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Since when has your backyard become the moon with craters everywhere? You have to stop dog digging or else everything at home would be a mess for you. The dog’s relatives like the wolves and foxes dig dens in order to raise their pups. Sleeping inside the dens would also protect them from predators and from the climate. The same goes for our dogs, they try to create a softer resting place using the ground. Dogs dig for various reasons: to stay cool or warm, to entertain themselves, to bury important items and when hunting for rodents or other ground animals.

Why do they dig? Here are some reasons on why.

For fun. Generally, dogs love to dig though other breeds tend to dig more compared to some. Digging is fun for them especially if they don’t have anyone to play with.

Burying treasure. Yes, they bury their valued belongings like bones, toys, food and prey. This is a dog’s survival instinct on display. In the wild, this method would allow them to conceal their food and come back for it later to eat it.

Staying comfortable and cool. Dogs make this big circle of dirt in order to create a comfortable bed. If you observe, doggy holes are strategically places in cool/warm places.

Separation anxiety. Dogs are very prone to suffer from separation anxiety when left all alone. He would resolve to digging in order to resolve his anxiety issues or to get you to notice him.

There are actually lots of reasons on why your dog is doing this nasty habit of digging, I can’t state them all here on this post. If you wish to learn more about it, just run a research about it. What I mentioned above are just the common reasons on why your dog is doing it.

Stop Dog Digging

Expand your dog’s world and increase his people time in the following ways: Walk your dog at least twice daily. Not getting enough exercise is a leading cause of problem behaviors.

Redirect your dog’s energy by teaching him to fetch a ballor flying disk and playing with him as often as possible. (A tired dog is a good dog.)

Teach your dog a few commands or tricks. Practice these every day for 5 to 10 minutes.

Take a training class with your dog and practice daily what you’ve learned.

Keep interesting toys in the yard to keep your dog busy when you’re not around. Kong®-type toys filled with treats or busy-box dog toys work especially well. Rotate the toys to keep things interesting. Source: Humane Society, http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/dogs/tips/digging.html

How to Stop Dog Digging:

Obedience class. Go enroll yourself and your pet in a basic obedience class. Use the calm assertive approach in training him. Don’t let him be bored. Most of the time dogs dig out of boredom. Give him extended play times and give him IQ related toys that would fascinate and keep him pre-occupied for hours. Give him a sandbox. A sandbox would be the place where he is ok to dig in. Fence his sandbox and put fresh dirt on it. Bury his favorite treat or toy in that place so that he would be encourage to use it. Discourage him. If he happens to dig outside his sandbox, punish him by giving him a stern voice to stop, sprinkling water on him or giving him a cold shoulder. Sooner or later he would understand that he is only allowed to dig in the sandbox.

Always remember that a tired dog is a good dog. If you burn out all of his excess energy by playing or going out on a run with him then he won’t have the energy to go and dig around your front or backyard. If you know how to stop dog digging, then you better do it as early as now before it goes out of control. You don’t want things to be messy every time you come home from work now, do you? Make your move now.

Do you have an experience on this one? How did you handle it? Share your story with us, we all are willing to listen to you. Just type your story in the comment box below.