Punishing a puppy for digging

How do you deal with a situation where a puppy has dug in pot plants during the day while you are out and you obviously have not caught it in the act? Should you ever actually punish a puppy or point out what it has done if you are not onto it there and then, and if so how do you deal with those situations?
Posted: 03/03/2011   

Reply: Punishing a puppy for digging
Never punish a puppy for what they cannot relate to - a puppy / dog is a ONE second animal, and unless caught in the act, no sense to reprimand as puppy cannot correlate correction and deed - more importantly puppy may stop responding to you as all you do is reprimand. It is also natural puppy/dog behaviour and digging can have several reasons - the smells, the taste of things, the texture, boredom or digging a den?.. Puppies explore with their mouths as they do not have hands like us. Best recommendation is put planter pots away or on higher spot and you have solved the issue. Otherwise consider a 'digging pit' for the puppy to access.
Posted: 03/03/2011