Jill Bowen

Jill Bowen has practiced veterinary medicine in England and Texas and has taught at Texas A&M. She lives with her veterinarian husband and two cats in Blacksburg. If you have a question, please write to her in care of The Roanoke Times, P.O. Box 540, Christiansburg, VA 24068, or send an e-mail to mjbowen@radford.edu

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We adopted a 3-year-old mutt from the animal shelter a month ago. He has done well with the electric fence. His problem is digging in the yard. We punish him when we catch him in the act. We tell him "no," show him the hole, swat him with a newspaper and put him in the garage. When we catch him he knows he is in trouble. It's like he can't help himself. He lived in an apartment with college students and then in the shelter for five weeks as far as we know. Is there something more we can do to help break him of this habit?

Digging is a common behavior problem in dogs. Many dogs have favorite sites and will repeatedly dig in that one area. Some owners have found that the answer to the digging problem is to designate one special area in the yard where the dog is allowed to dig.

Dogs dig for several reasons. Some dogs that have terrier blood are bred to dig to uncover prey in underground burrows, and trying to stop them is almost impossible. It is also a primitive reflex to dig holes to bury extra food or bones. Dogs also dig to create a cavity for shelter from the weather and to preserve body heat. In warm weather, holes help to keep the dog cool. Some dogs are escape artists and will dig under fences to get out to explore. Some dogs dig before urination or defecation.

Ideally, your dog should not be left unsupervised in the yard, regardless of any misbehavior. Increase the length and amount of walks, as well as play sessions that apply obedience skills. Dogs that have plenty of constructive exercise will have less energy for digging.

Dogs that have not been adequately socialized to humans or are suffering from separation anxiety may also indulge in digging, especially if just left alone in the yard.

Physical punishment such as swatting with a newspaper or shouting is not usually successful in breaking a digging habit. Many times, the dog does not realize what he is being punished for. The only time it is likely to work is if you can actually catch him in the act.

Rolling a soda can full of pebbles or squirting him with a water pistol while he is actually digging will act as a distraction and then give him something else to do like chase a ball. Showing him the hole he dug later will mean nothing, and he will not understand why he is being punished. Positive reinforcement such as praise when he does well is usually more successful.

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The FDA issued another pet turtle warning April 9. According to wire services, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued an urgent reminder that contact with baby turtles can pose a serious health risk.

FDA scientists said baby turtles can be natural hosts to salmonella, a group of bacteria that can cause severe illness and death. The warning comes after the death in Florida of a 4-week-old infant from the bacteria, which was traced to a pet turtle.

Because salmonella infection can be caused by contact with turtles in petting zoos, parks, child-care facilities and other locations, it is important to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling or touching turtles and their housing.

During the early 1970s it was determined pet turtles were responsible for about 280,000 cases of salmonellosis each year in the United States.