Diggin’ Doggies

We’ve received quite a number of phone calls lately from clients wondering why their dog digs and what they can do to stop it.  Requests via email to feature an article addressing this dilemma are just as common.  So, without further adieu…

A digging doggie can re-do your landscape in a matter of minutes and is tail-waggingly proud of it when the deed is done.  Thus, with good reason, digging is voted one of the top-ten behavioral problems in dogs.  But why do they do it?

Well, beats us.

A dog may dig a hole for any number of reasons; the foremost of which is simply because he is bored.  Digging relieves loneliness and tedium and is, quite frankly, fun for dogs.  A dog left in a yard all day with no toys or stimulation is probably bound to dig.

For dogs, denning is an innate, inherent instinct.  In order to control body temperature, dogs create a sort of den by digging a hole.  In summer, dogs escape the heat by lying in a hole.  The same, but opposite, is true in winter: dogs will dig holes to avoid cold and drought.  Female dogs will also commonly try to dig dens in which to whelp their pups.

Dogs will dig out of frustration.  Dogs are naturally pack animals and become aggravated when isolated.  If a dog trapped in a yard sees or hears another dog outside the yard, it may dig in an attempt to escape to join the other dog.  Separation anxiety is very common in dogs.  Disturbed and upset its owner has left it, a dog may dig to try to escape to find its owner.

Dogs possess the instinctive disposition to bury their food in order to hide it from scavengers and keep their living space clean, and will dig up what they have buried when it is needed.  More often than not, though, they will forget where they have hidden the food and will sometimes dig dozens of holes to find it.

Because hunting is an innate instinct in dogs, some breeds, particularly terriers, are insistent diggers simply because it is an element of their hunting repertoire.  They dig to reach the innumerable bugs, garbage, and dead animals beneath the ground.

Digging is also related to reproductive instincts.  As mentioned above, female dogs will dig dens to whelp their pups in.  Intact males will dig in attempt to escape a fenced yard to quench their insatiable urge to mate.

Sickness can also increase a dog’s inclination to dig.  An ill dog will inherently sometimes dig a hole in which to either recover or die.

So, quite honestly, we haven’t a clue why your dog digs.  Take your pick from the reasons listed above and it’s just as good a reason as any other.

It is imperative to note that digging can not be stopped; it is basically hard-wired in the genetics of some dogs. We can, however, give you advice on how to positively control this behavior.

It is important your dog as an area of the yard specifically designated for him to dig, such as a sandbox.  You can train your dog to dig in this area using positive reinforcement.  Bury treats and toys beneath the ground and reward and praise your dog when he finds them.  Likewise, train him to only use this designated area using negative reinforcement.  If you catch him digging outside the designated area, reprimand him.  Dogs will not dig where they have defecated, so if he continues to dig outside the designated area, place some of his own feces in existing holes or areas he likes to dig.  You may also place balloons in existing holes and cover them with dirt.  When your dog goes back to the hole to dig, the balloon will pop and hopefully scare him away from that hole.  Cayenne pepper or chili powder sprinkled over spots your dog likes to dig may also discourage him from digging there.  Continually take him back to the designated digging area and use positive reinforcement.  Eventually, he will get the idea.  Spaying or neutering your dog is also a sure-fire way to prevent him or her from digging inappropriately.

Digging doggies are a nuisance, but the problem can be redirected corrected with a little training and patience from you.

Written by Trent Olsen