How Can I Stop My Dog from Digging?

Digging in the yard is really one of the worst and most annoying problems that you can face with your dog. To find your dog digging in your yard annoys you since it destroys the appearance of the place thanks to the several holes that are dug here and there to finally feel that your yard is turned into a mess. What are the main reasons behind all of that and why do our dogs do this annoying thing? In fact, there are many factors that are responsible for this annoying behavior since your dog does not want to annoy you and destroy your yard, but it wants to attract attention, looks for entertainment because it is bored, looks for an animal “prey”, tries to hide food, seeks to find moisture and other reasons that motivate your dog to dig in your yard. Whatever the reason is, you have to know how to tackle this problem and how to stop your dog from digging. Here are a few tips and tricks that will help you to handle this problem.

♦ Train your dog properly

In order to make your dog obey you and follow your commands, you have to train it properly and show dominance during training in order to force your dog to do what you want precisely. There are specific and important commands that your dog should learn during training such as “sit, come, go and the most important command is STOP”. Try teaching your dog these commands for about 10 minutes on a daily basis.

♦ Entertain your dog & make it exhausted

One of the most important factors that make your dog start digging holes in your yard is that it is bored. Try to entertain your dog and make it busy as much as possible to help it get rid of the feeling from which it suffers. You can simply make use of toys and exercise your dog trying to make it exhausted because it is the main goal that you have to achieve. Walking or running your dog two or three times every day helps you to achieve your goal.

♦ Give your dog the chance to socialize

Socializing with other dogs is highly essential for your dog to make it entertained and busy for a long time. The dog park is the best place for you to get what you want and to motivate your dog to socialize with other dogs while spending a good time with them.

♦ Use large rocks

Large and flat rocks are the best choice for you to cover those holes that are dug by your dog and this will also discourage the dog from digging more holes in the yard. You can also use chicken wire and bury it under the surface of the ground.

♦ Bury what your dog dislikes

Discouraging your dog from digging more holes can be achieved by burying different things that your dog dislikes in the holes that it digs such as the dog’s feces or use citrus peels since most of the dogs are known to hate these things and dislike their smells which in turn can help you to discourage your dog from digging more holes in your yard.

♦ Do not pay attention and ignore it

Sometimes, dogs resort to digging in the yard or garden of their owners to attract more attention. Do not try to pay attention to your dog after digging even if your attention or reaction to the digging is bad and ignore your dog instead of that to prevent your dog from doing this again as a trick to attract your attention. Do not ignore your dog and try to pay more attention to it especially after good behaviors and not after digging. A happy dog means no more digging.

♦ Specify a space for your dog to dig

In order to get rid of this problem, specify a space for your dog to dig in without destroying the rest of the yard or garden. Build a sandbox for your dog and fill it with a fresh and tilled earth, toys and treats to encourage your dog to play in this area. Leaving this area to dig outside it should be met with saying “STOP, Don’t dig or No digging” but you have to say any one of these commands firmly to discourage your dog from doing this again and take your dog back to the sand box to play and dig there again.

♦ Provide your dog with the needed shelter

Leaving your dog without shelter in the yard or garden outside your home forces your dog to dig looking for a space to which it can escape especially if the weather is extremely cold or hot. Building a comfortable house for your dog to stay in and presenting the needed water can help in stopping your dog from digging.

♦ Get rid of what your dog chases

Your dog may dig looking for rodents in your yard. Most of the dogs like chasing rodents and this is why you have to get rid of these rodents, but do not try to use poison to eradicate the rodents in your garden or yard because what can harm them can also harm your dog and kill it.

♦ Get your fence buried deeper

Your dog may dig near the fence trying to escape from something or even go outside the place in which it stays. If your dog does this, you have to get the fence buried deeper in the ground to be difficult for the dog to reach the edge or end under the ground. Burying the fence 1-2 feet deep, using chicken wire under the bottom edge of the fence and burying rocks along the bottom of the fence are all solutions that can help you to prevent your dog from digging near the fence.

♦ Steal what your dog hides

If your dog digs to hide or bury anything like bones and other things that your dog likes, dig the holes and get these things out but make sure that your dog Does Not See You when you do this and do not forget to fill the holes again.

♦ Do not dig and till in front of your dog

Digging and tilling the ground in front of your dog is not recommended at all as it encourages your dog to do the same like you thinking that it is good for you or can help you to get what you want. Try to keep your garden clean and remove any smells that encourage your dog to dig.

♦ Do not try punishing your dog

Punishing your dog for what it does is not a good solution to stop your dog from digging and it may worsen the problem to the extent that you will find it difficult to be controlled and make your orders obeyed. So, keep away from this option and do not try it.