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Has your dog turned your garden into a moonscape, with craters everywhere? If so, the first thing you should know is that your dog isn't doing this out of spite or a desire to destroy your landscaping. More likely he's seeking
- entertainment;
- prey;
- comfort or protection;
- escape; or
- attention.
You can have a dog and a nice garden at the same time – sometimes it just takes a little effort.
Step one in solving the problem is to diagnose why your dog digs. Then you can follow advice tailored to your (and your dog's) situation.
Your dog needs entertainment.
Dogs may dig to entertain themselves when they learn that roots and soil 'play back'. Your dog may be digging for entertainment in these types of scenarios:
- He's left alone in the garden or yard for long periods of time without the company of his human family.
- His environment is relatively barren – with no playmates or toys.
- He's a puppy or adolescent (under three years old) and doesn't have other outlets for his energy.
- He's a terrier or other breed that was bred to dig.
- He's a particularly active type who needs a job to be happy (such as a herding or sporting breed).
- He's recently seen you 'playing' in the dirt (gardening or working in the yard).
What to Do
Expand your dog's world and increase his people time in the following ways:
- Walk your dog at least twice daily. Not getting enough exercise is a leading cause of problem behaviours.
- Redirect your dog's energy by teaching him to fetch a ball or flying disk and playing with him as often as possible. (A tired dog is a good dog.)
- Teach your dog a few commands or tricks. Practice these every day for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Take a training class with your dog and practice daily what you've learnt.
- Keep interesting toys in the garden to keep your dog busy when you're not around. Kong-type toys filled with treats or busy-box dog toys work especially well. Rotate the toys to keep things interesting.
Your dog is hunting prey.
Dogs often dig in an effort to catch burrowing animals or insects who live in your garden. This may be the case if the digging is
- focused on a single area rather than the boundaries of the garden;
- at the roots of trees or shrubs; or
- in a 'path' layout.
What to Do
Search for signs of burrowing animals, then use safe, humane methods to fence them out, exclude them, or make your garden or yard unattractive to them.
What Not to Do
Don't use any product or method that could be toxic or dangerous to your pets or other animals. Anything that poisons wildlife can poison your dog, too.
Your dog needs comfort or protection.
In hot weather, dogs may dig holes to lie in the cool dirt. They may also dig to provide themselves with shelter from cold, wind or rain, or to find water. Your dog may be digging for comfort or protection if
- the holes are near the foundations of buildings, large shade trees or a water source;
- your dog doesn't have a shelter such as a doghouse, or her shelter is exposed to the hot sun or cold winds; or
- your dog is lying in the holes she digs.
What to Do
Provide your dog with the comfort or protection she seeks:
- Bring your dog indoors more often to relieve overheating or a chill.
- Take precautions to keep your dog safe in extreme heat or cold.
- Make sure your dog has a comfortable doghouse that offers protection from wind and sun.
- Provide plenty of fresh water in a bowl that can't be tipped over.
- If your dog still prefers lying in a hole in the ground, try providing a digging zone, described below. Make sure this spot is protected from the elements.
Your dog needs attention.
Any behaviour can become attention-getting behaviour if the dog learns that he receives attention for engaging in it. Remember, even punishment is attention. Your dog may be looking for attention if
- he digs in your presence; or
- he has limited opportunities for interaction with you.
What to Do
Provide your dog with the attention he deserves:
- Ignore the attention-seeking behaviour and give your pooch lots of praise for 'good dog' behaviour.
- Make sure your dog has sufficient time with you on a daily basis. Walks, games of fetch and basic training are all good ways to interact with your dog.
Your dog is trying to escape.
Dogs may try to escape to get to something, to get somewhere or to get away from something. Your dog may be digging to escape if she digs
- along the fence line; or
- under the fence.
What to Do
Figure out why your dog is trying to escape and remove those incentives. Make sure her environment is a safe, appealing place for a dog.
Follow these tips to keep your dog in your garden:
- Bury chicken wire at the base of the fence. Be sure to roll the sharp edges away from your garden.
- Place large rocks, partially buried, along the bottom of the fence line.
- Bury the bottom of the fence 30-60 cm (1 to 2 feet) below the surface.
- Place chain-link fencing on the ground (anchored to the bottom of the fence) to make it uncomfortable for your dog to walk near the fence.
- Work with your dog on behaviour modification to stop her escape efforts.
What Doesn't Work
Regardless of the reason your dog is digging, don't do the following:
- Punish your dog after the fact. This won't address the cause of the behaviour, and it will worsen any digging that's motivated by fear or anxiety.
- Stake out your dog near a hole he's dug or fill the hole with water.
Next Step: A Digging Zone
If your dog is a dedicated digger, set aside an area of the garden where it's OK for him to dig, and teach him where that digging zone is:
- Cover the digging zone with loose soil or sand, or use a child-size sandbox.
- Make the digging zone attractive by burying safe items (such as toys) for him to discover.
- When he digs in the digging zone, reward him with praise.
- If you catch your dog digging in an unacceptable area, interrupt the behaviour with a loud noise and firmly say, 'No dig'. Then immediately take him to the digging zone.
- Make the unacceptable digging spots unattractive (at least temporarily) by placing rocks or chicken wire over them.
If you've tried all these strategies and still can't solve your dog's digging problem, keep her indoors with you and supervise her during bathroom breaks in the garden. You may also want to consult a behaviour professional for additional help.
Reference:
Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) (n.d.). Dig this: How to get your dog to stop digging. Retrieved 19 August 2015 from www.humanesociety.org