Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

When it comes to raising a dog, it goes without saying that this canine buddy will dig enough of his holes in the yard. Dogs dig holes for a variety of reasons - bored, hunting, laid-back, attracting attention, or a mere natural instinct among others. To some extent, you can accept a few holes as part of keeping a dog. However, there are some practical measures to prevent your dog from making your yard patchy like a military bunker during World War I.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Handling behavior

1. 

   Diagnose the problem. If you can pinpoint the reason the dog is digging, the advantage in changing this behavior will greatly improve. Some hole-digging behaviors are random and unpredictable, but there are often perceived reasons why dogs do this.
   • Dogs often dig a hole (or more) for five reasons: entertainment, physical comfort, attracting attention, escaping or unknown conditions. Keeping track of when, where and how your dog dug holes, you will be able to identify why the dog digs.
   • Remember that hole digging is a natural instinct for most dogs and doesn't have to be completely deterred. Some dogs are bred for digging purposes; such as sausages and terriers (diggers) that have been bred to hunt badgers. If you know in advance that digging will become an important issue for you, do a thorough research on a breed that is naturally inclined to dig before choosing a new pet.

2. 

   
   
   Pay more attention to dogs. According to many dog ​​lovers, dogs are quite similar to children, one of the main similarities is the desire to be noticed at any cost if necessary. Your dog may have learned that digging a hole in the beautiful garden will attract you, even if it is a negative kind of attention.
   • If you think this is likely to be true, ignore the dog after it has dug, and instead give only warm attention to good behavior.
   • Also, make sure your dog has plenty of time to spend with you on other occasions. A happy dog ​​will not have to seek attention in the wrong way. Removing the dog from your presence as a punishment for hole digging may only make the situation worse.

3. 

   
   
   Reduce your dog's boredom. Dogs often dig holes for nothing but boring. Your dog may get tired of looking at the fence for a long time, moaning, initiating acts of play or "hyperactivity", including digging. To prevent the dog from becoming bored:
   • Provide toy entertainment and playtime, especially if the dog is young and has no other pets. Change toys often to keep your dog's interest.
   • Train your dog to be active by running and walking. Take your dog for a walk at least twice a day and consider giving your dog a pick up with a tennis ball catapult to really exhaust him. When the dog is tired, he will no longer think about digging a hole.
   • Socialize your dog with other dogs. Take your dog to the dog park so it can smell, walk and socialize freely. Dogs are almost never bored with many of the same companions around.

4. 

   
   
   Can safely stop. You need to catch up at the game while the dog is digging a hole if you want to express disapproval of effective activity.Since most hole digging occurs without your observation, you will need to find a way to make hole digging uncomfortable for your dog.
   • Remember: punishing your dog for hole digging after the incident will not solve the problem, but may worsen the anxiety from the first dig.
   • Use garden fences to isolate areas that are frequently digged. Even a small obstacle is enough to discourage your dog.
   • Partial burying of rocks in the area that are frequently excavated. Rock will make digging because it becomes more difficult and less enjoyable. The large, flattened rocks are quite effective because they are difficult to remove.
   • Fill a thin wire mesh or B40 wire directly below the ground. The wire under the feet will give your dog a feeling of discomfort. This is most effective near a fence (see Tips below).

5. 

   If your dog continues to dig, try more annoying (but not harmful) interruptions. If you are unsuccessful in your effort to stop your dog's digging behavior in the gentle manner, it's time to step up your strategy. Here are some uncomfortable ways to prevent your dog from burrowing.
   • Some dogs don't like the smell of their own feces. Putting a few pieces of the dog's droppings in the hole is to make him feel uncomfortable. However, many dogs that eat their own excrement will be happy to have a taste of their own. This depends on your dog.
   • Drop a blown ball into the hole the dog usually dug and cover it with dirt. The nasty surprise of a dog exploding a bubble will take away the joy of hole-digging.
   • More creatively, you can install a motion sensor that will trigger a hose or a loud noise every time the dog enters a "no digging" area.
   • Use citrus peels to limit the area. Many dogs really don't like the scent of orange peel, lemon, and grapefruit (others don't mind). Peel or squeeze some orange juice in your hand and bring it to your dog's nose. If the dog backs up or appears anxious, then you don't have to worry about using scent to discourage your friend.

6. 

   Seek professional help when needed. If you have trouble diagnosing the cause of your dog's hole digging, or in an attempt to stop the behavior even if you know why it happened, it's time to talk to a specialist. A certified dog trainer and animal behavior trainer can give you the right advice and techniques for your dog to find the cause and digging condition of the pet.
   • Consider enrolling you and your dog in basic training. After a methodical implementation of the calm and assertive methods used in basic training, your dog will see you as its commander. When things go in the right direction, the dog will have a deep respect for you and remember all the commands that were taught during training.
   • Teach your dog basic commands like "Stop", "Sit down", "Follow your heels", and so on. Practice these games for 10 minutes a day. Ignore mistakes and reward your dog with success.
   • When you see a dog digging a hole, don't show up and take advantage of negative emphasis. Make a loud noise (shake a can of soda with a few coins in it, for example) to distract the dog. This annoying sound will become associated with digging behavior.
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Part 2 of 2: Changing conditions

1. 

   Build a sandbox for your dog to dig. This is a designated area in the yard that allows dogs to dig. Encourage your dog to play on the grounds instead of entering an area where digging is restricted.
   • Use wooden beams or low fences to divide the area and fill with loose soil.
   • Bury treats and scented treats in the sand yard to encourage your dog's attention on the use of the sandbox.
   • When you find a dog patting in a contraindicated area, say "Do not dig!" firmly and bring the dog to the designated area where it can dig in peace. Change immediately rewarded for digging in the sandbox campus.

2. 

   Create a shady area for the dog outside. If you don't give your dog a hiding place to keep him cool in hot weather, he may dig holes to find a place to avoid the heat. This is especially true if the digging takes place near building foundations, trees or water sources.
   • Provides a comfortable, cute dog house where he can escape the hot (and cold) weather of the day.
   • Dogs should not be left outside without proper protection in very hot or cold weather. Keep your dog indoors more if necessary.
   • Make sure your dog has a full bowl of water that is difficult to turn over, as pets can be thirsty throughout the day.

3. 

   Eliminate the prey the dog is trying to chase after. Some dogs are born hunters and love the thrill of chasing. If your dog dug a hole in the stump of a big tree or plant, or had some extruded soil leading to the digging site, chances are your brother has just spotted a rodent or another animal and hunts it.
   • Find a way safe to block, block, reposition or otherwise make your yard less attractive to one or more unwanted animals. (Call the authorities if you are unsure about the animal you are dealing with.)
   • Are not Use of any kind of poison to keep bait out of your yard. Any poison that can be harmful to a rodent is potentially harmful to your dog.

4. 

   Prevent your dog's escape behavior. Your dog may try to escape from your house to achieve something, go somewhere, or simply run away. This case is more determined when the hole is located near the hedge. If you think this might be the reason, try to find out where the dog is running away or from something, and encourage the dog to stop in the yard.
   • Buried thin wire mesh below the fence boundary. Make sure that the sharp edges are pointing up and in, or at least away from the dog so that it doesn't injure itself.
   • Bury part of the rocks along the fence to block the top of the structure.
   • Fill the fence deeper in the ground. If the fence is buried 0.3-0.6m deep, the dog will be less likely to reach.
   • If your dog is trying to escape to another yard (for example, with another dog), you may want to consider putting up a new fence that blocks the line of sight from the attractive dog friend.

5. 

   Eliminate temptation. The more intriguing factors, the harder it is for a dog to resist digging. If you create a pitch with less temptation to dig, the behavior is more manageable (to a relative degree).
   • Dogs love to dig into loose soil. If you are renovating your yard, remove loose soil from your dog's sight with a hedge or mulch.
   • Go out and dig up any bones or other objects the dog has buried. Don't let your dog see you do this, or he will assume it's a game of passing. Fill the hole and add in any frustrating elements (see above) as needed.
   • If you do gardening, don't let your dog see you digging or digging, as this can become a mere positive motivator.
   • Maintain a clean garden. Eliminate attractive odors. As noted, you need to deal with any rodent or small mammal problem.
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Advice

• Directly punishing dogs is often ineffective. Fortunately, the hole-digging punishment by yelling, spanking or hitting the dog with your hand only prevents the dog from digging around when you are around.
• Prevent dogs from escaping by folding 0.9 m of thin wire mesh, which stretches above the ground and attaches to the fence (with a 0.6 m above ground fence). Grass will grow in it and (hopefully) prevent the escape.
• The digital fence (hooked to an electric box, available online) can be used in addition to most dog fences, which are approximately 17.8 cm high from the ground and can be prevented. The dog goes to the fence to dig. Dogs can only touch the fence once.
• If using the dog feces method, use your own dog's poop; Another dog's feces won't work.
• Buy a book about dog behavior and training for reading.Forget the TV stars and find them - the true trainer and books that have lived with the times. Consider the book Raising Dogs By Science by Vuong Trung Hieu.
• The cement coating is also effective for filling the holes near the fence (add dry cement to the hole, then add water, don't let the dog out in the yard while the cement is hardening).

Warning

• Some breeds of dogs love to dig (it has no problem with submission or boredom). Study your dog's traits before you buy a pet. If you cannot tolerate hole digging for the welfare of your dog, do not buy that breed. Some ancient breeds that love to dig just for the joy of digging include the Australian Cattle Dog and the Portuguese Podengo (not very popular in our country). Besides, most terriers also love digging and should be allowed to do this, as long as they cannot escape.
• Many dogs do not like the sandbox (for the sandbox method).