Dogs Dig It

Welcome to BarkSpot from Bark PDX, a blog dedicated to our pets and our lives and adventures with them. Here we will share ideas, information, news, links, fun stories, anecdotes and basically everything pet and animal related.

Dogs Dig It

So you come out to the backyard and it appears that your dog has been exploring for mines. There are holes everywhere and this could only have been created by your dog’s incessant digging, in fact there he is halfway into one of his newly created ditches. What are you going to do about it?

Well, first let’s conceded that there are a number of reasons why your dog is digging. One of those reasons is attributed to an urge to find comfort, particularly on uncomfortably warm days. Since dogs don’t sweat nearly as easily as humans do, rolling around in some fresh and moist soil provides some of the relief they seek. Many dogs also have a nesting tendency or have been bred over many generations to seek out small game that burrow in the ground. Maybe they are digging because they smell something good, or something foul. Sometimes dogs dig because they think it’s fun. Sometimes they dig because they want to escape or are just plain bored. Maybe the reason why dogs dig is because they just can’t get enough of your love and attention and they believe that if they just make it to the other side of the fence they can reunite with you.

Well, whatever the reason, here’s some advice: Try to address the problem and find a solution that makes sense.

  • Improving your yard containment and reducing your dog’s chances of successful escape. I’m not necessarily suggesting that you run out and buy an electric fence or worse, I’m merely saying that it will help your cause if you don’t help your pooch escape by not patching holes, etc.
  • If your dog is digging for reasons relating to temperature, give him a children’s pool, igloo or dog house, sand pit, etc. and find a shady area to place it. (Keep in mind that all outdoor dogs should have shade and water available to them at all times.)
  • If escaping from the yard is the culprit, maybe he’s leaving to find a “loved one”, neutering may reduce this romantic roaming tendency.
  • Perhaps he’s leaving to find food from the friendly neighbor that likes to give him treats (ask them kindly to stop)
  • If your dog is digging for entertainment, help him find other ways to play. Make sure he receives plenty of exercise! If you don’t have the time, consider hiring a dog walker.
  • Monitor your dog when he is out in the yard and reprimand (NO!) if he starts to dig. Teach him that other things are also fun: Frisbee, ball, etc. If there is a specific area where your dog likes to dig, try rearranging the area with large stones or temporarily block it off, change the texture, change the experience.

    • Well, hopefully I’ve helped provide some tips to resolving this issue. If these don’t work I have some more ideas to share, feel free to ask. Thanks again for reading!

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    This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009 at 11:57 pm and is filed under Animal, Cat, Dog, Oregon, Pets, Portland, dog walking, pet sitting. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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