How Do You Stop Your Dog From Digging?

Many dogs have the terrible habit of destroying your garden and it can be very frustrating when you plant a new plant and the next day it has been dug up.  Or how about when you are walking across the garden and trip in the freshly dug hole?  If you are the owner of a dog that loves to dig then you need to teach your dog to stop digging.

Some of the reasons that your dog may dig could be because he is bored, he may be anxious, he might be trying to escape from your garden or he may be digging to find some cool soil if it is a hot day.  If you can establish the reason for your dogs digging it will make it easier to find an effective method to stop his digging.

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Overcoming Boredom

One of the most common reasons for dogs digging is because they are bored.  If you are at work all day and the dog is home by himself then he may get bored.  He will also have a lot of energy bottled up and needs to release some of that energy.

Taking your dogs for regular walks will help by getting rid of some of that built up energy and since it is giving him something exciting it will help to relieve boredom.  If you are unable to take him for a walk then at least try to get some active play time with him each day.

Another way to release the boredom during the day when you are not at home is by using doggy toys.  There are some toys available that have been produced for this specific reason.  One popular toy is a ball that you can put food treats inside and they are released when the dog plays with the ball.  This will keep your dog occupied as he tries to get the treats out of the ball.

Having Boundaries

If you have a particular area of the garden that really makes you cross if the dog digs in that area, then perhaps you can put up a barrier to keep him out of that particular area.  If you can partition the yard so that he does have an area where he can dig and is not able to access the rest of the yard that you don’t want him to dig.

The Use of Sprinklers

Most dogs will not like to get wet by the sprinkler, so when you are home if you catch your dog digging, turn the sprinklers on in that area and he will bolt out of there very quickly.  This can often prevent him from digging in that area again.

Does Your Dog Have Shelter?

If it is too hot dogs will dig a hole to access the cooler soil underneath to lie in.  This is a natural instinct for a dog when it is hot. If you provide adequate shelter and water then he may be comfortable enough in the shelter that he will not need to dig to get cool.

Doggy Doo Doo

One last method to prevent your dog from digging is to put some of his poo in the hole.  This will stop him from digging in that hole again.  If you are consistent and put the poo in each hole he digs he will soon stop digging in the garden all together.