O
This struck me, too. Our NPR station carries 'Calling All Pets' (from
Wisconson Public Radio -- http://www.wpr.org/pets/) with animal
behaviorist Tricia McConnell. Her training advice is almost
universally directed toward encouraging good behavior and training
animals out of bad habits. Unless they're 'caught in the act' (or
preferably just as the idea is forming :-), it is virtually useless to
punish them for a prior (even a couple minutes prior) act.

Dr. McConnell, a very bright and cheerful woman, as well as a sound
academic, has written several books on (mostly) dog training that may
be available in your library. She even had a good tip recently about
keeping neighbors' dogs from pooping on your lawn. Send me a SASE and
$10, and I'll reveal the secret. :-) Since digging is a common
problem, I'm sure she deals with that.

Genuinely sorry about your flowers, Mad.

thanks honey. just ended my day badly, and started my day off worse
when I discovered the other destruction she'd done yesterday I didn't
find. and no, I didn't punish her today. that's stupid. I yelled at
oldest son for not noticing her outside. I also put my foot down and
told everyone in the house that this dog is not to be let out unless
someone is supervising. No more letting her and Rose out to do their
business and have freedoms. I'm not willing to pen this dog up
because I live in the country and don't believe in it unless you live
around other people and animals. I live isolated to a large degree and
she's not distroyed Miss Mary's gardens or yard. Just mine. Not the
woods (where she could dig to Australia if she desired and I'd not
care) or the pastures next door where there are acres to dig, no MY
gardens I've worked at for the last eight years. Like I said before,
they're only plants, but with my stress levels up with the job
situations and my health still questionable and everything else, well
you might understand. And this dog actually acts like she knows she's
done something bad before you find what she's done. it's spooky.
That's why I say she's smart. Eventually if I don't kill her (just
kidding) she'll be a great dog and will replace Rose when she passes
on. off to work to struggle thru the day on concrete
maddie