Digging is a natural function for dogs and they dig for many reasons. However digging becomes a problem behaviour when our dogs dig where they shouldn’t causing damage, usually in the garden where they dig up flower beds and small shrubs. It should be realized that some breeds have a genetic propensity to dig but most dogs just like to dig and do so for fun and to use up energy. Understanding the reasons for digging goes a long way towards finding a solution to it. The main reasons are :
- to bury (and recover) bones and other food to hide them from competitors.
- to dig cooling pits, in hot weather it is cooler in the ground than above it so dogs dig holes, sometimes quite deep, and lie in them in an effort to keep cool.
- if you use blood and bone fertilizer on your garden this may well prove irresistible to your dog and he will try yo dig it up.
- to dig up prey.
- to relieve boredom, dogs are social animals and become lonely when left on their own for long periods of time.
- to escape, holes dug near fences and gates usually indicate a desire to escape on the dog’s part sometimes to find a mate and sometimes to escape sheer boredom.
Once started this behaviour quickly becomes a habit so steps should be taken straight away to curb it. There are several measures which can be taken :
- if loneliness and boredom are thought to be the cause then try to spend more time with him. Play games and teach him some tricks.
- provide more exercise to drain some of his energy preferably first thing in the morning if he is left alone all day.
- provide him with company by enrolling him in doggy daycare or engaging a dog walker for some of the time. Alternatively maybe a friend, relative or neighbour could spend some time with him but take care that such people are reliable and remember that he is your dog and you have ultimate responsibility for him.
- a dog run will confine him and if it has a concrete floor he will not be able to dig. Ensure the run is sited properly with a good kennel and sheltered from both cold winds and hot summer sun. Provide him with hard rubber toys to play with rotate them so that they are changed every day and include some stuffed with treats to keep him busy.
- build a digging pit with sand, either sand on it’s own or mixed with garden soil and train him to dig in this.The pit should be at least 1.0m sq(3 ft sq). To encourage him to dig in it bury toys there, some of them stuffed. Watch him as often as you can and when you see him start to dig outside the pit give him the off command, take him back to the pit and praise him for digging there.
- wire netting can be buried where he is likely to dig to escape and this is often sufficient deterrent to stop digging at these places. Neutering or spaying will help if dogs are intent on escaping to find mates.(this is a good idea anyway)
Some of the above measures at least will have to be used until your dog is trained to dig only where allowed as this takes time. Before you get a dog the different breeds should be researched and one thing which will be shown up will be that breeds of dogs such as Terriers, Siberian Huskies, Alaskan Malamute, Retrievers, and Cocker Spaniels are genetically predisposed to digging. It’s in their blood so you should expect it and take steps to deal with it from day one.
