Actually, it sounds like you have figured out part of this problem pretty well without me! You have described your dog's negative-attention-seeking behaviors and seem to recognize your family's role in reinforcing them. The only area of your interpretation I feel compelled to correct is your claim that your dog "knows what he is doing is wrong." Obviously these behaviors feel very right to him, or he wouldn't repeat them! Right and wrong are human concepts; dogs are more compelled by "it works" and deterred by "it doesn't work." They aren't conflicted by morality issues like some people are. And despite their seeming lack of conscience, dogs are never "unkind." They are blunt and seek what is in their own best interest; sometimes this inadvertently may be at the expense of others, but they are not malicious. They really want to please themselves, which, if you think about it, makes perfect sense.

Dogs always are described by people as "wanting to please," "selfless," and "loving" on the upswing, when all is going well in the human/dog family. But when trouble breaks out in the form of some self-serving canine behavior, once again the humans are quick to assign their pet human emotional characteristics: "spiteful!" "vindictive!" "trying to punish us!"

The truth about dogs is this: They need and seem to enjoy being part of a well-adjusted social group. We have made ourselves the surrogate canine pack members to our domesticated pet dogs, but most of us rather arrogantly forget these animals measure us by canine standards and rules. They do not aspire to, or feel accountable when they fall short of, human marks. They do not have as great of a desire to please us, as much as to appease us once we are confusingly irritated with them for going about the daily business of pleasing themselves. And what does this say about us? What kind of friends are we, really? That we want our supposed "best friends" to be selfless, to be all about us, doesn't reflect well on our self-proclaimed, pet-loving selves.

I hope I have clarified the fact your dog does not know "right" from "wrong," so let's look at why he actually is digging: Despite making his little white face very dirty, digging makes him feel good! Too bad it causes you or your family members to become very upset. In fact, therein lies a fringe benefit, which you already know about: negative attention! Now your dog has two motivating, compelling reasons to dig: it makes him feel good plus it earns a response from the human pack members. It sends your little dog on an ascent up the ladder of rank into more and more of a leadership role over family members. He can elicit all kinds of responses from the humans anytime the spirit moves him, and being social creatures, the spirit to interact on any terms, even negative ones, may move dogs quite frequently. Some dogs learn to control their relationships with human family members, quickly figuring out how to push buttons and earn predictable attention responses. Dogs relate socially with canine postures and facial gestures; when scolded many cower down and look "sorry," earning them the reputation of "knowing right from wrong." People both compliment and misinterpret their dogs when they try to put themselves in their pet's paws. The problem is we are not, and never have been, dogs, so our only point of reference is human. When dog responses are measured against human emotions that might be felt in similar circumstances, we fail to see dogs for who and what they really are.

Your dog simply is expressing puppyhood and all of the energy that goes along with it. Instead of over-reacting to symptoms such as digging and barking, why not head this little guy off at the pass? Get involved in obedience or agility classes to redirect some of that abundant energy and help him earn positive attention! If your dog really digs digging, why not designate an area specifically for that purpose? Get a small plastic children's sandbox or swimming pool and fill it with sand, possibly mixed with some clean topsoil if you don't mind brushing the dog after digging. Keep the designated digging area covered so it doesn't get wet, or it will be mud pie time, rather than directed digging time. Bury small toys, bones and treats in the "digging pit," and take your dog to dig in it on a daily basis. You might even want to join in and have some fun with your talented excavator! Meanwhile, don't allow the pup to spend unsupervised time alone in the yard where he might revert to his old, less sanitary digging habits.

If he does attempt to dig in off-limits areas, or when he barks inappropriately, remotely correct him by shaking or tossing a "dog bomb" (plastic bottle with pennies in it) in his direction without giving him any attention at all. Someday you'll be looking back fondly on his long-forgotten puppyhood, and I'll bet you won't remember anything but the fun you had together!

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