Well here we go again another problem that many dog owners have. They want to find ways to stop dogs from digging. Now you are going to see a common thread when we approach any behavioural problem we have with our four-legged buddies. The common thread is for every issue we have with our dog’s behaviour we need to find out the cause of the problem before we find a solution to it.
Just as we looked for a solution to stop our dog from barking by first finding out why he/she was barking we now must find out why is our dog digging.
Reasons Our Dogs Dig
• Entertainment
• After prey
• Trying to escape
• Looking for attention
• Comfort
• Hiding valued items i.e. bones
• To get at edible roots etc
If your dog digs for entertainment you are going to probably need to spend more quality time with your dog. Take him for walks and maybe get him into some energy draining activities.
The above can also apply if your dog is looking for attention. What you can do also is make a dig zone for your dog. Set it up like a big sandbox for your dog. It might be a good idea to bury some of his favourite treats in his new digging area. This will peek his interest. Now you will need to train him to dig only in this area and the treats are a good start.
When you catch him digging elsewhere you will need to redirect him to the dig zone. There are items you can purchase that will discourage your dog from digging in certain areas. Some of these items are motion activated and can sound a loud unpleasant alarm or spray the dog with a hose. Other items such as an electronic dog repellent are controlled by you so you need to have an eye on your dog when he is in the yard.
Other deterrents can be as simple as a spray which you would use where you do not want your dog to dig.
If your dog is looking for comfort then maybe build him a dog house. Locate the dog house so it will keep him warm in the winter and cool in the summer. If your dog likes to bury themselves make sure they have lots of old blankets to snuggle into.
If your dog is digging to escape you may need to take some drastic measures by running an electric fence. You can get what is called the invisible fence which actually runs under the ground. This is where the dog wears a collar and when he gets too close to the fence he will get a warning first then a mild shock. Your dog will need to be trained so he knows where his boundary is.
For more tips on how to stop your dog from digging check out The Secrets To Dog Training Review.
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I read the article about a digging dog.
You have done a good job bringing attention to a couple of the causes of the digging and a couple of the solutions.
I will say that You have covered some things very well, I look for you to go into more detail with this post in the future.
Overall, good article.
Thanks for the comment William.
Hi Maureen,
Finally someone touched the area of digging dogs and the reasons why. Like I never would of thought that there was a cure for this sort of thing. My dog used to dig back in the days when I was a near toddler. But I recently got a new puppy and have trained her and play bathe walk her everyday and she doesn’t misbehave at all 🙂
You have a very lucky puppy. They usually don’t misbehave when they are getting lots of TLC and this seems to be your puppy. Keep enjoying that puppy they make great companions.
Hi, thanks for the great info – it’s very useful because our dog digs too – not the soil, but in the house, he digs bed cover, sofa, etc. He sometimes tries to hide a bone or tries to find a bone that he’s lost, but he digs all of a sudden for no reason at times. Almost rips the fabric! So he needs more attention caring…that’s good to know.
I love your site, thanks again,
Ray
Hi Ray Our dog “digs” in the house also. She likes to scratch at the carpet at night when we go to bed. Then she hops up in bed. Guess she cannot get the carpet comfy enough.
Great suggestions! Luckily I have not had to deal with this one personally. My dogs are more chewers than diggers. I think you are spot on about getting them more exercise and finding things to wear them out mentally to curb those destructive urges. I’ve sent a link of your page to my neighbor who is dealing with a digging problem with his dog. Thanks for your help!
Thanks for your comment Nate. Lots of people do not realize that we need to mentally stimulate our dogs as well as physically. They need to be challenged.
Hi Maureen, I’m sure glad I came across your article here, with spring approaching it is time to start the yard work and fix all the holes that are new adopted 2 year old has dug during the winter.
Luckily there are only a few and from what I have read here I think she does it for entertainment, So I think I will set up a digging zone for her, she does not lack attention or activities, we keep here entertained. Thank you for sharing this,
Kim
Hi Kim Good idea to fix the holes so no one will trip in one of them. Some people have been known to make a space just for the dog to dig in. As you probably already know this is going to take some training. Good luck with your digging zone!