Does Your Dog Dig? Solutions for the Problem Dog

Digging is a natural instinct for many dogs, however this doesn’t mean that you have to abandon any hope of having a beautiful garden just because of your dog.  The most reliable method of curbing this behaviour is at the end of this article, but let's look at the reasons first.

There are many reasons why dogs choose to dig, first and foremost digging gives dogs a sense of purpose and makes them feel like they are achieving something. They therefore might turn to digging if they are bored, if they have insufficient exercise or if they just fancy getting out of the yard and going on a little journey or maybe they may feel like if they can escape they can find their way to you.

Often, they have found rodent burrows and decide to dig them out.  Some dogs cannot pass a molehill whithout seeking out the culprit.

If any of the above reasons are true for your dog then you will either have to up the exercise, give him extra toys and chews to play with while you are away or lock him in a more secure area or crate whilst you are away from home.

If, however, your dog just digs for the joy of it then try one of the following:

Always make sure that your dog is supervised when he is out in the yard and distract him with a game if he starts digging

You could plant shrubs or flowers that have very deep hardy roots and sharp thorns, this alone might make your dog keep away from them

You could allow your dog his own little piece of digging heaven, as long as you enforce the rule that there is to be no digging anywhere else. This could be a part of the garden that has been sectioned off or if this is not ideal then his very own sandbox. This allows your dog to channel his lust for digging whilst ensuring that your garden remains untouched. To encourage him to dig in this particular area you could bury a couple of tasty treats or toys. You will probably have to supervise him at first, warning him off no-go areas whilst lavishing praise on him when he digs in his own area.

As we have seen dogs often love digging and thus it is necessary sometimes to tread a fine line between letting him enjoy himself and not wrecking your whole garden. A dog can be distracted from digging but if he is a persistent then it is possible to meet him half-way and find a solution that makes both sides happy.

Should your dog persist turning your garden into a re-enactment of the battle of the Somme, here's a tip that works in almost all cases.

Partly fill the hole to about three inches from the top.  Place some of his own "Poo" in the hole and fill up completely.  It's almost certain he won't dig there again.  As, all too often dogs keep digging in the same place, this can break the cycle.

Also, when you spot a molehill, brush away the hill, clear about six inches of the hole and - you've guessed it - drop a "Poo" down the hole and fill to the top with soil.  Some people claim this also serves to deter the mole.