We all love our dogs, but it can be incredibly frustrating when they decide to dig up our gardens and leave holes everywhere. Many owners despair of ever stopping their dogs from doing this and are absolutely distraught with the mess in their garden. So what can be done to stop this and to control your dog’s urges to digging? The first thing to do is to try and understand what your dog is thinking. Getting into the mindset of your dog is always the best way to solve behavioural problems with the least amount of stress on both sides.
There are a number of reasons why your dog might get the urge to dig holes in your garden. It can be as simple as them needing somewhere cool on a hot day if they have no shade. Or it can be their natural instincts. Many breeds, such as terriers, are designed for digging out small animals on a hunt – their attempt to fill your garden with holes may just be this showing through. Many dogs enjoy having somewhere small and compact to rest in. This is the influence of their natural instinct to make a den and can manifest itself in hole digging to create their own living space.
In reality though, most cases of unwanted holes dug in your garden are actually just caused by a bored dog looking for attention from their owner. If your dog does not have you around for entertainment and exercise, they will enjoy themselves with some digging. A big dog has plenty of energy, and it has to come out somehow – if it isn’t through exercise, it will be through digging holes in your garden. It is certainly one way for the dog to grab your attention and get a response. The dog actually only wants attention, even if it is negative. Boredom can cause a huge number of problems in dogs, and all the more if they feel they are being ignored.
Once you have figured out what’s going on in your dog’s mind, stopping it digging up should be no problem. A simple shelter that provides shade can be all it takes to stop a dog digging up the grass for some cool dirt. If you think it is actually that they are building themselves a den, then give them a dog house they like. For a stricter solution to the problem if these do not work, consider placing some chicken wire down on the grass. This should stop the dog’s desire to dig.
Remember though, that it is most likely about attention, so try changing their behaviour this way. Show the dog that you are willing to give affection and attention when they behave well. On the other hand, you should not allow acting up to be a trigger for attention – show no response to hole digging. Cruel punishments do no one any favours and should be avoided for a happy and healthy dog. You should be striving towards a relationship of mutual respect with your dog.
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