While it may drive you mad and seriously damage your garden, digging is a perfectly normal and natural doggy activity – especially for certain breeds
How to stop your dog digging
Have you ever spent an afternoon in the garden, planting various pots to make your patio look pretty, only to find that your dog digs all your beautiful plants up again as soon as your back is turned?
It’s a common problem – and also a natural behaviour for dogs.
Many, many, many years ago, when dogs were semi-wild creatures, they had a number of dangerous enemies, including rodents, spiders, ants, scorpions and snakes.
Dogs therefore developed the habit of digging and scrabbling at a chosen resting place, tunnelling into a patch of long grass, trampling it down, then turning round in circles before settling down. This activity disturbed any nasty stingy, bitey creatures hidden in the area and chased them away, making it safe to lie down there.
That’s one reason for digging and scrabbling at an area.
But there’s a second, more subtle, reason dogs scratch at their beds, drag up your best Axminster carpet, or dig up your favourite dahlias.
Adding scent to a favourite spot
Dogs don’t have many sweat glands but some of the few they do have are in their paws. These glands also give off scent. So digging and scratching at favourite areas adds scent, marking them as belonging to your dog.
Digging is a perfectly normal and natural doggy activity – especially for certain breeds.
Some terriers consider digging to be their reason for existing. Terriers are bred to dig down into holes and burrows to find their prey.
Many dogs find certain surfaces, such as sand, almost irresistible and will dig holes simply for the pleasure of doing so. Gareth’s dog, Tippi, used to dig holes in my sand arena to roll in then lie down in every Saturday at our training sessions.
Is there a digging magnet in your garden?
Disturbed surfaces act as a digging magnet, which is why dogs will regularly dig up newly planted pots and plants.
Keep training and stay safe,
Carol
