How to Stop My Dog's Excessive Digging

Sometimes dogs dig because of boredom.

Dog digging can ruin your backyard and garden. Dogs dig for a variety of reasons including boredom, attraction to the smell of fertilizer in the dirt, a search for attention, a place to store food and to attempt to dig under a fence. Stopping digging means being consistent with training techniques and applying the proper technique for the reason your dog is digging.

Things You'll Need

• Chew toys
• Garden hose

Instructions

1. Exercise your dog. If your dog is tired, it won't have the energy to dig outside. The dog will also be less likely to dig out of boredom.

2. Give your dog toys other than bones if your dog digs to hide a bone. Sometimes dogs won't hide other toys. Give chew toys and balls instead.

3. Keep your dog in a crate or confined when you can't watch it. Watch your dog at all times while outside so that the dog doesn't have time to dig.

4. Spray the dog with a hose as soon as it starts to dig. Make sure you do this every time the dog digs for a few days. After a few days, the dog will stop digging.

5. Create a special digging space for the dog. If you have trouble stopping the dog from digging and have the space, make a spot that the dog is allowed to dig. Lead the dog to this area anytime it begins to dig. This protects other areas from the dog's digging.

References

• Complete Guide to Dog Ownership: How to Stop Dogs from Digging
• Zang Paw: Stop Dog Digging in the Yard
• Pawprints and Purrs Inc: Destructive Behavior, Digging