How to get your dog to stop digging?

How to get your dog to stop digging

Dogs like to dig around the yard because they are bored or having fun. In most cases, it is a matter of curiosity, but also of the innate instinct of digging holes to make a shelter or conserve food.

Also, there are breeds that were created to dig holes, and of course, these are terriers and dachshunds.

People who live in the village usually have nice and spacious yards with gardens or flowers in them. However, if they have a dog, they know what it is like to plant grass or rosary, and the dog will destroy them with their paws.

Another situation, which is also not pleasant, is the yard full of holes that can be dangerous for the household, especially at night when they are not visible.

Why do dogs dig holes in the ground?

Immediately, to emphasize that it is not about their malice, your four-legged pets like to dig around the yard because they are bored or having fun. In most cases, it is about curiosity and instinct.

Wild dogs dig holes for their prey

Specifically, dogs in the wild usually dig holes for prey or do it to shelter themselves.

Because they are domestic dogs, relatives of wild dogs and have the same genes, of course, they have the same instincts, so they instinctively dig holes to cover the food or bone.

Fortunately, there are various methods to help you distract the dog from this ugly behavior.

Experts say you should start your education as soon as your puppy arrives at home, or before he grows up and adopts this destructive and frustrating habit.

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Dogs dig holes when they are bored

If your dog is bored and no one is paying attention to him, it is very likely that he will start digging holes in the yard because it is a game and fun for him.

If you have a breed of temperamental dog-like working dogs, you should know that they need work to consume excess energy.

No matter how much work you do during the day, you need to find the time and run your dog or throw a stick or a ball in the yard.

If the dog has more activity during the day, they will get tired and will not dig holes in the gardens or yard.

Non-response or physical punishment leads to destruction in dogs

If you do not respond promptly and allow him to continue such behavior, or physically punish him, know that this is only the beginning of another form of destructive behavior.

This will most likely result in excessive barking but also aggression towards family members.

Terriers and Dachshunds are created for digging

Otherwise, it should be noted that there are breeds created for digging.

Some breeds of dogs are created to dig and it is almost impossible to get them off the hook. Eg. the name of the dog breed terrier derives from the Latin word terra meaning country. By digging, the terrier searches for and destroys pests.

This is exactly what the man wanted when selecting dogs that he needed to help with hunting or pest control.

How to get your dog to stop digging
Dachshund

Dachshunds like to dig, but their original purpose is to get narrow and long bodies into pits that house small animals.

Some dogs, regardless of race and age, simply like to dig and nothing is more interesting to them than the nose they have all the time in the country. For puppies it can also be a transient phase.

However, sometimes the dog does not dig for pure pleasure, but because he wants to achieve something concrete from that dig.

Eg. if the dog digs along the fence, it is a sign that he would like to escape, so in that case he should be taken out for a walk more often.

It’s about terriers and dachshunds.

These two breeds have been used throughout history exclusively for digging tunnels to make it easier for hunters to catch rodents and badgers.

If you choose one of these breeds, you will know that you will have problems if you do not get their attention with something else to reduce their digging urges.

However, if you have moles or other rodents in the yard, such as a mistress or a hamster, it will be very difficult to prevent them from hunting and therefore digging holes.

There are products that prevent dogs from digging

There are various ways and products on the market today that can help you distract the dog from this ugly habit, but some of them only give partial results.

In order to have complete success, it is very important that you discover the reason for digging, so the results of the retraction will be much better.

The daily routine reduces nervousness in dogs

When getting a dog, it is important that you get used to it when you are a dog, which will help him learn when it is time to play, when to learn, and when to rest.

This method has proven to be very successful as it helps the dog to understand that he has a routine throughout the day. This reduces anxiety when the dog is alone at home or in the yard.

A hunting dog requires a lot of time and attention

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If you took a hunting dog, working with them also applies to sheepdogs.

Teach him new tricks and pay him a lot of attention. It is not recommended that the dog be alone in the yard all the time because it also affects his mental attitude.

A quick method of preventing a dog from digging

There is also a quick method of preventing a dog from digging holes. Put a dog poop in a hole dug by a dog and cover it with the earth.

The dog will not dig in that spot then, but it is very likely that they will move to another part of the yard.

So as soon as you get a puppy, start teaching him that what he does is bad and you won’t have any problems later.

Stop! Command will help you a lot because dogs are intelligent animals that are quick to accept human commands.

If you still fail, there are trainers today who successfully solve this problem.


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