December 7th, 2009
Here are some quick tips to stop dog digging. Just because you have a dog that likes to dig and a beautiful yard and garden does not mean that the two must be mutually exclusive. You can have your lovable digging pooch and still enjoy a great yard which is free of ugly holes and uprooted plants and flowers. I have a basset hound who just loves to dig. He was constantly digging up my yard and any new shrubs or flowers that we tried to plant. Hounds have a strong sense of smell and like to go after whatever gets to their noses. Bassets are an especially stubborn breed which made the prospect of how to stop dog digging quite a challenge.
Here is how you can control or stop dog digging in your yard.
The first thing that you need to do is to determine why your dog is inclined to dig. With some dogs they are just natural born diggers. Terriers and Nordic breeds like huskies, malamutes, and members of the spitz family are especially prone to digging, so if you haven’t yet selected a breed and are concerned about preventing dog digging then stay away from those breeds. Even if you have one of those breeds you can still find a solution to digging problems.
The main reason however that dogs tend to dig is from simple boredom and excess energy. Most dogs need something to do when they are alone and often times they will dig to pass the time. If you think that your dog is bored then you need to give him more exercise. Try taking him for longer walks or more frequent walks. Ideally dogs should get 45mins to 2 hours of vigorous exercise each day. Also you need to try to walk him right before you leave him alone so he will take a nice snooze while you are away. I tried this and it worked only when I was gone for less than 4 hours. Anything longer than that and ‘Brody’ would re-energize and go back to his digging ways.
The next trick you can try to stop dogs from digging is create a special digging area that he is allowed to dig in. The trick here is to effectively communicate to him that he is only allowed to dig in this special place and nowhere else. I set up a small sandbox and filled it with a combination of dirt and sand. I then placed some chew toys and treats just underneath the surface to encourage him to dig there. When he would dig there I would give him lots of praise. Then I would leave him alone but monitor his activities from inside my house. If I caught him digging anywhere else I would give him a sharp correction to let him know this was not acceptable.
This technique worked pretty well but he still would have some slip ups every now and then. I finally found a great dog training site which taught me how to really communicate with my dog to get him not only stop digging but stop chewing and other non desirable behaviors.
Try these techniques and also check out the Secrets to Dog Training website for more information about effective dog training.
Tags: keep dog from digging, stop dog digging, stop dog digging yard
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November 21st, 2009
Here is how I learned to stop dog digging after I rescued my basset hound. When I first adopted Brody from Basset Hound rescue he was very very skinny. He had been chained to a tree for a couple of months by his original owners. Apparently he had a bad habit of digging up the yard and garden, so to prevent him from digging up the yard they simply chained him to a tree. This extreme measure is not necessary to keep your dog from digging up your yard or flowerbeds. Bassets tend to be extremely stubborn and bull headed so if I can learn how to stop dog digging, then I’m sure you can prevent dog digging in your yard too.
The first thing that you need to do is find out why he is digging. Many dogs are just natural born diggers and digging is just a part of their genetic makeup. See my post on selecting the right breed. Dogs will dig for several reasons. Many times they are just bored and need something to do. Boredom is usually a result of not getting enough exercise. If you think your dog is bored then the obvious solution is to walk him more often or walk him for a longer period of time. Incidentally more exercise can solve a lot of dog behavior problems and is recommended by almost all dog trainers. Ideally you want to walk him before he is left alone in your yard so that he will take a nice snooze while you are away and not dig up your prized plants and grass.
Some dogs just like to dig which was the case with my dog. Although the additional walking helped somewhat he would still dig after his afternoon nap. Dogs have a great sense of smell and if they smell something in your yard they will have a tendency to try to dig it up to see what it is.
I did find another technique to try to stop him from digging which was somewhat effective for me but not perfect. What you want to do is set up a place for him to dig and train him that this is the only place where he is allowed to dig. I built a simple sandbox and filled it with a combination of sand and dirt. I then shallowly buried some treats and chew toys and encouraged him to dig there. Then I would closely supervise him from a distance and when he would dig anywhere except the sandbox I would give him a sharp correction and lead him to his new digging sandbox. When he would dig in the sandbox I rewarded him with lots of praise and a little treat. Bassets are food and treat lovers. Although this technique worked okay he still would sometimes dig up a plant or flower. I was finally able to stop him from digging and stop him from other bad behaviors after reading the training tips at secretstodogtraining.com. Using the training methods and techniques I found there I was able to make both my family,my dog, and my lawn much happier.
Tags: keep dog from digging, stop dog digging, stop dog from digging holes
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November 18th, 2009
So if you have tried everything else and don’t have a spare corner of your yard for him to dig and you really want to stop dog digging, then there is one more possible solution. This way you can keep all of your grass, flowerbeds, and gravel paths that you have worked so hard to make look nice. What you need to do is invest in a sandbox which you can then place anywhere in your yard or garden. The deeper you can make it the better.
Go to your local home improvement store and get a couple of bags of sand and dirt if you don’t want to dig up some from your own yard. Mix the dirt and sand together and put some leaves or grass on top of it. Next you need to get your dog interested in his new digging area by having a scratch or dig yourself until he gets the idea that this is where he can dig. You can encourage him to dig in the box by shallowly buring a few chew toys or marrowbones in there. When he starts to dig in the box praise him energetically and if he starts digging anywhere else the you need to correct him straight away with aaaaahhhhh or No!. Then immediately redirect him to the sandbox and give him tons of praise when he starts digging in the sandbox.
In order to really clarify that this is where he is supposed to be digging give him a little treat when he starts digging in the sandbox. The close proximity between the correction for digging outside of the sandbox and the reward and praise for digging in the sandbox will ensure that you have made your point.
I have tried most of these methods except for the chicken wire solution with some degree of success. I finally discovered a way to really master Brody and his stubborn basset hound ways by reading Secrets to Dog Training. For more information on recognizing and dealing with problematic behaviors like digging, chewing, barking, and aggression, check out Secrets to Dog Training. It’s a detailed how-to manual for the responsible owner, and is packed with all the information you ll need for raising a healthy, happy, well-adjusted pooch: from problem behaviors to dog psychology to obedience work.
Tags: keep dog from digging, stop digging dog, stop dog digging
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November 16th, 2009
Okay here is one method to stop dog digging that I read about and have tried with limited success. The theory is that most dogs will shy back and be horrified at the prospect of digging anywhere near there is any dog poop. Even dogs that like to eat poop will not generally dig anywhere near it. This offends their basic dislike of soiling their paws and coat. The problem with this method of preventing dog digging is that you have to collect an awful lot of poop and then take the time and endure the smell of having a yard full of dog waste. Also the waste will eventually decompose and your dog will start digging again soon. So unless you want to spend a couple of hours a week collecting and spreadind doggy manure then I would not suggest this method other than a temporary fix.
Another way to stop your dog from digging is roll up the first inch or two of your yard and install chicken wire underneath. Your dog will not know it’s there of course until he’s had a few attempts at digging but eventually he will convince himself that it’s pointless and he will never dig in your yard again. This method is somewhat extreme however and the thought of rolling up my yard or paying some to do it for me did not inspire me to try it. Plus if I wanted to sell my house I would probably have to have the chicken wire removed at another great expense.
If you’re really set on a goal of completely eradicating all digging behavior then you are ultimately setting yourself up for failure since it’s a pretty unrealistic expectation. However having a beautiful lawn and a digging dog do not have to be mutually exclusive. The best solution is to simply redirect his digging energy. You can do this by setting up a dog digging zone where he is allowed to dig as much as he pleases. Once you have established this new digging area you can then make it very clear to him that there is to be no more digging in the rest of the yard. I found a great website resource which told me how to establish this digging zone tactic. Click here to read it for yourself because they explain it better than I can.
Tags: keep dog from digging, stop dog digging holes, stop dog digging yard
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November 13th, 2009
So you might be asking yourself ‘Why do dogs dig?’ and what can I so do stop dog digging? Here is a list of the most common reasons that dogs like to dig.
Number one has to be lack of exercise. If a dog is underexercised then he will burn off some of that excess energy by digging. Unfortunatley he doesn’t discriminate where he digs.
The next reason is that he is simply bored and needs a job to do. Digging is often his solution to boredom since it can be rewarding and interesting as well as make the time go by.
The next reason he may dig is that he wants to escape. Some dog breeds are just natural escape artists no matter how much exercise or stimulation they get and it can be nearly impossible to keep him contained. For this type of dog the digging itself is not the reward its whatever is on the other side of the fence.
Seperarion anxiety is also a cause for dog digging because he simply wants to be closer to you and digging under a wall or fence represents the most direct and fastest way to get back to you. Seperation anxiety is also a very common condition with many dogs and is in fact a totally different issue than the digging. Also he may dig for any combination of these reasons.
Whether you want to stop dog digging holes or stop dog from digging under fence, most of the reasons for digging present solutions themselves. If you think your dog is not getting enough exercise then you should try taking him on more walks. Generally most dogs need at least 45 mins to an hour of vigorous exercise per day.
If you think he is getting enough exercise but just may be bored then try giving him some new chew toys that he can play with when your not home. Also try to exercise him before you leave him so that he is worn out and will spend most of the day snoozing and not destroying your yard and gardens.
If your dog falls into the natural escape artist then he probably should just be crated or at least kept inside the house when you are not home so he’s less likely to break free and rome your neighborhood.
If you want to stop digging dogs who just dig because they enjoy digging then you should restrict his access to your yard and garden or wherever you don’t want him to dig. There will be little opportunity for digging if he’s never in your yard without supervision.
Tags: stop dog digging, stop dog digging yard, stop dogs digging
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November 12th, 2009
Basically there seem to be two different opinions when it comes to how to stop dog digging. The first opinion is that dogs will be dogs and you should just let them be dogs by allowing them to express their true canine nature and not try to stop a dog from digging the yard and flowerbeds. The other viewpoint is that a flowerbed is a flowerbed and no dog should be allowed to ruin your prize rosebushes just to satisfy his natural canine behavior.
Although many different breeds of dogs love to dig and it is somewhat healthy to let them dig from time to time, there is big difference between letting your canine friend express his inner puppy and just letting him go crazy throughout your entire yard and gardens. Just because you have a dog you shouldn’t have to sacrifice your garden or flowers. The two can peacefully coexist and even if your dog has already developed a habit of digging you can get a dog to stop digging with a little time and ingenuity.
If you haven’t yet adopted a dog and you want to prevent dog digging then you might want to select a breed which is not so prone to digging. Terriers and Nordic breeds like huskies, malamutes, and members of the spitz family have always enjoyed digging. However each dog is different thus there is no guaranteed way to tell if your new dog will be inclined to dig. So if your really want to stop dog digging and are concerned about keeping your yard and gardens in great shape then you definitely need to stay away from all terrier breeds and the Nordic breeds . Remember that the word terrier literally means “go to earth” or dig and dig until you find what you are looking for.
Tags: digging dog breeds, stop dog digging, stop dogs digging
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