She's Digging Again

It seems like a few times a year my dog goes on this digging spree. I went outside the other day and there were 5 holes in my yard. Ugh! I was so mad. I'm not sure what it is, but she'll go a whole year without digging and then she's outside digging again. She is outside a lot, but I don't understand why certain times of the year, she does't dig. I would think that she would dig more in the summer because the ground is softer. Now that it is in the freezing temperatures, she decides to dig? I take her to the dog park often, and for lots of walks so it can't be that she is bored. What can I do about a digging dog?

 

Could it be her nails need to be trimmed? Our Shih Tzu will try to dig through the carpet if her nails are too long. I'm not sure if it's that, or if your dog is just energetic and is trying to do what dogs do best.

 

Maybe she is sniffing the voles or other animals that live underground? Unfortunately I'm afraid that theatre is nothing that you could do - I've tried everything with my Homer - from shaming him to bribing him - and nothing works, he still digs big holes when I'm not watching.

 

I had a bit of a google and one method to stop your dog is to put its poop back in the hole and this may discourage it.
I like this method on this video.

 

We had an indoor dog, terrier mix, who would try to dig our *couches*. She would claw up the couch pads as though she was simulating digging a hole, then "bury" treats and toys in it. We could never get her to stop doing that no matter how hard we tried. We ended up going through many slip covers as a result.

 

Do you get small animals like squirrels, raccoons, etc. in your yard? We get them. The squirrels love to bury their stash all over the place. We found peanuts under the garden goose a few weeks passed. Now there are small holes in the tan bark. We saw a squirrel searching the other day and we think he forget where he hid his stash. What I'm wondering is if your dog might smell peanuts or whatever that another animal has hidden in the dirt.

I was worried about this with Misha as digging is a common problem with Jack Russell Terriers. She has never dug outside. However, she does this funny digging on top of her blankets and on my pillow sometimes.

My Lab was the one who dug holes. Luckily, she grew out of it.

 

Don't forget about moles! They dig holes everywhere and you can see the indentions where they dig tunnels just below the surface. Those are prime targets for dogs.

 

Your dog is a golden doodle right? I doubt it's breed related. Maybe there's something she smells on the ground that she think is deeply buried during this time of the year.

Does she bury stuff occasionally? You could try correcting the behavior until she understands that it's wrong. In the mean time, you can watch her when she goes out the yard and check if something triggers the behavior.

 

I think you brought up a good point when you said freezing temperatures. Dogs will dig in the summer months for cooler ground, but also in the winter months for insulated shelter. Also I use to have a dog that would bury food during the winter months, guess it was their way of storing food, who knows, they they would dig it up later.

 

When my dog started to dig holes I took him out for more walks. Walking my dog more than I usually do seemed to have pacified his urge to dig. I'm assuming he just wants to get out more. But I'll try the poop in the hole idea just because it sounds crazy enough to work.

 

I am not sure if there is any rhyme or rhythm to this digging thing. What I do know is that Bangkeaws are ardent diggers. Until they outgrow the urge to dig. Candy was about two before she gave up digging. Before that she just couldn't resist any hole in the ground. She just had to enlarge it to see what's inside.

 

I've heard that people line the edges of their fences with chicken wire. That could work but you would have to be prepared for a little out door project and have the money to buy enough chicken wire. I think any dedicated dog could still chew through it, but I still hear that it is an adequate solution.

 

Chicken wire won't work with Candy. Even chain link fences are no good. The double-gate system I used in my house is made from half-inch lead pipes.

 

My pits like to go outback and dig. The real problem (besides stepping in the holes and almost breaking your neck) is they want to try to dig up the hvac unit and the plumbing, and whatever else they can find that will be very bad if it is dug up.

 

Don't feel too bad over the yard. Right after we got our last rescue pup, we all woke up one morning to find a big hole dug into the back of our fairly new over-stuffed armchair! Well it's not overstuffed anymore! He had hollowed himself out a nice little "bed," because he didn't like his new one!

 

Oh no!!! I don't know how I would have reacted to walking in and seeing that!

 

Hello Thegrey1! Welcome
Wow, I don't know what would I do if this happened to me either. Fortunately, my dog is very small. He wouldn't be able to destroy an armchair even if he wanted to

 

That is definitely an advantage to small dogs. When they chew something up it isn't typically a piece of furniture, the living room floor, a door, or the carpet.

 

This is what my dogs have done to my house.

 

Wow, this is a big hole! Your dogs must be very strong I'm so glad my Homer isn't. At least I don't have to worry aout my furniture, walls and floors