2 Rid your yard of rodents
Is your dog digging in a single location over and over again? He may be trying to dig up an animal hiding in your soil.
You see, there are a wide variety of different animals that can call your yard home – especially if you live in the suburbs.
Some common pests that hide in the dirt include:
And if your curious dog gets a scent, he will dig up your yard until he finds his prey.
Dogs that were bred to hunt or herd are most likely to dig for small animals in your yard. This includes Border Collies, Greyhounds, Beagles, and Dachshunds – these are all dogs with a high prey drive.
The solution is simple: Remove the animal your dog is are hunting, and your hole problem is solved.
Typically, the best way to keep these pests out of your yard is to remove their food source. For instance, moles will move on if there are no grubs to eat. Depending on the pest, you may need to contact the exterminator or even animal control.
Whatever pest removal method you use, make sure it’s dog safe. Many pesticides are toxic to dogs.[4]
Digging is a great way to bury treasures
In the wild, wolves bury food they can’t eat immediately to protect it from scavengers. Dogs have inherited this behavior, and some will bury toys or bones in the yard.
The solution: Limit the number of toys or bones you give your dog, so he won’t have extras to hide. Don’t let your dog take toys into the yard, and if he chews on a bone outside, remove it when he loses interest, so he doesn’t have an opportunity to bury it.
Many dogs dig just because they enjoy it. Digging turns up interesting smells and offers mental stimulation. This will often happen in places where you’ve recently been gardening.
The solution: Keep your dog mentally challenged. In addition to long walks, training experts recommend playing ball or Frisbee or enrolling in training classes.
1 Make your scaredy-dog feel safe
The world is a noisy place. But some sounds are much louder than others. I’m talking about fireworks, thunder, gunshots, loud trucks, trains and alarms…
Of course, you and I know that loud noises are entirely harmless. Unfortunately, your pup doesn’t know any better.
When your scared dog hears these sounds, he thinks that it’s something threatening. His first reaction? To search for a safe place to hide…
If there is no safe space around, your dog may frantically dig, to make a safe hole to hide in.
Fortunately, loud noises are an easy fix.
Keep your dog inside when you know there are going to be loud noises. 4th of July fireworks? Incoming thunderstorm? Bring your pup inside.
Need to leave your dog outside? Provide him with a cozy shelter, such as a dog house. If your dog does get spooked by a loud noise, he will hide in his house, rather than dig a hole.
A popular solution for scaredy-dogs is the Thundershirt. These dog coats gently constrict your dog with reassuring pressure – many dog owners swear by them for keeping their dog calm during thunderstorms and fireworksOther popular products designed to keep dogs calm during loud noises include the
Can you imagine being locked in your yard all day with nothing to do? Sounds pretty dull, right?
Well, your dog feels the same way….
To keep himself entertained, your pup may take up digging as a hobby. It may be destructive, but to your dog, digging a hole is better than being bored.
By curing your pups boredom, you won’t return home to a yard full of holes.
I covered a couple of boredom busters earlier in this guide, such as toys and taking your dog for a walk.
Other boredom solutions include training your dog or even getting a second dog to keep your pup company.
Back when dogs roamed wild, they would dig holes to hide their unfinished food. Once the food was inside, they would cover it back up.
Think of this hole as a refrigerator for dogs. The next time they were hungry they would dig up their hidden meal.
Nowadays, dogs have it too easy. They don’t need to hunt, a tasty meal hand to deliver to them. And if your pup is like mine, he gets a steady supply of treats in between meals too.
Even so, your dog still has these natural instincts. Despite knowing that he won’t go hungry, the desire to hide food is irresistible.
And so he will turn your yard into his private food storage. Some dogs will even go so far as to hide their chew toys in holes.
Look closely at the hole your dog has dug. If you see food, treats or toys inside, you’ll know you need to deal with your pup’s instincts.
But how do you fight what comes naturally to your dog?
The first step is to remove anything your dog has buried in your yard. If you don’t, your pup will dig it up again. You don’t want another hole in your yard, do you?
Now you want to make sure you are not over-feeding your dog. If your dog is full, but there is food left over, he will be more likely to hide it.
Next dogs are less likely to bury bite-sized treats. Larger treats like bully sticks, yak chews or bones, on the other hand, are more likely to be saved for later.
Making the switch to a smaller treat could be all it takes to stop your dog from digging up your yard.
If you supervise your dog, you can still give him large treats. However, once you notice he has finished eating or chewing you should take the treat off him for later.
Another alternative is to just offer the larger treats inside. There isn’t any soft soil to dig up here.
Digging holes to hide food is considered to be more common in hunting breeds such as Labradors, Beagles, Golden Retrievers and Weimaraners.
FAQ
Does vinegar stop dogs from digging holes?
…
Other scents that may deter your dog from digging include:
- Citrus fruit (oranges, lemons, grapefruit)
- Coffee Grounds.
- Citronella Essential Oil.
- Dog poop (bury your dog’s poop where he digs.