You know Dogs just love to dig. If you have a garden then this spells danger for you. You dog can literally dig holes all through your yard in an afternoon if he gets the urge to do so.
What is the best way to handle this problem?
Dogs actually dig by nature. Some breeds are even bred to be diggers as they hunt and dig out specific prey. It may be more challenging if your dog is a natural digger but you can still contain his digging behavior with a few training techniques.
Digging can be good for your dog. It is important for him to dig around and engage his curiosity, however, it is important for you to have a nice yard also. You must both be able to find a happy medium in regards to his digging. That may well mean that you want to stop the behavior completely and that is okay.
There are many reasons why a dog will dig excessively. He may need to entertain himself because he is bored. He may be expressing anxiety from being separated from you. Perhaps he is planning an escape route so he can get out of the yard. It could even be that he is too hot or too cold and he is just trying to control his own temperature.
There are ways to prevent your dog from digging. First off, make sure that you have plenty of together time and that your dog is getting plenty of playtime and exercise. This can prevent boredom. You can also make sure that he has plenty of stimulating dog toys to play with. If you give your dogs bones to gnaw on they will usually try to bury them so replace bones with chew toys or rawhide bones.
You can also try clicker training to prevent digging. Anytime you see your dog in the act of digging use the clicker and a command that tells him “no”. Reward him when he stops digging. You will need to be consistent but clicker training will work.
You can also try to fill up his holes with undesirable things. You can fill the hole that he has been playing in up with garden mulch, sticks, pine needles and so forth. When he comes back he will dig and find the undesirable things in his hole and he will stop digging.
You can also bury a balloon that will pop in his face as he digs. This will not hurt him but it will scare him and he may stop the digging. Some trainers also recommend putting dog poop into the holes as the dog will no longer want to play after he finds his own poop!
If your dog is a natural digger you could go with the flow of his natural tendencies and train him to only dig in a certain place. This takes patience but it can be very effective once you succeed. Be persistent in your training and you can get your dog to stop digging.
Some dog owners are willing to go to massive lengths to protect their gardens. One technique that some determined dog owners have used is to install an electric fence around their yard. The fence’s are very cheap and the low shock level doesn’t hurt or damage the dog, it just teaches it that it shouldn’t be where it is. These fences are not a danger to children as they can be adjusted to give a minor shock which feels like no more than a flick of the finger. One thing is for sure, these fence’s work a charm for keeping your dog off the garden.
Another technique people use to deter their dogs from digging in the garden is to strategically place foul moth balls around the garden. Dog’s hate the smell of these things and will want to stay away from them. While this is a great way to keep your dog our of the yard, you will need to replace these from time to time, especially after rain.
A similar method to that mentioned above is to use a sour apple spray deterrent. You simply spray the deterrent throughout the yard every few days and your dog will not want to do any digging. This type of deterrent is also useful for keeping your dog from chewing furniture and ripping into the trash. After your dog tastes this deterrent they will stay away from it instinctively.
Dogs dig up your yard, not to annoy you, but because it’s in their nature to do so. If you train them from early on that they shouldn’t do this (by using the methods above), they will be far less inclined to damage your yard and garden.
For best results you should stay firm with your dog, and don’t be afraid to be inventive and try new ways to teach your dog not to dig. Remember to be patient and expect the occasional slip up.
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