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Digging is such a source of joy for so many dogs. Has your dog filled your yard with holes? Does your garden look like gophers had a wild party? Digging is a common problem behavior in dogs, and many dog owners suffer the consequences at some point. It can be challenging to prevent, and dangerous if your dog is digging under the fence and escaping the yard. Understanding why your dog is digging will help better equip you to handle and live with this instinctive behavior.
Dogs dig for many reasons, but the core of the behavior goes back to a dog’s wolf ancestors. Digging is arguably as much a part of dogdom as barking or sniffing. In fact, that instinctual tendency is why some breeds were originally used for hunting animals in underground dens.
In the case of certain breeds, human intervention made the digging instinct even stronger. Think about terriers. These dogs are also known as “earthdogs” because of their incredible commitment to following prey into tunnels in the earth, even if that means digging their way in. Humans purposefully developed these breeds to exhibit this behavior. Therefore, it seems unreasonable to expect it to vanish, just because we don’t want to lose our vegetable garden.
So, it’s clear that digging is an instinctive canine behavior. After all, dogs even dig in the couch cushions before lying down for a nap. But what is your dog hoping to accomplish with all that pawing at the ground? The truth is, there are many different reasons why dogs dig. The most basic of these is to seek prey. Yards infested with vermin like moles may have dogs digging like crazy to find what they can hear and smell.
There are other practical reasons for digging as well. For example, dogs may dig a shallow bed in the cool earth to help beat the heat on a warm summer’s day. Thick-coated Northern breeds like the Alaskan Malamute or Siberian Husky may be especially prone to this. Pregnant females may also be inclined to dig as part of their denning instinct.
And just as dogs dig to look for food, they will dig to bury things too. This caching behavior is a throwback to that wolf heritage. If your dog has had enough of a bone or toy but doesn’t want to risk leaving it where it can be “stolen,” they might choose to keep it safe by placing it underground. Of course, locating it again is another story!
Dogs also will dig to get under barriers. They might be trying to escape the yard to find more exciting locations or even search for a mate. But keep in mind, not all escape artists are looking for fun. Some dogs will try to escape because they are anxious in the yard or scared to be alone.
Finally, dogs dig because it’s incredibly entertaining. It’s a great relief for bored dogs with nothing else to occupy their time. It can also be used as anxiety relief because the dog is keeping busy. And of course, for so many dogs, it’s just plain fun to excavate holes and pile up dirt.
It’s extremely difficult to stop a dog from being a dog. But, there are ways to minimize digging so your yard and garden don’t look like Swiss cheese. First, think about why your dog is digging. An anxious dog needs confidence-building, and a bored dog needs more stimulation. By identifying the cause, you will be more effective at curtailing the behavior.
Ensure your dog is getting enough mental stimulation and physical exercise every day. This will help with boredom and anxiety, and provide more appropriate types of fun. You can also make the backyard more entertaining by providing puzzle toys for your dog to play with outside. Training sessions in the backyard are another way to occupy and exercise your dog. Plus, they have the added benefit of changing your dog’s perception of what the backyard is for i.e. interacting with you, rather than getting into trouble.
Any time you catch your dog digging, redirect your dog to another activity like doing a trick or fetching a ball. Reward that new behavior heavily with praise, pets, and treats so your dog comes to see that new action as more rewarding than digging. Finally, even with toys and games, the yard is not a place for solitary confinement. Don’t leave your dog alone and unsupervised outside for long periods of time.
Despite all your best efforts to redirect your dog, that digging instinct can still kick in. So why not embrace it? If it brings your dog joy, find a way for it to work for you. The easiest way is to give your dog a digging spot. A sandbox can work wonders in this way. Bury rubber bones and other toys in the sand so your dog can find treasures while exploring. This will make the digging spot more rewarding than the rest of the yard. Any time your dog starts to dig somewhere other than the digging spot, gently redirect them and reward any digging in that preferred place.
Dog sports are another way to channel your dog’s instincts into something constructive. If you have a Dachshund or terrier, AKC Earthdog might be the perfect fit. Your dog will search underground tunnels for caged rats kept safe behind a barrier. AKC Scent Work is another fun option where all dogs, purebred and mixed breed, are eligible to participate and search for a hidden target odor. Finally, AKC Agility is a great sport for physical and mental exercise, as well as strengthening the dog-owner bond. Dig in and find true teamwork as you run your dog through tunnels and over jumps. https://www.akc.org/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php Get Your Free AKC eBook
As with other types of unwanted canine behavior, training your dog not to dig is only successful with positive reinforcement. Never scold or punish your dog, as this will have the opposite effect.
To help distract dogs who dig, provide your pet with additional opportunities to burn off excess energy. Increase the time they spend on walks or runs. If it’s difficult to make this commitment work with your schedule, consider hiring a dog walker or registering for doggy daycare.
Most of the time, dogs do things that amaze us, but our canine companions can also be really exasperating at times. Some pets have especially challenging habits, and when dogs dig holes all over the backyard, owners may find themselves being tested beyond measure.
To enhance your pet’s mental and physical stimulation at home, play with them in the backyard to distract them from digging.
Digging is a completely normal behavior, but the reasons why dogs dig may vary by breed, personality, and mental state. It’s crucial to remember that digging is an instinct that may be difficult for some dogs to curb. The good news is that owners can put strategies in place to better understand and manage this behavior.
How can I determine why my dog is digging?
The first step in treating inappropriate digging behavior is to determine the reason for digging. Prevention, remote punishment, and booby traps may also be needed, but reducing your dogs motivation to dig, and providing for all of its needs are essential so that digging is not merely redirected to a new location. Inhibiting or preventing all digging, without understanding and dealing with the dogs motivation could result in new behavior problems such as chewing, excessive vocalization, or escape behaviors.
For example, dogs that dig because they are pursuing prey will continue unless you can get rid of the prey. Dogs that dig in an attempt to get cool should be provided with a cool resting area with plenty of shade and water. On very hot days, it may be best to bring your dog inside. Dogs that are digging to bury or to uncover previously buried objects could be provided with an area where this type of digging is acceptable.
One of the most common reasons for digging is as a form of play and exploration. Additional play, training and exercise sessions may be needed to keep digging behaviors under control, especially if your dog is young and very active. Dogs that continue to dig may require additional stimulation to keep them occupied when the owners are not around. Ensuring that your dog has a regular and sufficiently enriching daily routine can go a long way to preventing problems such as digging (see Enrichment, Predictability, and Scheduling). Whenever your pet is left outdoors unsupervised, it should be at a time when it has had sufficient social interaction and exercise, and some reward based training. Providing a variety of toys for object play can help give the pet some constructive activities in which to participate while outdoors. In fact, leaving the dog alone unattended can be an excellent time to leave food manipulation toys, so that the dog can occupy its time working for food rather than digging (see Working for Food). In addition, daily walks around the neighborhood provide exercise and stimulation that can be very satisfying for many dogs.
If your dog is outside all day and digging is taking place, you do need to ask yourself if keeping the dog inside may be a better answer. This is particularly true for the dog that digs to escape from the yard or confinement area. If you are unable to keep the dog inside (see House Soiling, Separation Anxiety in Dogs, and Separation Anxiety – Synopsis), then you may need to address those problems first.
How Deep Can You Possibly Dig?
Digging comes quite naturally to your dog. His ancestors still dig to create dens or to escape cold or hot temperatures. Your dog may also dig to hide his valuable things, including bones, toys or food.
Digging is often difficult to stop, but rather than trying to stop all digging, you can give your dog one place where it is OK to dig – a dog dig pit.
Find a place somewhere in your yard where your dog could dig. Use bricks or wood to outline the area, so he knows that is the one place he can dig, says the ASPCA. Fill this area with sand or loose dirt.
A dog dig pit isn’t worth the time it took to build, if your dog won’t use it. To encourage your dog, bury toys, bones or treats just under the surface level of the sand or dirt. Then bring him over, show him the treats and praise him when he starts to dig in his new area. After your dog gets the hang of it, you can bury treats or bones deeper.
Keeping your dog interested in his dig pit will be easier if you replenish his hidden treasures. You can even dig beside your dog, if that’s what it takes to explain the purpose of the pit.
If your dog still burrows or digs in other areas, bring his attention back to his sand box, and reward him when he digs there. Act excited when you bring him over to the designated area. Be sure you have included a border that clearly marks off this area as being just for your dog.
It’s helpful to add sand in your dig pit, if you are just starting one out with the dirt that was already there. This makes it easier to clean Fido up after he has been outside digging after a rainstorm. If he needs a more thorough cleaning, you can take him to A Stay in the Country Pet Lodge, for a good grooming.
You can use words that the dog already knows, like “Get it!” and praise him when he gets in his dig pit. If you catch him digging anywhere else in the yard, redirect him back to his own area. If you see him in his pit, even if he isn’t digging, praise him. Continue to bury things he likes in his pit so he will always have a reason to dig there, rather than elsewhere in your yard.