Is your dog digging holes?

A dog digging holes is high on the list of bad dog behaviors.  In order to get control of this problem, you need to understand why your pet is digging holes in the first place.

Why Dogs Dig

All dogs dig.  It’s a perfectly normal part of dog behavior.  However, some canines seem to dig obsessively.  It’s usually for one of three reasons.

Boredom – A bored dog is a recipe for dog behavior problems.  You don’t like to sit around all day with nothing to do, and your dog doesn’t either.  If he doesn’t have enough to do, he WILL find something to occupy himself.  Digging and barking are only a couple of problems that can be traced directly to boredom.

High Energy – Some breeds of dogs have very high energy levels.  Border collies and other working dogs fall into this category.  And of course, young half-grown dogs are very energetic, too.  Your dog needs lots of exercise, or he’ll get it himself by digging holes.

Attention – Digging is often a form of attention-getting behavior.  If the only time you pay any attention to your dog is when he does something naughty like dig holes, bark, or chew up your stuff, you’re training your dog to do exactly what you don’t want him to do.

Once you’ve figured out why he’s digging, you can take steps to end the behavior.

How To Stop A Dog From Digging Holes

If your dog is young, or has a lot of energy, exercise is essential to burn it off.  A long walk twice a day is best.  If you have a dog park nearby, take him there every day so he can run around playing with other dogs.  If you don’t have time to do this, hire a dog walker.

Provide a place for him to dig.  Make a sand pit in one corner of your yard for him to play in.  When he starts digging someplace else, redirect him to his own digging area.

Bury a Kong toy filled with peanut butter in his sand pit for him to find.  Digging the peanut butter out will keep him occupied for quite a while.

If your dog is stubborn about digging where you don’t want him to, you may need to put a large rock over his favorite place.  Cover it with dirt.  When he starts digging agin, he’ll hit the rock, which will stop him right away.  A variation is to bury some chicken wire just under the ground.

Set up a sprinkler where you don’t want him to dig.  Turn it on when he starts his excavations, making sure he can’t see you doing it.  He’ll think the garden is doing it to him, not you.

In extreme cases, try burying some of his poop in the hole.  Dogs have an instinct to be clean, so this may discourage him from digging in that particular location.  Take advantage of this “teachable moment” to encourage him to dig in his own area.

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Can you stop your dog from digging holes?

Is your dog digging holes all over your yard?  Does your garden look like somebody just finished trenching it?  Are you tired of stepping in holes, and turning your ankle?  It’s time to do a little dog behavior modification to solve this problem.

Dogs Dig Digging Holes

Dogs come by their love of digging holes naturally.  Wild dogs store food by digging a hole and burying it.  They also dig out big holes (or dens) for their puppies.  Dens are also a good place to hole up in (sorry, couldn’t resist) when the weather is bad.

Some dogs really get into digging holes.  Terriers, hounds, and retrievers, in particular, are known for their digging abilities.  In fact, terriers were bred to dig animals out of holes.  All dogs have an inbred instinct to dig, but some do seem to take it to an extreme.

Dogs Don’t Dig Being Bored

The root of most dog behavior problems is boredom.  Dogs are meant to be outside, running in the woods and fields.  Instead, we keep them in the house, or out in the yard for hours on end, without much to do.

Does your dog spend most of his time by himself?  In the wild, canines are social animals who live in packs.  A lot of dog behavior problems are caused by putting our pets in an unnatural situation and expecting them to be happy.

A dog with nothing to do will find a way to occupy himself.  Digging holes in your yard is one way he keeps himself busy.

Can You Stop A Dog From Digging Holes?

Probably not completely.  The best way to handle this is to let him have his own corner of the yard to dig up as he pleases.  When you catch him digging elsewhere, say “no” and take him to his own area.  Praise him when he digs there.  You might want to sweeten the pot by burying a few treats there.  If he finds goodies there on a regular basis, he’ll be more prone to dig where you want him to.

If your garden is a favored trenching location, you need to be a little sneaky.  Hide where he can’t see you, and squirt him with a hose when he enters the forbidden area.  Or set up a sprinkler, and turn it on.  The key is to make him think the garden is doing it to him, not you.

And don’t punish him if you find holes in the garden later.  Your companion lives in the present, and can’t understand  that you’re upset over something he did yesterday.

Dogs Digs Lots Of Activity

A bored dog is a dog behavior problem waiting to happen.  Some dog owners make the mistake of thinking that their pets get plenty of exercise running around the yard.  This isn’t true.  You might see a dog pacing up and down next to the fence, but this is a nervous activity that doesn’t really burn off all that pent-up energy.

If you have a dog park nearby, take him there every day so he can run and play with other dogs.  This not only tires him out, but it gives him a social outlet as well.

A long walk at least once a day is essential.  Twice a day is even better.  If you don’t have the time in your schedule, a dog walker may be the answer.

Remember that your dog craves your attention.  Spend at least ten minutes every day training your dog.  Make it fun for both of you.  Learning new things is fun for your dog, and it stimulates his mind.  Plus he loves being with you.

Keeping your dog busy, and giving him his own place to dig up is the best way to control this problem.