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14 - The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday May 12, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com Pet of the Week EVERYDAY LOW MORTGAGE RATES. NO GIMMICKS. 5.29% 5 Y E A R F I X E D RAT E Every day is a good day to get our Everyday Low Mortgage Rates. No gimmicks. No need to negotiate. Find out why more than 90% of our Members surveyed said they would recommend FirstOntario Credit Union to friends. Call us at 1 800 616.8878, visit a branch or www.firstontariocu.com. Rates may change with market conditions. SWEET GIRL: Edna, the American Bull Dog is a very sweet girl who walks nicely on leash and enjoys the company of people. More animals available for adoption can be viewed at www.oakvillehumane.ca. Dog tips owners can dig Hounds dig it. Terriers dig it. Sled dogs dig it. So why don't you? Dogs that like hole digging can be destructive. Once beautiful yards become ridden with potholes. Even worse, a dog could get out under a fence. There aren't many appealing reasons to allow a dog to dig. The good news is there are ways to prevent it. To find a solution you first have to understand the problem. The reasons why your pet may be digging can be varied ­ breed, attraction to the opposite sex, or boredom. Many reasons for digging are often breed dependent. Heavy-coated spitz-type dogs, such as sled dogs and Chow Chows, dig cooling pits during hot weather to be more comfortable. Earth dogs -- those bred to tunnel underground to dispatch prey, like short-legged terriers and dachshunds -- are simply obeying their natural impulses to find gophers, moles, or other "vermin." These dogs are difficult to redirect because it is instinctive. Scent hounds (beagles, bassets, and coonhounds) often dig along fence lines because the lure of other animals is so strong. Sexual attraction in unfixed dogs may cause the dog to dig its way closer to the opposite sex. The bored digger, however, is the most common. Many people have dogs with destructive behaviour in the house and then they put the dog outside to avoid the problem. The dog just finds a different way to express it. Left in a yard on its own the bored digger looks for a way to entertain itself. Breed specific solutions can be varied. If your hot dog is digging cooling pits, keep him inside in the air conditioning during the hottest times of the day. Setting up a kid friendly pool for him could be an alternate solution. If your Jack Russell terrier is trying to dig up rodents it might be best to supervise his activities and redirect. When nature calls have your unneutered male neutered. Bored dogs aren't so bored when tired. Play with them or invite doggie friends to play. Attach chicken wire or hardware cloth to the bottom of your fence and bury it at an angle. When the dog tries to dig out it will hit fence and stop. Some dogs have an innate desire to dig so a digging pit provides the perfect compromise. Choose a patch in the yard where it's okay for a dog to dig. Circle it with stones or other markers. Loosen the soil, mix in sand and hide a few toys to encourage the dog to dig in it. If he digs elsewhere, mark it as "wrong," and call him to the pit. Fill in the pit and add goodies from time to time. Once a dog has a place of its own to dig, the rest of the yard won't look nearly as appealing. CLOTHING FOR GUYS @ MAPLEVIEW MALL BURLINGTON H1160071 A PURCHASE OF $100 OR MORE