Why do dogs dig?

Reasons Why Dogs Dig

We all know dogs are born with a natural instinct to dig, but there are many other reasons behind a dog’s digging. Here are some other reasons why your dog may be digging:

Boredom

If your dog is not getting enough stimulation or exercise, the dog may become extremely bored and digging is a fun way out of the boredom. To accommodate this, purchase more toys and create obstacles for him/her to play with. This will distract their minds from wanting to dig

Keeping Cool

During the summer, breeds with thicker coats may get incredibly hot and need to cool off. Digging can create a cooling earth bed for these breeds. Pregnant female dogs may also dig when they get too hot. The best way to solve this is getting a shallow kid pool for your dogs to soak in if he/she gets too hot.

Being Anxious

Dogs that do not like being alone or struggle with being anxious may dig purely to escape the yard. Maybe, they are in search of a mate. If you can, be sure to address this with something as little as a stuffed animal that they can form an attachment to or adding another member to the pet family.

For Fun

As mentioning previously, dogs naturally dig, and this is something they might grow to love and just do for fun! Dogs may want to bury their toys or food in hopes that no one will take it from them. Consider purchasing a sandbox or designate an area for them to dig - your yard will thank you!

Seeking Prey

Instinctively, dogs want to hunt. Yards have PLENTY of underground vermin and rodents that can simply drive a dog crazy. This will turn any dog into a digging machine if they are hungry enough. Unfortunately, this will be an extremely difficult thing to manage, however there are ways to
get rid of pest and vermin!

Overall, there is no simple or easy way to control a dog’s instinct to dig, but there are ways to cope and address the situation.

Anti-Dig Fencing Solutions at Easy Pet Fence

If your dog will not stop digging, we offer anti-dig fencing solutions. Shop our 2’ steel hex roll that will prevent your dog from digging under the fence:

Our DIY Dog Fence Kits and accessories offer even more anti-dig fencing solutions! You can find items such as hardware cloth which is great for ground coverage.

Source:https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/why-is-my-dog-digging/