“How do I stop my dog from digging?” This is a problem I see many dog owners face at some point, it can be very frustrating to come home to find your garden looking like a minefield due to you dog’s activities, the only way you can truly stop your dog digging is to observe him in the act in order to understand the reason why he does this.
One of the most common reasons I have witnessed is that the dog is over-stimulated, he has built up so much energy throughout the day that he is means that are natural to him to consume it, an obvious method to rectify this would be to take him on more regular or longer walks, or even take him down to the park and play fetch with him, any activity you can think of that will keep him up and moving will be beneficial to both your dog and your plants!
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Your dog may just be bored and looking for ways to fill his time through the destruction of your garden, this is most common if your dog spends a substantial amount of time alone, you must remember that digging is an enjoyable activity for your dog and if nobody is playing with him and he has nothing else to do, he will seek his own entertainment. A tell-tale sign of boredom digging is commonly accompanied with barking. If this is the reason, a suggested way to stop your dog digging is to pay him more attention, play with him, take him on walks or provide him with various toys for when you are not there, these small gestures could make a large difference in your dog’s behavior.
If the digging is a seasonal activity, usually taking place in the summer months, then your dog maybe digging this holes for a cooling pit for himself as he is too hot, if this is the case then you should provide a cool shaded area for him in your garden, if you lack trees or other large objects that provide shade then consider purchasing a small child size paddling pool to relieve your dog, this may be the perfect way to stop your dog digging.
One reason that is commonly overlooked by dog owners is that their dog may be digging in order to bury bones, this process is innate in them and may feel as if they have to, this can be difficult ritual for the dog to break free from as it is a a natural process for them. It is important that you correct his behavior whilst he is still in the act rather than after as he will not understand why he is being shouted at, use assertive terms that he can become accustom to such as ‘bad dog’ or even arm yourself with a water pistol and squirt him in the face as the digging is taking place, it may take some time, but this is certainly a proven method to stop your dog digging.
If you have tried all of the activities mentioned above and none of them have worked, then it may be that your dog has too much of a strong connection with digging for you to rectify, purchasing a sandbox as a designated area for your dog to dig may be most beneficial to you, for added effectiveness, bury ‘treasures’ and ‘treats’ for your dog to discover in the sandbox and praise him for finding them, if you find that your dog still strays back to digging in places he shouldn’t you could use tricks such as burying water bombs or even the dogs own excrement to give them an unpleasant experience of digging there.
Want The Ultimate Stop Dog Digging Guide? Click Here
