stop dog digging
“How do I stop my dog from digging?” This is a popular issue I see many dog owners deal with at one stage, it can be incredibly aggravating to come home to find your garden looking like a minefield due of your dog’s actions, the only way you can really stop your dog digging is to observe him in the act in order to understand the reason why he does this.
One of the most common reasons I have experienced is that the dog is over-stimulated, he has developed so much energy during the day that he is means that are natural to him to consume it, an clear approach to rectify this could be to take him on more frequent or longer walks, or even take him down to the park and play fetch with him, any task you can think of which can keep him up and moving will be helpful to both your dog and your plants!
Your dog may merely be bored and seeking ways to fill his time through the destruction of your garden, this is most common if your dog spends a large amount of time alone, you must keep in mind that digging is an satisfying activity for your dog and if nobody is actively playing with him and he has absolutely nothing else to do, he’ll find his own amusement. A obvious sign of boredom digging is commonly supported with barking. If this is the cause, a recommended way to stop your dog digging is to pay him more attention, play with him, take him on walks or supply him with numerous toys for when you are not there, these little actions can make a significant difference in your dog’s behavior.
If the digging is a seasonal activity, typically taking place in the summer months, then your dog maybe digging this holes for a cooling pit for himself as he is too hot, if this is the case then you should supply a cool shaded area for him in your garden, if you lack trees or other large items that provide shade then consider purchasing a small child size paddling pool to relieve your dog, this could be the ideal way to stop your dog digging.
One cause that is often disregarded by dog owners is that their dog may be digging in order to hide bones, this process is innate in them and may feel as if they have to, this can be tough practice for the dog to break free from as it is a normal course of action for them. It is critical that you correct his behavior whilst he is still in the act instead of after as he won’t realize why he is being shouted at, utilize assertive terminology that he can become used to like ‘bad dog’ or even equip yourself with a water pistol and squirt him in the face as the digging is going on, it could take some time, but this is surely a proven process to stop your dog digging.
If you have tried all of the activities mentioned above and none of them have been effective, then it may be that your dog has too much of a strong relationship with digging for you to fix, buying a sandbox as a designated area for your dog to dig may be most useful to you, for added helpfulness, bury ‘treasures’ and ‘treats’ for your dog to find in the sandbox and reward him for getting them, if you realize that your dog still strays back to digging in places he shouldn’t you could use tricks such as burying water bombs or even the dogs own excrement to give him not very nice encounter of digging there.
Hope this aids your stop dog digging needs, thanks for reading
by Ruchi Vasishta