Proper training can help avoid small habits from becoming annoying ones if you take the time to train your dog when he is a puppy. Training a puppy requires consistency and proper use of rewards to be effective. Fortunately, most dogs love their owner’s attention and they love to eat.

Using these two things to your advantage will make any dog training task easier. Spending time with your dog teaching him appropriate behavior will make both of your lives much happier and relaxed.

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Why Dogs Dig

Understanding why your dog digs is the first step to learning how to keep dogs from digging. First and foremost, dogs just enjoy digging! If a dog is bored and doesn’t have enough interaction with people and playtime, they will be more likely to dig.

Another reason dogs dig as a means of escape. If they are penned in and want to get out, they will dig beneath a fence or gate in an effort to see what’s on the other side. An unaltered dog may dig to escape to find a mate.

Some breeds of dogs enjoy digging in the dirt more than others. It seems to be a part of their genetic makeup. A dog will dig in the dirt to find a cool place to lie down and take a nap in the warm weather. This is an instinctual process. Other dogs will dig a hole to bury their food or a bone to keep it safe.

How to Stop Dogs from Digging

The first step to take to keep dogs from digging is to give them plenty of exercise. Especially when they are young, dogs need lots of exercise to keep them healthy and happy. Mental stimulation will also keep them from digging. Teach your dog tricks and give them an opportunity to experience something new. When dogs are bored they are often destructive.

If your pet is one that enjoys digging and burying a bone avoid giving him bones and give him treats that can be consumed right away. Another trick trainers use to keep dogs from digging is to bury balloons that are filled with air in the holes where the dog ordinarily digs. When the balloon pops it will frighten the dog and as a means of negative reinforcement will deter him from digging in that spot again.

To keep dogs from digging, supervise the dog whenever he is outside where he most frequently digs. Then if he starts to dig, distract him by playing with him or giving him a toy to play with. Use a hose or a squirt gun and surprise him with a short blast of water when he begins to dig. Be sure and praise your dog whenever he behaves as you would like him to behave. Avoid giving him negative attention when he misbehaves.

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