Digging is a natural behavior for dogs.
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This is what their ancestors did.
However, in our 21st century world, not all dog owners are happy about their pets’ digging abilities.
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There are several reasons our dogs dig:
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1️⃣Hunter instinct.
Maybe your pet sensed “prey” (in the face of a mouse or a mole) and tried to get it?
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2️⃣ Boredom.
If you don’t give your dog enough attention, enough physical and mental activity, or there is generally not enough experiences in his/her life, your dog will look for them without you.
Digging is one great way to get busy.
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3️⃣An attempt to cool down.
Dogs dig up the upper layer of the ground to lie on the cold ground and cool off.
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4️⃣Collecting strategic reserves.
Maybe you’ve given your pup a treat and he/she decided to save it for a rainy day for some reason. And then maybe to dig it back up to re-hide in a better place. 🙂
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5️⃣ Escape attempt.
Digging a tunnel under a fence is the most effective way to acquire freedom or get to that one luring object on other side – for example, for a female dog in heat for a male.
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🐶Sometimes our dogs don’t stop at outside digging and take in inside too. What can this be all about?
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▫️If your pup scratches his/her bed before sleeping, it’s completely normal and is another link to his/her canine ancestors that did that in order to create a comfortable “nest” in the grass.
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▫️Some dogs dig the floor in quite a nervous manner and try to lie down in a comfortable position over and over again. If this is the case with your dog, consult a vet, this may be a sign of arthritis.
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✔️How to you train your dog to stop digging?
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▫️Analyze your dog’s life: are the 5 freedoms of a dog satisfied? If not, make sure to make certain changes in your pup’s life.
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▫️Give your pet more attention and time, organize good physical and mental activities, train them to do tricks, try search games.
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▫️If it’s hot outside, make sure that your pet has enough water and can hide in the shade.
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▫️You can create a little dig-corner in your yard: dig some toys and bones in the ground and tell your dog to find them on command.
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▫️If your dog’s goal of digging is to escape, then, well… reinforce the perimeter 🙂
