Why Dogs Dig and What You Can Do About It?

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Dogs dif for a lot of reasons.

And how can you stop it?

That's the question…

Why are they doing it and how do I stop them destroying my beautiful
back garden?

Well here’s the way your dog see’s it and it's different from how you think.

In fact it will answer a lot of your questions.

Firstly though here’s what your dogs digging is not.

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Your dogs digging is not their attempt to annoy you, wind you up or simply ruin your new flower garden out of spite.

Dogs are not like that…(you’re thinking like a human)

Dogs are fun loving animals but and so many dogs will dig for fun.

Younger dogs and puppies just love to explore and they have a good time in the soil, sand, mud etc…it doesn’t matter to them.

Sometimes dogs are doing it for specific reasons, such as they are too
hot and are looking to dig into the cooler ground.

Or they could be cold and looking to build a bit of a den.

They could  have too much energy and try to direct it into something... in this case more exercise will sure help.

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You need to cover off all these things before you start blaming your dog as a naughty dog.

One of the biggest motivators for dogs digging is smelly fertilizer such as “blood and bone”.

This will drive your dog wild so be careful where you sprinkle your magic garden food.

Whilst we are on this topic be careful with slug pellets which can be deadly for dogs.

Some products on the market claim to be safe but if they do not say they are then you can assume that they are deadly and so do not use them.

Now back to the digging…

So if you give she plenty of exercise, remove any buried bones, stop using smelly garden products and give your dog a nice shelter to stay warm...

You might start to ask the question… What now?

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Well digging like I say is a normal activity, but excessive digging is not.

In other words, most dogs dig and the secret is not to stop it but to work with your dog and manage their digging.

And don’t worry I'll explain how to stop any excessive digging as well.

If you can focus your dogs digging into one area then you are halfway there.

This can be done by creating a clear digging pit — just a
few pieces of wood with a couple of nails….

You could even start the digging with a spade.

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If you put a few toys in, bury them and encourage your dog to dig in and maybe even bury a couple of tasty treats…

Do that just a couple of times and you will be amazed at how quickly your dog starts to pay attention and get involved)

Once your dog understand that it's ok to dig in one area but not in the middle of the lawn you are on your way to success.

But what about the holes in the lawn?

Well…the best solution for holes that have started is to put a small brick or rock at the bottom of the hole and wedge it in.

Then bury it back in a pack the earth in around it. Then if your dog tries to return to dig in that area they will become stuck when they get to the rock. No fun for your dog.

Most will give up. If they continue, I would walk over to them, guide
them back over to your digging pit and encourage them to dig.

If they keep going back to the lawn to dig, place them in timeout somewhere. They will soon learn that they are not allowed to dig in the lawn.

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One of the biggest problems that people have is digging when they
leave the property.

And the solution is quite simple...

Rather than this being a excessive energy problem or a dog who loves digging problem it is a pack leader issue.

That’s right, your dog is digging most likely to try to escape the property to find you. That is why so many dogs who dig when the owner is away are digging around the base of the fence or gate.

Owners often say “my dog never digs when I am home, only when I am away”...

That’s right when you are home they relax and are happy, when you
leave they try to find you. They see it as their job to protect you and look after you.

Many dogs get stressed when they are alone and turn their stress into digging, anywhere.

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Destructive behavior such as chewing is the same thing, they are stressed as they think that their job is to protect and look after you.

In a nutshell you need to become the pack leader and then they will
relax when you are not around.

Not only this but so many other issues will also likely disappear when your dog understands that they are not in charge...

The best site I have come across to understand how to become the
pack leader is Doggy Dan’s website. 

Becoming the pack leader using Doggy Dan’s method is not harsh or
difficult — it is gentle way of working with your dog.

Every video is like a little simple step how to become the pack leader for your dog. 

Doggy Dan’s site  also has sections about how to raise the perfect puppy dog and stop any unwanted behaviors.

Whatever your digging issue, becoming the pack leader help your dog relax, when you are home or away.

And then any training that you put in place will have an effect... 

When it comes to dog training, if you are not the pack leader you aren’t going to achieve anything fast.

So make sure that you get the order right…

You need to first win your dogs mind and then you can train their body...

Make sense?

And to win their mind and become the pack leader you may begin with 4 part video series from Doggy Dan.

Cheers&Love your dog,

Alex