Has your dog transformed your backyard into a landscape full of craters? Or does your dog keep digging under the fence?
It is essential to find out how to stop your dog from digging in your yard to keep your property intact. These dirt holes are not just ugly to look at. When it rains, these holes will get filled with mud and become a tripping hazard.
Punishing your dog is not going to help. First, let us take a look at why your dog is doing this.
Why Do Dogs Dig Holes In Ground?
The main reasons why dogs did holes in the dirt are to…
- find prey
- entertain themselves
- get attention
- escape
- soothe themselves
Many dog breeds like dachshunds and terriers were bred to be diggers and hunters. Although it may be difficult to completely stop your pooch’s digging habits, here are some ways to discourage him from doing major damage to your property.
Get Your Dog To Stop Digging By Reducing His Boredom
A bored dog is more likely to spend his pent-up energy digging in the dirt. Give daily exercise to your dog by taking him for walks and playing games which makes him run around a lot.
This will ensure that his excess energy is used up, and he will not be that eager to burrow into your backyard dirt.
Stop Your Dog From Digging By Leaving Unpleasant Surprises On The Ground
Use negative reinforcement to prevent your dog from digging in the dirt. Leave lemon peels or red pepper powder in areas where your dog usually burrows.
These items will irritate your dog’s nose and cause discomfort without hurting him. Your pooch will learn to associate unpleasantness with digging and avoid doing it.
You can also bury an inflated balloon in the dirt where he usually goes to dig. When his paws hit the balloon and burst it, the loud noise will startle him. Once again, he will learn that digging is a bad experience.
Prevent Your Dog From Digging By Building Him A Sandbox To Play
Build your dog a special place where he can dig to his heart’s content.
Find an area of your yard where the soil is soft and dig a dig about 6 inches deep. Then fill it with loose dirt.
If you have the budget, you can use sand or fine gravel to fill the pit. Line its boundary with bricks to create a digging pit for your dog.
You can make things even more interesting by hiding treats in the sand every few days so that your dog won’t want to dig anywhere else.
Or you can buy the IDig digging dog toy for your pooch.
Keep Your Dogs From Digging In Grass Or Flower Beds By Burying Metal Or Plastic Mesh
Bury plastic or metal wire meshes in areas where your dog likes to dig into the dirt. The mesh will irritate his paws, and he won’t bother digging anymore.
Keep You Dogs From Digging Under The Fence By Burying Rocks In The Ground
If your dog likes to burrow underneath your fence, bury some large or medium-sized rocks along the fence line. This will hurt his paws when he tries to dig up the dirt and discourage him from digging.
Stop A Puppy From Digging By Giving Him A Shaded Space In Summer
Dogs who are left outdoors during the summer months can dig holes to cool themselves. It is usually a few degrees cooler inside the earth, so a dog may instinctively dig holes and lay in them to keep himself cool.
If your dog is digging too many holes during the summer, then it is vital that you build him a shaded area outdoors where he can keep himself cool.
Train Your Dog Not To Dig With The Help Of Professional Guidance
If all these measures still don’t prevent your dog from turning your yard into a ‘holey’ mess, then it may be time to get some professional help.
Certified animal trainers can offer you personalized suggestions and strategies to fix your dog’s behavior problems.
You can enroll your dog in a basic training program or consider online dog training that will help you correct your pooch’s digging habits permanently.
