Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 2: Addressing the behavior
• Part 2 of 2: Changing the environment
• Tips
• Warnings

If you have a dog and a yard, chances are your four-legged friend has already dug a lot of holes in your yard. Dogs dig for all sorts of reasons - out of boredom, to hunt, because they like it, because they want attention, or simply out of instinct. Fortunately, there are reliable methods to stop your lawn from looking like a battlefield.

To step

Part 1 of 2: Addressing the behavior

1. Diagnose the problem. If you can find out why your dog is digging, you are more likely to be able to change his behavior. Sometimes it is difficult to determine, but usually there are observable reasons for the behavior.
   • Dogs often dig holes for one (or more) of the following five reasons: pleasure, physical comfort, attracting attention, escaping, and chasing. Pay attention to when, where, and how your dog digs and you will probably find out why.
   • Keep in mind that for most dogs, digging is a natural instinct and you may never be able to stop it completely. Some dogs are made to dig; terriers and dachshunds, for example, are bred to dig out badgers. If you know that digging is an insurmountable problem for you, consider your dog's breed before purchasing a new pet.
2. Give your dog more attention. As dog lovers will attest, dogs are not very different from children in many ways, and will try to get attention in every way possible. Your dog may have already learned that digging holes in your beautiful yard will get him attention, even if it is attention of the negative kind.
   • If you think this is the case, ignore your dog after digging, and give him attention if he shows other positive behaviors.
   • You also need to make sure you spend enough time with him. A happy dog ​​does not need to draw attention in a negative way. Punishing your dog by setting him aside when he's digging will only make the problem worse.
3. Make your dog less bored. Dogs often dig just because they are bored. Your dog may be bored staring at a fence for extended periods of time, whining, or exhibiting very playful or hyperactive behavior, including digging. To make your dog less bored, try the following things:
   • Provide toys and time to play, especially if the dog is young and has no other outlet. Switch the toys from time to time so that your dog continues to like them.
   • Get your dog moving by walking or running. Go for a walk at least twice a day and bring a tennis ball to throw so that it really gets exhausted. A tired dog is not likely to dig.
   • Bring your dog into contact with other dogs. Take your dog to the park and let him sniff, romp and interact as much as he likes. Dogs never get bored when there are other dogs around.
4. Think of safe ways to discourage him. You should catch him in the act if you want your dog to directly associate your disapproval with the activity. Since the digging usually happens when you're not watching, make sure it's less fun for him when you're not there.
   • Remember, punishing for digging afterwards doesn't solve the problem, and it can make your dog more anxious and may cause him to dig even more.
   • Use a fence to seal off an area of ​​the yard where the dog often digs.Even a small barricade can discourage him enough.
   • Bury some large rocks where he often digs. That makes digging more difficult and less fun. Large, flat stones work best, as they are difficult to get aside.
   • Bury chicken wire or other fencing just below the surface of the earth. The iron wire does not feel good on the dog's paws. This usually works especially well near the fence of your garden (see Tips below).
5. Try other unpleasant (but harmless) things to discourage your dog from digging. If you can't get your dog to stop digging in nice ways, it may be time to take it a step further. Here are some less enjoyable ways to stop your dog from digging.
   • Some dogs don't like the smell of their own feces. By keeping an eye on some poop, they don't like to dig there. But there are also dogs that eat their own poo, so they only like that you bury their favorite snack. So it depends on your dog.
   • Bury a small inflated balloon in a hole and put some soil on top. The surprise of the bang when he breaks the balloon by digging takes away the pleasure.
   • If you are more creative, you can also install a motion sensor that will trigger a sprinkler or alarm when the dog enters the area where it is not allowed to dig.
   • Use citrus peels to protect your garden. Many dogs find the scent of orange, lemon and grapefruit foul (although there are some that don't matter). Peel an orange or put some orange juice on your hands and hold it up to his nose. If you find him turning away, you know this can be a good method.
6. Get professional help if necessary. If you can't figure out why your dog is digging, or if you can't change the behavior even though you know why he's doing it, it may be time to call in an expert. A certified dog trainer or behavioral expert can often provide you with tailored tips and techniques to address the root causes of the digging.
   • Consider enrolling yourself and your dog in dog training. Use the calm, assertive approach you learned during training and the dog will start to see you as the pack leader. If you do everything right, your dog will have more respect for you and will remember the commands he learned during training.
   • Teach your dog basic commands such as "stop", "sit", "paw," and so on. Practice these tricks for 10 minutes every day. Ignore mistakes and reward success immediately.
   • If you catch your dog in the act digging, use negative reinforcement. Make a loud noise without your dog seeing it (for example, shake a soda can with coins in it) to distract him. Then he starts associating that unpleasant noise with digging.

Part 2 of 2: Changing the environment

1. Create a sandbox for your dog to dig in. This is a special, designated place where the dog is allowed to dig. Encourage your dog to play in this area, and not in the "forbidden" area of ​​your yard.
   • Use wooden posts or a low fence to separate the sandbox and use freshly dug soil.
   • Bury tasty things or things that smell good in the sandbox to encourage the dog and get his attention.
   • If you catch the dog digging in the wrong place, say sternly, "Don't dig!" and take him to the sandbox where he can dig quietly. Immediately reward him for digging in the sandbox.
2. Create a shaded area outside for your dog. If you don't have a spot with shade in the summer, it may dig to escape the heat. This is especially true if your dog usually digs near the house, a tree or water source.
   • Provide your dog with a nice, comfortable kennel so that he can escape heat or cold.
   • Never leave your dog outside without adequate protection from heat or cold. Let him in more if you have to.
   • Make sure your dog has a water bowl that he cannot knock over so that he always has enough water.
3. Eliminate any prey that your dog may be able to hunt. Some dogs are hunters by nature and love to chase prey. If your dog is mainly digging at the roots of trees or plants, or if there is an elevated path leading to where it dug, it may have found a rodent or other prey that it is chasing.
   • Find one safe way to catch and remove unwanted animals from your garden, or adjust your garden in such a way that no animals can or will not enter it. (Call a pest expert if you are unsure about the animals.)
   • Use no poison to get prey out of your garden. Any poison that is harmful to a rodent is likely to be harmful to your dog as well.
4. Be careful not to let your dog escape. Your dog may be trying to dig a hole to escape. This is especially true if he is digging near the fence of your yard. If you think this is the case, try to figure out what your dog wants to run from and urge him to stay in the yard.
   • Bury chicken wire under the bottom edge of your fence or fence. Make sure you take the sharp ends off so that your dog cannot get hurt.
   • Also bury large stones along the fence to make it harder for your dog to dig.
   • Put your fence deeper into the ground. If the fence continues half a meter below the ground, the dog will not be able to escape as quickly.
   • If your dog is trying to escape to another yard (because there's another dog there, for example), consider putting a fence on that side that the dog can't see through.
5. Remove temptations. The more temptations the dog has, the harder it is to stop digging. If you create a garden where digging is less attractive, you can control behavior more easily.
   • Dogs are especially fond of just digged earth. If you have worked in the yard, keep the dog out of that area by fencing it off.
   • Enter the garden and dig up any bones or other things he buried in the garden. Do not show your dog that you are doing this because then he will think it is a fun game. Fill the gap and possibly discourage the dog in the above ways.
   • If you're gardening, don't show your dog that you're digging because he'll think it's okay (aka, if you can, why can't I?)
   • Keep your garden clean. Remove attractive odors. As mentioned above, make sure there are no small rodents or other mammals in your yard.

Tips

• Prevent escapes by placing 90 cm wide chicken wire at the bottom of the fence (with 60 cm below the ground). This will allow grass to grow in it and (hopefully) prevent escapes.
• Buy and read good books on dog training and behavior. Don't pay attention to TV stars and follow real trainers whose books have been successful for decades. A good example is The Art of Raising a Puppy from The Monks of New Skete ISBN 0316578398 (English)
• Install an electric fence (connected to an electrical box, available at DIY stores) about 6 inches above the ground so your dog doesn't get close to the fence to dig. They know that after one touch.
• Concrete is also a good way to fill gaps near the fence. Pour dry cement into the pit, add water, and do not let the dog out in the garden until it hardens.
• If you try the feces method, use your own dog's feces because it won't work with another dog's feces.
• It is generally considered pointless to directly punish your dog. If you punish your dog when he digs a hole by yelling, clapping, or hitting him, at best he will only stop digging when you are nearby.

Warnings

• Some breed dogs love to dig and that has nothing to do with obedience or boredom. Find out the characteristics of different breeds before buying a dog. If you don't want your dog to dig because he likes it, don't buy one of those types. The Australian Cattle Dog and the Portuguese Podengo Médio are examples of primitive dog species that love to dig for fun. Most terriers also love to dig and should be able to do so as long as they cannot escape.
• Many dogs don't stick to the sandbox (with the sandbox method).