Dog Fence Digging Problems

Some dogs dig out of boredom.

Fencing in your backyard gives your dog room to play outside without risking it roaming the neighborhood. Watch your dog to be sure it does not start digging in the dirt near the fence.

Issues

A dog digging around a fence can do more than end up with muddy paws. It could damage or kill plants at the fence line. If the dog digs industriously enough, it could tunnel under the fence and get out of your yard, according to the Humane Society.

Causes

To solve the issue of your dog digging around your fence, you need to figure out the cause. A dog might dig because it is bored or because it is trying to get your attention. If you have rabbits or other burrowing animals living near your fence line, the dog could be hunting them. Some dogs dig in attempts to escape a yard.

Solutions

If a dog is digging to keep itself entertained, give it toys or create a specific area away from the fence where it is allowed to dig. You can have burrowing animals removed from your yard, eliminating prey for a digging dog to hunt. For a dog determined to escape the yard, burying the fence a foot or two in the ground or burying large rocks at the base of the fence will keep it contained.

Considerations

Walking your dog and playing with it will help tire it out, making it less interested in digging around your fence. Avoid paying a lot of attention when your dog digs; this action can cause it to dig more in order to get more attention, according to the "Handbook of Behavior Problems of the Dog and Cat."

References

• The Humane Society: Dig This
• "Handbook of Behavior Problems of the Dog and Cat, Volume 1"; Gary M. Landsberg, Wayne L. Hunthausen, Lowell J. Ackerman; 2003