Digging is one of the sources of happiness for dogs. They love to make holes in the yard. Has your dog also filled your yard with holes? Has your yard also looked like a home of wild animals? Your dog can be the reason for all behind this.
Digging is one of the common problems of dogs, and it’s very challenging for the owners to prevent them from this behavior. But it can be very dangerous for your dog, especially if your dog is digging under the fence. So, you need to stop your dog from digging to prevent him from any serious danger. Let’s see what you can do to stop your dog from digging.
1. Interact with your Dog
Sometimes dogs get bored due to lack of attention and start digging the roots and soil for entertainment purposes. So, make sure to don’t leave alone your dog alone for long periods. You can walk your dog at least twice daily. It’s observed that most dogs build behavioral problems due to a lack of exercise. Try to play with them using active toys such as balls and flying disks. Tech some useful commands to your dog daily and practice them for at least 5 to 10 minutes.
Keep some interesting toys in the yard to keep your dog busy. The Kong-type toys perform well, especially when they are filled with treats.
2. Get rid of Burrowing Animals
Dogs usually dig to catch the burrowing animals. If your dog is mostly focusing on the single area rather than the yard boundaries, this can be the reason for his digging. Moreover, they also dig at the roots of trees or shrubs and in the path layout in search of burrowing animals. So, make sure to search the signs of burrowing animals in your yard and fence them out with safe methods. Try to make your garden unattractive for these types of animals.
Don’t use toxic products as these can be dangerous for your pet as well.
3. Provide Comfort and Protection
Sometimes dogs dig to get comfort and protection, especially during the hot weather they try to lie in the cool dirt. They may need shelter from cold, wind, or rain. If the holes are near the foundations of buildings, large shade trees, or a water source, then your dog may need comfort and protection. In that case, make sure to provide your dog with comfort and protection. You have to ensure that their outdoor shelter is comfortable, protected against extreme temperatures, and has access to an un-tippable bowl.
If your dog is still a dedicated digger, you can provide him with a separate digging zone.
4. Ignore Attention-seeking Behavior
Sometimes dogs make a habit of any particular activity after getting some attention on doing this. Remember, even the punishment can be attention for the dogs. If your dog is digging in the presence of you, he may be looking for some attention. You need to ignore his attention-seeking behavior and only praise him for good behavior.
Make sure your dog has enough playtime and daily walk.
5. Provide them a Safe Environment
Dogs may be trying to escape from something to get somewhere. If your dog digs under or along the fence, he may be digging to escape. So, you need to ensure that your yard is a safe place for your dog. To keep your dog in your yard, you can bury a chicken wire at the base of the fence. Make sure to roll the sharp edges away from your yard. You can also place the large rocks, partially buried, along the bottom of the fence to stop your dog from escaping or bury the bottom of the fence one to two feet below the surface. Chain-link fencing on the ground can also stop your dog from escaping.
Try to work with your dog on a daily basis to modify their escaping behavior.
Dedicated Digging Zone
If your dog is a dedicated
digger, you can provide him with a dedicated zone for digging. You need to
teach them where that digging zone is. Follow the below steps to provide a
perfect digging zone for your dog.
· Make sure the digging zone has loose soil or
sand. You can use a child-sized sandbox for this purpose.
· Buried some safe items in the sand to make it
attractive for your dog.
· Reward them with praise when they dig in the
specified digging zone.
· If your dog is digging in the un-specified
areas, try to discourage them and command them to their specific areas.
· Try to place rocks or chicken wire on the
unspecified areas to discourage the dog from digging.
