Taking A Trip To China Are We??

You may not know that one not so desirable trait  of the Great Pyrenees breed is that they like to dig.  My boys take digging to a whole new level. Like a “let’s go to China” type level.  Thankfully, they only dig in one place in my backyard which is a 24’ round sandpit.  I am sure they would dig in other areas if they wanted, but digging through sand is pretty easy so this is where they choose to do it.  There is also a sandpit at our local dog park and they dig there too.  It is said that the reason why they instinctively "bury" themselves in huge holes is to keep cool in the summer and to shelter themselves from the wind and cold in the winter. Well, my boys don’t stay outside and they don’t even lay in the holes they dig except for time to time..I honestly think they just LOVE to dig! I will say that if you are thinking about every getting a Great Pyr, do not get one with the idea of "breaking" this habit as digging is a natural, inborn habit.

When my boys dig, they always get sand everywhere..their eyes, nose, head and of course, those big ole’ paws. A lot of times they will stick their heads in the hole as if to see how close (or how far) away from China they are.  Then they go right back to digging. I spend my time filling these holes back up time and time again so I don’t have unsightly holes the size of a T-Rex in my yard! When I ask them if they’ve been digging and the evidence is already there, I normally get a look of guilt that cannot be denied…I got this look just this morning in fact, and I couldn't help but smile.

There was a time though, that their digging skills came in very handy. I had a dump truck come deliver sand to the house to smooth out where a above ground pool had once been.  It wasn’t a full load but once it got dumped I knew I was in over my head..literally.  I couldn’t do it alone…So I enlisted the help of my strong and diligent boys to help momma out…and boy did they ever!  They had the time of their lives playing King Of The Mountain and throwing all the sand back behind them while they looked for some sort of treasure in the big mound of sand that seemed to take over my backyard. It was hard for me to stay out of the path of sand flying my way at speeds faster than I could have ever imagined, but that was just part of the task. I have even offered their services to neighbors that might need a Ditch Witch but didn’t want to rent one. I think my guys would work for treats anyway so it’s a win-win for all involved right??