Digging is a normal behavior for a dog and can be either modified or eliminated, depending on what is acceptable to the pet owner.
A dog normally chooses a yard to dig in because this is where land is loose and making holes is easy.
A dog can never dig through a concrete floor, unless it has super strength.
Pet owners should first determine what part of the yard is most often dug by their dogs.
To remedy this, you should try to assign a part of the yard where the dog can perform his act.
Once you have determined a digging area in the yard, perform the following: - Isolate the dog in the designated digging area by placing fences or temporary walls.
The dog will eventually get the idea this is the only part of the year where he is permitted to dig.
- Bury treats or the dog toys in the designated digging area.
Reward the dog if it successfully retrieves these materials.
- Nicely reprimand the dog when it digs outside the designated area in the yard.
Once the dog is called, bury a treat in the designated area and allow the dog to retrieve it.
If successful, praise the dog for its action.
For pet owners that want to stop dogs from digging, here are some helpful tips: - Bury a small amount of the dog's feces in the area where it usually digs.
Dogs will normally resist coming back to this area and eventually stop digging.
- Dogs hate mud so it is advised to water a hole with water before leaving the dog alone.
The risk in this practice is that the dog might just transfer to another spot to dig.
Keeping your dog away from this normal habit of digging is a difficult task and will require a lot of patience on your part.
However, if the problem is starting to get out of hand, you should nip it while you still can.