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How Can I Stop My Dogs From Digging?

February 14th, 2017

If you’re wondering how you can stop your dogs from digging, it can be helpful first to understand that digging for some dogs can be therapeutic. As a form of exercise and entertainment, digging is an ideal activity for dogs who have little stimulation during the day. It’s also part of many dog’s instincts to dig, and is an ideal way for them to expend some extra energy, or just tap into their doggy-dogness.

If you have kids, you may want to replicate with your dog what you did with your kids when you took them to a sandbox to dig: give them somewhere specific that it’s allowed. You could set up a place in the side yard where digging is permissible, give your dog a makeshift sandbox of his own filled with dirt, or take him on lots of playdates to a spot where you let him dig.

If none of those are options, the best way to stop your dog from digging is to help them expend excess energy. That’s right: exercise is again the solution to most training and behavior problems.

You could go for a nice long walk or run, take your dog to a lake and have him swim, throw some tennis balls, take her to a dog park, bike with your dog running alongside you. There are lots of options. Happy Hound also offers adventure walks, where we’ll take your dog to Pt. Isabel, Strawberry Canyon, the Berkeley Firetrails, etc. If you don’t have the time for a long leisurely walk with your dog, let us take it over for you.

If you have a quick 20 minutes for a walk, we recommend putting a backpack on your dog. The added weight gives your dog a job to do, and also helps him tire out more quickly. Essentially turning a 20 minute walk into one that feels like 45-60 minutes.

Is your dog a digger? If so, let us know what breed…we’re always curious about who ends up with the digging craze!