Digging is a natural behavior in dogs, but that doesn’t make it any less frustrating when your pup turns your well-maintained yard into a series of holes. To stop your dog from digging, you first need to pinpoint the reason(s) why they are digging, and then take practical steps to prevent it from happening again. Let’s delve into the ultimate guide to stop your dog from digging:
Understanding Why Dogs Dig
Dogs may dig into your yard for many different reasons, and knowing why your dog is digging is key to being able to successfully stop their behavior. To start off, digging is a perfectly natural behavior — just like chasing squirrels or enjoying bully sticks for dogs — so it’s not exactly fair to expect them to never do it. However, there are steps that you can take to ensure that your yard doesn’t turn into a collection of holes.
Certain dog breeds, in particular terriers and other hunting dogs, have actually had digging instincts reinforced through being bred and trained to chase down prey into their burrows. If you have a dog that belongs to one of these breeds, don’t be surprised if they exhibit a strong drive to dig, especially if you have vermin in your yard such as moles or gophers. In fact, dogs of any breed may dig a hole in your yard in pursuit of this prey, even if they are not normally prone to digging.
Dogs may also dig a hole for comfort or protection. In the wild, animals dig holes to create shelters from wind, rain, cold, and other inclement weather. At your house, your dog may dig a hole in a shady or protected space, such as next to a building or under a tree, if they are digging for shelter. Your dog might also dig in an instinctual attempt to find water if they get dehydrated.
Some dogs dig to escape, either because they want to get out of the yard or because they see something on the other side of the fence that they want to chase. Usually digging to escape will be confined to the area around the fence or other barrier that prevents them from leaving. Dogs that dig to escape usually don’t make holes in the middle of the yard.
