Initially, you will find your dog’s digging exercises to be cute – engaging, even – but eventually it will irritate you because of the mess it leaves, and because of how dirty your dog will end up with every digging. So, is there a formula that owners can use to stop dog digging? And if so, what are the dos and don’ts to permanently remind your dog that digging is a bad habit and should be stopped at every turn? Here is an article that will outline to you exactly how to.
You need to remember that dogs don’t realize they’re doing something wrong until they’re being actively corrected by their owners, so it’s to clearly communicate to them what is or is not unacceptable. But first, you need to figure out why your dog is digging before you can begin stopping it.
Digging is Entertaining
As animals, digging is something dogs normally do. Dogs are really energetic animals, and they need to unleash some of their energy towards an activity they love. Not only that, for dogs, digging is really entertaining, with the roots and the soil seemingly “playing back” to them. Here are some other reasons why your dog may be digging for entertainment:
- Your dog isn’t receiving too much attention from you, hence he searches other outlets of fun, such as digging
- Your dog may be bored and therefore turned to dig for mental and physical stimulation
- Your dog may be trying to escape by digging a hole in the fence, especially to mate
- Your dog may be allured with the kind of soil you have. Dogs really love to dog fertilized soil.
- Your dog may be digging for shelter, to cool or warm themselves up.
- Your dog may be looking for or storing food through digging.
How to Stop Dog Digging
Because you are in a problem that involves changing the dog’s habits, you need to be as consistent in your punishments and rewards as much as possible. This is the only way that your dog will surely know what you like him to do, and what you don’t like him to do.
Now that you’ve more or less discovered why your dog is acting that way, you can apply the most suitable solution. Generally, it’s a combination of two, three or all of these proven techniques that will help you go a long way to stop dog digging:
- As your dog is practically begging for stimulation both physically and mentally, you should give him both through proper and regular exercise. This will also stimulate him socially if you’ll be walking or running around with him. Also, insufficient exercise is a major cause of all behavioral problems in dogs.
- Always remember that a tired dog is a good dog, so divert your dog’s stamina from digging by playing with him (fetching balls, flying disks, etc).
- If your dog is digging just to bury the bones you give him, stop giving him bones. You can substitute other chewing toys for real bones.
- Place your dog indoors or confine him to a specific location every time you won’t be able to directly look after him. Do this until you’re fully sure that your dog’s digging problems are fully erased.
- You can also punish him directly after he starts digging by spraying him with water. This will help him associate digging with an immediate reprimand, making him quit his bad habits as soon as possible.
- You can also put something unpleasant in the spots where he digs, such as balloons (which will startle him when he pops it), chicken wires (it gives his paws an unpleasant feeling), or his own poop (most dogs are put off by this).