How To Stop Dog Digging Some Great Steps

To stop dog from digging and lower your own stress level, try understanding his motivations, and find an appropriate resolution.

It's actually nearly impossible to control digging behaviors through traditional training methods, which is why you may not have had much success with this.

The reason you can't simply teach him not to dig is that digging is such a deeply ingrained instinct. Once the behavior is triggered by something, it's nearly impossible to get your dog to stop without removing the trigger.

Why is digging such a persistent behavior? What are the natural motivations for digging? It may seem to us, as human beings, not only annoying but a complete waste of time and energy for the dog. Many dogs seem to dig without any identifiable motivation.

You see, from the dog's point of view, he is being productive. There are several different things that could cause him to dig, and to him, digging is a natural response to these causes. Remove the cause, and the digging will cease.

The instinct to escape can result in digging. For your dog, that might not mean he wants to run away; it just means that he's overly conscious of the fact that he's in an enclosure. You can tell if this is the problem by the fact that his digging seems focused around the border of his fenced area.

Another instinct that manifests itself in digging for some dogs is the instinct to hunt. This is especially true of terriers, but it can happen with any dog. You can identify this type of digging by noting where the dog is digging and how. If he's stopping to inspect the hole often (sticking his head in it, smelling it) for example, and if he seems very excited while digging, he's probably hunting.

Digging has proven a versatile behavior for survival, so there are other instincts linked to it as well. These include hiding and hoarding impulses--like when your dog buries bones, and seeking protection from the elements.

Combat digging by understanding some basic principles. Punishing digging behaviors isn't helpful, for one thing. Reprimanding him while digging will help temporarily, but other punishment will only confuse him.

The second is that if you can remove the trigger or take away the fun of digging, he'll stop. If you have a dog digging to escape, for example, bury large, flat rocks or wire mesh at the foot of your fence. If he's digging for protection, provide him with an adequate dog house or don't leave him outside too long.

The third is that boredom exacerbates digging. If your dog is bored--spends too much time alone, for example, he will dig either as a result of the anxiety of being bored, or to provide himself entertainment. Spend more time with him, take him for walks, and teach him games that exercise his mind and body, like fetching or catching games.

Digging is an instinct, and you can't get rid of your dog's instincts. But you can outsmart them, and with proper strategies, you can stop dog from digging.

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Martin Moorecontributes to a variety of websites on dog training methods More information on stop a dog from digging

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