If you’re a dog, you dig. It’s what you do. If you want to stop your dog from digging, you have to work at it. Dogs Unleashed is here to help. It’s what we do.

Digging is Natural

There is much ongoing discussion over whether dogs are “den animals” or not. Having grown up in a different time and place than what we’re in now, we have had the privilege of observing many different breeds of free range dogs. And dogs, left to their own devices, like to dig dens. Some dogs more than others and some with much more ambition than others. But there is definitely something deep within their DNA that tells them that digging a hole is something they should be doing.

Things That May Bring out Your Dog’s Digging Instincts

  • Breed disposition
  • Boredom
  • Too much energy
  • Olfactory Senses/Hunting (there’s something tasty under there I just know it!)
  • Heat, need to cool off
  • Desire to hide or limit sensory input
  • Curiosity (what’s on the other side of this privacy fence?)
  • Find a friend (He barks good through the fence but what does his butt smell like?)

Since most dogs live where free range is not safe for them and having a yard full of holes is not safe for us, we have to curb these digging urges. It’s another one of those rules of our world that your dog has to put up with. Fortunately they want to be a part of our world as much as we want them in ours and they will comply with consistent boundaries (literal and figurative), healthy dissuasion and acceptable outlets.

How to Stop Your Dog from Digging

There are a number of things you can do to dissuade your dog from digging.

  • Supervision – Don’t leave your dog unattended
  • Increased physical activity – wear them out so they’re too tired to dig
  • Alternative activity – Stop the digging before it starts by redirecting their attention
  • Make the hole unattractive – Bury some poop in the started hole when you scoop
  • Keep your yard free of rodents
  • Close dog doors
  • Bring them inside – Short potties and supervised out time during hot weather.
  • Provide socialization with other dogs
  • Place dig-proof barriers around perimeter fencing.
  • Provide a safe place to dig. Kids have sandboxes, so can your dog.

The most important thing to remember when curbing any undesired habits in your dog is consistency. Be consistent with your no digging rule and the problem will go away. That’s not always easy. Fortunately, Dogs Unleashed is here to reaffirm your no digging rule and dissuade the digging behavior through constant supervision, rigorous activity and healthy outlets.

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