Digging

Digging

Does your front lawn look like a war zone with complete foxholes & trenches? Do people think that you’re family is part gopher? Dogs dig, but if excavating your yard is their favorite extra curricular activity it can be a nuisance. You could injure yourself trying to walk through their booby trapped minefield or they could escape out under a fence & become lost or worse.

Why all the holes!?!?

There are several reasons your dog may start digging. It’s important to know why before you choose a solution.

Some dogs dig to make a cooler place in the yard to stay, others, like Terriers were bred to kill vermin so they dig in pursuit of their prey; some may be burying a yummy keepsake or are looking for one they buried previously; occasionally unaltered males may dig to get to a female in heat & some times pregnant females will dig out a den. These are all normal reason for a dog to dig – it’s when the digging becomes excessive (or obsessive) that it becomes a problem. This is usually a symptom of boredom or anxiety.  

Fix it!

This is where it’s important to know why your dog is digging: if your dog is spending a lot of time outside, be sure that there is adequate shade or shelter & think about adding a kiddy pool to help keep them cool.

When it comes to vermin, a chipmunk or two is normal, however an exterminator may need to be called if there’s an excessive amount of critters.

Some dogs, like terriers, were bred to dig so they must have an outlet for that behavior. Making a sandbox can be a fun & easy solution. You can use a children’s sandbox, small pool or make one yourself (be aware, while wood looks nice, it is porous & can absorb urine making it next to impossible to disinfect. Even if you use treated wood your dog may chew & ingest it) & most home improvement stores carry playground sand. Be sure to bury some of your dogs’ favorite toys, treats & bones in the sandbox to help encourage them to dig there. Watch them when they’re outside so you can use a sound deterrent (like a shaker can) to discourage digging in an un-designated area & then redirect them to the sandbox.

You may find that there is a particular spot they are fond of with no obvious reason to you. There are a few types of deterrents can you can bury in these areas: pine cones, citronella soaked sand, moth balls & their own waste; most dogs are very clean & will avoid that like the plague.  

Ya dig?

While all these solutions do work, making sure your dog is well exercised & has plenty of mental stimulation may keep them from developing this particular vice in the first place. Perhaps your dog has been banished to the back yard because of unwanted behavior in the house you may want to consider an obedience class. This strengthens the bond you have with your dog while also creating good habits. 

If your dog must stay outside be sure you have an appropriate enclosure; shelter, shade, high fences & poured concrete so they can’t dig out. Even dogs that stay outside must still have exercise, positive interaction & mental stimulation.