How to Train Your Dog to Stop Digging
by dogtoyadvisor | Last updated on November 18, 2020
We only review products we tested ourselves. We have affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.
If your dog is lucky enough to have a yard or garden to explore, odds are he’s probably tried to dig holes all over it.
Having your lovely garden filled with holes and not being able to let your dog free without him digging some more craters is a nuisance we know only too well.
Luckily, we’ve managed to find ways to curb our dogs’ digging behavior and, after reading this post, so can you.
Why Dogs Dig
There are a number of reasons why dogs like to dig, some even obsessively.
Above anything else, you need to know that digging is an instinctive behavior for dogs.
It’s only when it becomes too much or obsessive that you need to address the behavior.
The number one reason why dogs dig, aside from instinct, is boredom.
Or maybe there’s just nothing better for him to do.
He may also be spotting some insect or small creature he wants to chase.
While some dogs actually feel comforted with digging, some will also do it to draw your attention to him, making it more likely to happen when you’re not paying attention to him.
Why You Need to Curb Your Dog’s Digging
Aside from having your yard look like a war zone, there are other issues to consider when it comes to your dog’s digging behavior.
First, digging related injuries are common.
When dogs dig for long periods of time, the odds of hurting their paws, particularly the nails and the pads are great.
Also, you never know what lies beneath your yard, so anything from insects to poisonous roots, electrical wiring or plumbing and even chemicals, it’s always best not to let your dog investigate the ground for long periods of time.
In less worrying but still unwelcome fashion, having your dog cover himself in dirt on a daily basis is probably something you’ll want to avoid, if possible.
7 Tips to Train Your Dog Not to Dig
Here we go!
7 simple tips anyone can follow to make sure your dog’s digging issue is no longer a problem.
Some of these tips are from the online training course of a CTA Certified Dog Trainer that uses a lot of positive reinforcement with some great alternatives to distract their attention to boost.
Our mission is clear, stopping our dogs (and yours) from turning our yard into a battle field.
Tip 1 – Find the Reason
Being able to tell why your dog is digging holes in your yard is the first step to know what you can do to solve it.
The way you find this out is by paying attention to your dog, particularly when he decides to do some gardening.
If it’s a matter of trying to get your attention, you’ll want to watch him without him noticing you’re watching.
Tip 2 – More playtime and exercise
Tired dogs are much less prone to acting up and the same goes for digging.
Also, by playing more often with your dog or taking him for longer rides, you’re spending more time with him and giving him extra attention.
This might, just in itself, solve the digging issue.
Going for longer walks also provide him some social time with other dogs, which is a great way to stave off boredom.
This is also the part where Adrienne’s online dog training course come in handy. It has more than 20 mental stimulating exercises and tips to correct most dog behavior issues.
Dedicating a few minutes of your day to stimulating your dog’s brain assures he’s happy, balanced and far from bored!
Tip 3 – More toys and chews
Toys and chews serve two purposes when trying to curb your dog’s digging.
First, they are great for staving off boredom.
Our dogs get bored really easily and that is usually when things go sour. Check out our 10 best toys to keep your dog busy for hours.
Since we began using the mighty Kong as a tool to help us keep them stimulated, we’ve seen such a difference!
We keep changing fillers and trying new things. So far, these Kong fillers are the ones that have been the greatest hits with our dogs
Tip 4 – Maintain an area for acceptable digging
As we’ve mentioned earlier, dogs have the natural instinct to dig.
So, it would be a great idea, if possible, to create a digging area he can dig away on.
For that, we recommend a sandbox.
If you don’t want to create one on your yard, just get a small doggie pool that can double as a sandbox and a fresh pool for summer.
Tip 5 – Discourage digging in unwanted areas
As you create an area where your dog can dig at will, you’ll want to discourage him from digging in unwanted areas.
There are some ways to discourage behaviors. Punishment doesn’t really solve anything and will only make your dog feel more anxious.
First, you can just fence the area, temporarily or permanently.
You can add some flat rocks to the ground, leaving them partially buried, making it less fun for your dog to dig.
You can also bury some plastic chicken wire or netting just under the surface. Don’t use metal to make sure you don’t hurt your dog’s paws.
There are certain smells dogs hate. Like vinegar, citrus peel or cayenne pepper. Spreading any of these on his favorite digging areas are bound to discourage him.
If your dog isn’t a fan of water or sprinklers, you can just try turning them on to keep him away.
Last but not least, you can just plant a bush or shrub in his favorite digging area.
Just be careful about the type of plant you pick because, if your dog is stubborn like ours, adding something with thorns will just make him injure himself while trying to reach the ground
Tip 6 – Get rid of rodents
If you suspect the reason your dog is digging are creatures like rodents, squirrels, rats etc, you may consider contacting an exterminator to make sure that problem gets sorted.
Just make sure to pick an extermination that uses humane methods to catch these critters without hurting them.
You can look for signs like disturbed soil, for example.
Never use poison to get rid of these creatures, not only is it a vicious way of doing it, but you’re also placing your dog and your family in danger.
After doing this, you’ll have to install better fences and find ways to keep them from returning.
Tip 7 – Help your dog cool down
Sometimes dogs will dig in an attempt to cool themselves off.
They are trying to find cooler soil to lie down on.
The answer to this issue is simple, find him shelter from the heat. Either keep him indoors, where it’s fresh or get him some shade.
If you’re not keen on building him a permanent shelter, why not try one of these cool shaded beds?
Not only are they comfortable, they’re light and easy to carry anywhere. Our dogs are big fans!
How to Teach Your Dog ANYTHING
Only when you understand how a dog learns can you train him effectively in a way that he will acquire that knowledge and never forget it again.
We struggled a lot with training our dogs, we thought that, just because each had a different personality, we’d never be able to teach them in the same way.
Luckily, we were able to find Adrienne, a certified dog trainer who’s developed a training method that really works.
By doing her online training course, we were able to learn how to train our dogs in a positive, lasting way that completely changed our family dynamics and increased our overall bond with our dogs.
Best yet, we realized that Adrienne’s training tips could be applied to pretty much any behavior issue, like digging, biting, barking, jumping, potty training, etc.
This course contains very useful tips, but also exercises meant to stimulate your dog’s brain, making him less bored and actually more intelligent.
After that, we completely changed the way we train our dogs and began seeing immediate results that have lasted over the years.
Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising and iStock
Recommending Reading:
0 Comments