How to Stop Your Dog From Digging: 5 Tips to Curb Digging

Dogs dig for a wide variety of reasons:

• Natural instincts. Certain dogs (like terriers and dachshunds) were bred for hunting or retrieval, so their instincts will tell them to dig in order to find small burrowing animals like gophers and other critters. In addition, dogs often dig holes in order to hide food (like stashing bones), which is a natural survival instinct. If you think your dog is digging to follow their instinctual behavior, their training shouldn’t focus on stopping the dog behavior and instead should be all about redirecting that natural behavior to places where it’s okay to dig—for instance, a special play part of your yard.
• Boredom. If your dog spends most of their day inside, the great outdoors can seem like a treasure trove of fun and excitement—new smells, new sights, and most important, spots to dig and explore. If you think your dog is digging outside (and engaging in other destructive behavior) because they’re too bored inside, try to give your dog more entertaining things to do indoors, like games, learning tricks, and playing with toys.
• Pent-up energy or anxiety. Is your dog digging in an attempt to use up a lot of excess energy or relieve stress from separation anxiety? If that’s the case, try spending more quality playtime with your dog and giving your dog more physical exercise—take them on walks, runs, hikes, or bike rides to help them use up their energy and feel ready to relax once they’re in their own backyard. If the anxiety is getting too severe, take your dog to a vet to talk about options to help alleviate their stress.

Here are some ways to deter your “good dog” from digging up your yard:

1. 1. Take your dog on walks. One of the main reasons dogs dig is to uncover new smells. If you take your dog on walks and let them follow their nose, they’ll get used to the smells outside and feel satisfied with their exploring time—which means that once they get home, they’ll relax.
2. 2. Take advantage of the commands they know. Have you been training your dog with commands like sit, stay, come, rollover, or play dead? If so, you can use these to stop your dog from digging. Whenever you notice them digging, call out a command (“come” is useful here, or whatever command you use to send them to their dog house, kennel, or bed) to draw their attention away from the hole.
3. 3. Create a fun digging spot. A fun way to stop your dog from digging in the wrong places (like your flowerbeds or couch cushions) is to create a designated digging area. Set up a kiddie pool sandbox or section off a spot in the yard that’s only dirt, and whenever your dog starts digging somewhere else, redirect them to the “good” digging zone. Encourage them with chew toys, with other dog toys, or by burying treats or puzzles to show them that it’s okay to dig in this spot.
4. 4. Bury their excrement in the holes. If your dog is one for digging holes, there’s a simple solution—fill the holes with their excrement. Simply use a shovel or disposable bag to grab the excrement, place it in the hole, and lightly cover it back up. Repeat the process with any other holes they may dig. The smell will deter your dog, and hopefully, make them lose interest in the digging altogether.
5. 5. Separate them from the digging spots. If dog training is too overwhelming and you want a quick fix, simply set up a barrier to keep your dog away from their digging area of the yard. Fencing or chicken wire are both simple solutions to prevent your dog from being able to dig—but keep in mind that if they figure out a way around the fence line, they’ll return to their digging behavior.

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