How Do You Stop a Dog From Digging in the Yard?
Dogs are so good at being dogs.
Unfortunately, being a dog is sometimes antithetical to things humans want, like having a lovely garden that isn’t routinely destroyed by curious noses and paws.
As with all things dog training, there is a balance we must find between training, living, and making sure our dogs love their lives.
In this blog, we review common reasons why your dog digs in your yard and some possible tips and dog training methods to teach your dog to stop digging.
Why Does My Dog Dig In the Yard?
Before addressing how to adjust their unwanted behavior, let’s learn the 2 most common reasons we see as to why your dog is digging.
Reason #1: Your Dog Isn’t Getting Enough Mental Enrichment
Digging is fun!!! Digging is a mental enrichment gives your dogs ways to enjoy their life.
To tap into those innately doggy behaviors that fill their brains with happy chemicals but in a complementary way to our lives.
Create a dig box using… well, garbage. Save packing paper, bottles, and anything else your dog is unlikely to eat but can be tossed in a box.
Once you have your junk all together, scatter in their kibble or treats. Then, your dog can have fun rooting around for treasure in a dirt-free environment.
Other mental enrichment options are slow sniff-focused walks, puzzle toys, allowing them to shred paper or boxes, and many fun doggy activities.
Reason #2: Dog Dig Because They Aren’t Getting Enough Exercise
A dog has a lot of energy, and it needs to go somewhere!
Each dog's exercise needs will be unique, but a good metric is to aim to get your dog's tongue hanging out twice a day. Any less than this, you might find your dog digging up dirt to be able to release his energy.
Fetch, tugging, flirt pole, playing with you or a doggy friend, and going on a run or jog are great ways to get your dog to exercise and avoid unwanted behaviors like digging.
If you’re unsure what exercise is best for your dog, reach out to us and we can help. We’re certified dog trainers based in Portland OR, but we help families and their dogs nationwide.
Now you understand the reason; you might find that training your dog to stop digging is unnecessary; you just need to give him some other activities and outlets for natural behavior.
Tips to Avoid Your Dog from Digging Up Your Yard
1. Give Your Dog a Place Where They Can Dig
Get a sandbox or kiddie pool, just some specific spot in the yard where digging isn’t only allowed but encouraged. The softer dirt will appeal to them, and you can bury their toys as treasures to be plundered!
Pro Tip: If you don’t have room in your yard for a digging patch, see if you can find somewhere in the wild for them to dig. Depending on your location, some dog beaches or parks will likely have this type of terrain.
2. Manage Your Dog's Environment
Make the environment so they can’t practice the undesirable behavior of digging. One option would be to set up a fencing barrier or chicken wire around the parts of the yard that your dog is digging.
Simply cutting them off at the source will likely prevent temptation!
We’ve seen folks have luck by weaving those short decorative garden fences through the plants, which prevented digging by creating obstacles.
3. Don’t Leave Your Dog in the Yard Unsupervised
They’re much more likely to start searching for trouble if left unattended. There are many other things they can get up to in the yard when nobody is watching!
4. Give Them Alternative Mental Enrichment in the Yard
Lastly, if you really need your dog to spend time alone in the yard and cannot easily fence off the dirt patch, it might help to give them other things to do in the yard.
For example, let them forage for kibble or treats by tossing them into the grass or putting several puzzle toys in the yard to interact with. Many online resources give you ideas on making mentally enriching foraging stations, for both outside and inside if the weather is bad.
One of our favorites is getting boxes and placing paper bags filled with treats. This is almost guaranteed to keep them entertained for a while!
3 Advanced Skills to Train Your Dog to Stop Digging
Finally, if you’re looking to train your dog or work with a professional dog trainer, these are some skills we’d recommend you work on with them. Not only will this help prevent them from digging in your yard, but it can also be a valuable skill to avoid other unwanted behaviors when navigating this world together.
1. Train Your Dog to be Calm on a Tether
There are so many benefits to teaching your dog to be comfortable and calm on a tether. Start this one with short durations inside the house before moving to the yard.
Have them on a tether while you fold laundry or tidy the house, stopping by to reinforce intermittently.
Pro Tip: If you’re going to train your dog, make sure you’re using a good-fitting harness and anchoring them to something they can’t pull over. This can fall under the management umbrella once your dog is tether-trained.
2. Teach Your Dog to Settle in the Yard
Start teaching this skill by teaching your dog to relax on a mat on cue in a non-distracting environment, like the living room.
Then move the party outside.
Incorporate play between repetitions of settling to keep your pup opting into the training, allowing them to practice going from excited to calm.
3. Train Your Dog so You Build a Solid Recall
Practice recalling your dog in the yard when you don’t necessarily need them to come to you or go into the house.
Need Help Training Your Dog to Stop Digging?
If you’re finding it difficult to prevent your dog from digging, professional support from a certified dog trainer can make all the difference.
At Urban Pawsibilities, we specialize in training methods that help dogs feel calm and comfortable. We’re a top-rated dog training facility in Portland, OR, offering several online classes.
Schedule a free discovery with us for personalized dog training advice and help you determine which program is right for you and your dog.
