While digging is natural for a dog and part of their inbuilt survival mechanisms, some digging can be driven by separation anxiety in dogs. An anxious dog can develop many extreme dog behavior problems and attempting to dig their way out of the garden is only one of them.
Hence while you're never going to be very pleased to find holes all over your lovely lawn or in your prized flower beds, make sure you know what drives the problem before you look for a solution to stop your dog's digging.
Signs of Anxious Dog Digging
If your dog only digs when you're out, they might be demonstrating how anxious they are to be with you. They're not making an attempt to run away, as many owners seem to think, but panicking to get out so they can come and find you.
You might have a nervous or anxious dog naturally and it is just part of their personality, or the anxiousness can develop over a period of time. Either way, a training course that can help you to desensitise your dog will help their anxiousness, as will you taking on the job of pack leader by being the decision maker. These 2 approaches will help calm an anxious dog and the digging might just stop without any other help.
Dogs basically have to know who leads a pack, meaning if they aren't persuaded that you lead the pack, they are likely to think that they do. But as a dog does not understanding our world (why else do postmen get bitten around the world) they can get very anxious if they believe they are in control as that makes them accountable for the safeness of the remainder of the pack.
How to Stop Your Dog Digging
If your dogs digging problem isn't driven by stress, you want to take a practical approach to stopping it because digging is natural and just something some dogs do, whether to bury food or prepare a den. Those are both natural drivers.
First, accept that it is simply your dogs nature, and that some dogs are lots more susceptible to digging than others, then you can try to find a workable solution, for example not letting your dog out in the garden unsupervised. That way you should be aware of what your dog is doing.
An alternative choice, if you've a large enough garden, is to consider making a little area where they can dig. Take them there regularly and praise them if they dig in this area, making it a positive thing.
If you catch your dog digging where you don't want them to, avoid making a scene (i.e. Don't scream, run after your dog, or smack them) as some dogs will realize that this is a good way to get their owner's attention whenever they need it, even if you're cross and it can become attention seeking behavior and give them some encouragement to dig much more!
Hence while you're never going to be very pleased to find holes all over your lovely lawn or in your prized flower beds, make sure you know what drives the problem before you look for a solution to stop your dog's digging.
Signs of Anxious Dog Digging
If your dog only digs when you're out, they might be demonstrating how anxious they are to be with you. They're not making an attempt to run away, as many owners seem to think, but panicking to get out so they can come and find you.
You might have a nervous or anxious dog naturally and it is just part of their personality, or the anxiousness can develop over a period of time. Either way, a training course that can help you to desensitise your dog will help their anxiousness, as will you taking on the job of pack leader by being the decision maker. These 2 approaches will help calm an anxious dog and the digging might just stop without any other help.
Dogs basically have to know who leads a pack, meaning if they aren't persuaded that you lead the pack, they are likely to think that they do. But as a dog does not understanding our world (why else do postmen get bitten around the world) they can get very anxious if they believe they are in control as that makes them accountable for the safeness of the remainder of the pack.
How to Stop Your Dog Digging
If your dogs digging problem isn't driven by stress, you want to take a practical approach to stopping it because digging is natural and just something some dogs do, whether to bury food or prepare a den. Those are both natural drivers.
First, accept that it is simply your dogs nature, and that some dogs are lots more susceptible to digging than others, then you can try to find a workable solution, for example not letting your dog out in the garden unsupervised. That way you should be aware of what your dog is doing.
An alternative choice, if you've a large enough garden, is to consider making a little area where they can dig. Take them there regularly and praise them if they dig in this area, making it a positive thing.
If you catch your dog digging where you don't want them to, avoid making a scene (i.e. Don't scream, run after your dog, or smack them) as some dogs will realize that this is a good way to get their owner's attention whenever they need it, even if you're cross and it can become attention seeking behavior and give them some encouragement to dig much more!
About the Author:
Author Venice Marriott is a writer and dog owner and runs a Dog Anxiety website, which provides help and information for dog owners dealing with behaviour problems caused by anxiety. Get more information on how to stop dog digging, when you visit the site.