Your backyard is a pristine paradise for your dog. Perfectly manicured grass to roll around on. A white picket fence to keep them contained. Shade to doze the day away. The only thing missing from your dog’s perspective? Holes. Lots of holes!
Why Do Dogs Dig?
As much of a dog lover as you may be, you can spend a lot of time being frustrated with your digging dog because it can be hard to curb this behavior. After all, just like jumping and barking, a dog’s natural instinct is to dig. They’ll often lightly dig at the couch or their dog bed before spinning in circles and laying down, just like their wild ancestors did. How do you stop dogs digging when it’s a completely normal behavior for them, and in many cases, they’re literally bred to do it (we see you, terriers)?
Why Does My Dog Dig on My Bed? Why Do Dogs Dig in Blankets?
As we mentioned above, your dog’s wild ancestors likely trampled down grass and dug a little hole to find a comfy place to sleep. Some domesticated dogs may still have this instinctive behavior to dig around their dog beds a little to make sure they’re preparing the best place to rest — even though your dog’s bed is already much cozier than a hole in the ground! Some dogs will do the same thing on your bed or in blankets, all to make sure they’re comfortable while sleeping or resting.
How to Stop Dogs from Digging
To stop dogs digging, the first thing pet owners should do is figure out why their dog digs, specifically. Even though it might be as instinctual as sniffing the ground or barking at the mail carrier, there’s usually a goal they’re trying to accomplish. And most of these reasons suggest ways to address the problem. Here are a few common reasons your dog might be turning your beautiful backyard into an abandoned parking lot.
Dogs Dig Because They’re Bored
Yep. Like many negative dog behaviors, this digging behavior can be the result of a dog with too much pent-up energy and too much time on their paws. Some dogs tear up the couch cushions when they’re bored. Some dogs dig. As an extension of the boredom situation, some dogs dig simply to get your attention. It’s like when a toddler yells “Mom!” or “Dad!” for no reason, and then when their parents answer them, they have nothing urgent to say. That’s your puppy dog and holes.
The solution is to enrich your dog’s environment and give them more attention, ideally in the form of playtime or exercise. Stimulate their minds and wear out their muscles, and then you could take care of the hole, er, entire problem. You should also provide plenty of toys or other mental stimulation to keep your dog’s mind out of the dirt.
Dogs Dig Because They’re Escape Artists
Some dogs just don’t like to be contained, and if they run into an obstacle on their way to freedom, they’ll do whatever they can to go around, over or, yes, under it. If your dog is tunneling toward freedom, the key is to understand why they want out so badly. Is your dog lonely and they’re looking for some furry friends to play with? Does that cat next door keep looking at them?!?! Are they digging out because they’re anxious about something, like other animals around them? If you can figure out what they’re digging toward or what they’re running from, you can work to eliminate that incentive. (Good luck with the cat, though.)
Dogs Dig Because They Want Something
Your dog’s pinpoint sense of smell means that they can detect things below the surface that you can’t, and if they decide they really want it, they’ll start excavating. More often than not, this is some underground critter like a mole or vole or even a snake. If you live in an area where there are roaming cats or other critters, there’s a chance that it’s lightly buried poop your dog is digging up. This is especially the case if your dog is inclined to dig in your garden, because cats like nothing more than to take restroom breaks in loose soil. If you use compost or fertilizer in your garden, that might be the culprit. Dogs just love the sweet smells of scat and garbage.
Or maybe your digging dog is looking for something they buried in a previous excursion, like a piece of food they were saving for later. If you can get to the bottom of your dog’s desire to reach the bottom, you can either provide it for them or get rid of the thing they want.
Dogs Dig Because They’re Too Hot or Too Cold
Some dogs, especially cold-weather breeds like huskies or malamutes, will dig a shallow bed in the dirt on a hot day, because the earth below the surface is cool and comfortable. In contrast, some dogs scratch out a hole to shelter from the wind on blustery days. In all cases, the solution is to get your dog out of the elements. Provide shade on hot days and warm, protected areas on cold days — although if it’s too hot or too cold, we recommend that dog owners simply bring their dog indoors. A dog bed inside the house is a much more comfortable option.
Embrace Your Dog’s Digging
When it comes down to it, some dogs just like to dig. If none of the above solutions work, or if you just can’t pinpoint why your dog is turning your backyard into an archeological site, you can try leaning into the problem and providing your dog not only a place to dig but incentive to dig. Square off a corner of the area, loosen the soil or put down sand, and hide toys regularly for them to find. They may decide that this is the spot for digging, and you can get back to practicing your putting in the rest of the yard.
