me a bickie?' sort of thing?

(I tend to think of dog training in a similar way to interaction with nursery children  , one of the children I worked with would hold her breath to get attention. The Ed Psyc recommended a similar time out / no interaction approach with praise for not doing the action)

Yes it's a strong possibility .

I think the time-out's the best idea, I've recently begun clicker training and I'm wondering if it is something that can be used for this?

[sharonmansfield]

Bella digs and usually at night but not everynight just sometimes but she will do it obsessively and with such force I fear for the carpet. She too sleeps on the sofa and no digging occurs there or on our bed but I have a bean bag beside the bed and that gets lots of digging turning around more digging and turning around, its great when you are trying to get to sleep!!!!   they also have a basket and that gets scratched too. I don't know what to suggest really as I have never understood why Bella has to do it  sometimes. I thought it might be a nesting thing,  she does it to the vetbeds too. (yes these dogs have beds everywhere but of course Mums beds the comfiest!!!!) I tend to ignore her to be honest but then she is not doing it all the time, If I am in bed though I will shout lie down and she tends to settle then
I will follow this thread with interest.
Perhaps they have doggy OCD!!!!!!!
Best wishes Sharon Bella and Jasmine

[joanne_v]

I'd try time outs. Say nothing to her and either pick her up (no cuddling!) or gently lead her away and give her 5 mins alone. It disrupts the cycle whatever the cause and does not reward or punish so will not do anything other than teach her that's there's no point in scratching as she will just be moved.   

[JennyBee]

Great, she can be a little manic at night so I'll be leading her rather than picking her up...... Thanks Jo!