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Is your dog digging holes in the garden, and you can’t stand having a minefield in your outdoor area? Would you like your dog to no longer feel like he needs to take care of the gardening? Then you are in the right place! Here you will find all the reasons that push your dog to dig holes, but especially the advice and tips to eliminate or reduce this frustrating behavior.
Different Types of Destructive Behavior
Before we get to the specific causes of this pesky behavior and how to deal with it, let’s take a look at the signs and types of destructive behavior. Because there are many degrees of the latter and digging craters in your yard (with no other signs associated with this habit) is not necessarily abnormal in a healthy dog. Annoying, yes. Exasperating, absolutely. But there are solutions that are easy to implement. As long as you’re willing to take the time to understand your dog’s behavior better beforehand.
Type 1: Primary Destructive Behavior
Suppose your dog exhibits only one type of annoying behavior (for example, chewing on your favorite shoes or digging holes in your yard) but doesn’t appear to be anxious or aggressive. In that case, this is primary destructive behavior. It could be anything from destroying your couch to eating your exotic plants. He can also engage in this behavior whether you’re at home or not. It doesn’t matter in this case.
Type 2: Secondary Destructive Behavior
On the other hand, if your pup does these things only when you’re around, this is secondary destructive behavior. He wants to get your attention. Besides, he will present other signs like aggressivity, distress, or agitation.
Other Types of Destructive Behavior
There are a few other types of behavior that your dogs can exhibit, but for the sake of this article, we won’t go into details for each of them.
Why Is My Dog Digging Holes in My Yard?
Now that you know the different categories of destructive behavior, let’s discuss the main causes of this common behavior in dogs:
Top 5 Tips to Stop Your Dog Digging
1. Respect Your Dog’s Specific Needs
There is nothing worse than a dog who does not spend enough energy every day. This can lead to several behavioral issues, like, you guessed it, craters in your yard.
2. Find Your Dog Another Hobby
A bored dog will always find occupations. And be aware that a dog can get bored very quickly if it has been in the same place for a long time. After a while, your garden loses its charm for your pup eager for new stimulation.
Since boredom is a dog’s worst enemy, it’s up to you, the owner, to find your pet other occupations. Give him a bone or a toy to chew on, hide treats all over the garden, leave him a Kong full of goodies, etc. Use your imagination to distract him from his habit of digging holes all over the place.
3. Use Positive Reinforcement
Simply put, you need to educate your dog to stop digging. What’s the best way to do this? By using the method of positive reinforcement, which is a gentle method without violence and which generally gives excellent results.
Note: This advice only applies if you catch your dog in the act. On the other hand, know that you should never punish a dog for a bad thing done in your absence because your puppy will not understand the reason for your anger.
4. Accept Holes Only in a Demarcated Area
This trick is to allow your dog to dig holes in a specific spot. Don’t hesitate to mark a clear boundary to help the dog find his way.
To successfully teach your pup to dig only in specific places, you will need to put your effort into it and encourage it to do so in a very positive way.
And if your dog isn’t digging in the right place, use the positive reinforcement method to accompany, empower, and encourage him to dig elsewhere.
5. Cool Them Off
If your dog reproduces this behavior because he is too hot, make him a little oasis in your yard. Make a corner for him in the shade, fill a basin with water, dig a small hole where he will have the right to bury himself.
Conclusion
Dog digging is a common problem, but it is possible to stop this behavior. You only need to understand better the underlying factors and do some proactive problem-solving. However, a consultation with your veterinarian will also be of great help since there may be underlying health causes.
Featured Image Credit: Denis Babenko, Shutterstock