How to Make a Puppy Stop Digging
Redirect your dog when it digs for fun., Make sure that your puppy is comfortable., Reduce your puppy’s stress., Prevent your puppy from burying treats and toys., Reduce your puppy’s boredom., Control prey animals.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Redirect your dog when it digs for fun.
Dogs may dig purely for entertainment.You may notice your puppy digging along with other play behavior, such as running around and jumping.
This can be the most difficult type of digging behavior to prevent, since it is so rewarding to your puppy.
However, you can:
Offer your puppy a dedicated digging area.
Erect fencing to deter your puppy’s digging habits. -
Step 2: Make sure that your puppy is comfortable.
Dogs may dig to find cooler (or warmer) and more comfortable places to lay.In hot weather, dirt below the surface will be cooler than at the surface (this is especially true in shaded areas such as under trees), while in cool weather it will be warmer.
To reduce this type of digging behavior:
Make sure that your puppy has access to a shaded or covered area, such as a dog house.
You can also provide your puppy a shallow wading pool to keep cool.
When it is especially hot, you may want to allow your puppy access to the indoors and air conditioning.
If your puppy is cold, offer it a blanket, insulated dog house, or some time indoors.
If your puppy digs to find a more comfortable place to lay, offer it a dog bed or other soft surface. , Dogs may dig to express anxiety, such as when they are separated from their owners.You can help your puppy get over separation anxiety in order to stop its digging habit and reduce its stress level., Dogs may dig in order to bury “valuables.”The wild ancestors of dogs would bury food so that they could return to it later.
Your puppy may express this instinct by burying food, toys, treats, and other objects.
To discourage your dog from digging for this reason:
Don’t give your puppy treats it won’t finish right away.
Remove treats and store them or throw them away if your puppy doesn’t finish them right away.
Seek professional help if you need it.
If you give your puppy a digging pit, it can learn to happily bury toys and other objects without destroying your yard. , Your puppy may dig if it is bored.
If your puppy is left alone outside for long periods, or has no toys or other things to play with outside, it may turn to digging for entertainment.This behavior can usually be corrected easily, by giving your puppy more to do.
Make sure to walk your puppy at least twice a day; it needs plenty of exercise and stimulation.
If your puppy feels confined in a pen, yard, or other area, it may dig to try and escape.Play games with your puppy frequently, such as throwing a ball or frisbee for it to fetch.
Give your puppy plenty of toys to play with outside, and change these frequently to keep it interested.
Teaching your puppy new tricks can also keep it active.
There may even be dog training classes in your area for the two of you to enjoy. , Dogs may dig to find prey, such as moles, rabbits, and badgers.The best solution is to humanely trap and remove these animals.
Contact a humane animal control service for assistance.
You can also make your yard unattractive to these animals.For example, if you have chipmunks running rampant in your yard, surround it with plant-free gravel and remove wood or rock piles.Contact professional help if you need it.
Avoid using poisons or other dangerous methods to control unwanted animal residents in your yard, as these may harm your puppy as well. -
Step 3: Reduce your puppy’s stress.
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Step 4: Prevent your puppy from burying treats and toys.
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Step 5: Reduce your puppy’s boredom.
-
Step 6: Control prey animals.
Detailed Guide
Dogs may dig purely for entertainment.You may notice your puppy digging along with other play behavior, such as running around and jumping.
This can be the most difficult type of digging behavior to prevent, since it is so rewarding to your puppy.
However, you can:
Offer your puppy a dedicated digging area.
Erect fencing to deter your puppy’s digging habits.
Dogs may dig to find cooler (or warmer) and more comfortable places to lay.In hot weather, dirt below the surface will be cooler than at the surface (this is especially true in shaded areas such as under trees), while in cool weather it will be warmer.
To reduce this type of digging behavior:
Make sure that your puppy has access to a shaded or covered area, such as a dog house.
You can also provide your puppy a shallow wading pool to keep cool.
When it is especially hot, you may want to allow your puppy access to the indoors and air conditioning.
If your puppy is cold, offer it a blanket, insulated dog house, or some time indoors.
If your puppy digs to find a more comfortable place to lay, offer it a dog bed or other soft surface. , Dogs may dig to express anxiety, such as when they are separated from their owners.You can help your puppy get over separation anxiety in order to stop its digging habit and reduce its stress level., Dogs may dig in order to bury “valuables.”The wild ancestors of dogs would bury food so that they could return to it later.
Your puppy may express this instinct by burying food, toys, treats, and other objects.
To discourage your dog from digging for this reason:
Don’t give your puppy treats it won’t finish right away.
Remove treats and store them or throw them away if your puppy doesn’t finish them right away.
Seek professional help if you need it.
If you give your puppy a digging pit, it can learn to happily bury toys and other objects without destroying your yard. , Your puppy may dig if it is bored.
If your puppy is left alone outside for long periods, or has no toys or other things to play with outside, it may turn to digging for entertainment.This behavior can usually be corrected easily, by giving your puppy more to do.
Make sure to walk your puppy at least twice a day; it needs plenty of exercise and stimulation.
If your puppy feels confined in a pen, yard, or other area, it may dig to try and escape.Play games with your puppy frequently, such as throwing a ball or frisbee for it to fetch.
Give your puppy plenty of toys to play with outside, and change these frequently to keep it interested.
Teaching your puppy new tricks can also keep it active.
There may even be dog training classes in your area for the two of you to enjoy. , Dogs may dig to find prey, such as moles, rabbits, and badgers.The best solution is to humanely trap and remove these animals.
Contact a humane animal control service for assistance.
You can also make your yard unattractive to these animals.For example, if you have chipmunks running rampant in your yard, surround it with plant-free gravel and remove wood or rock piles.Contact professional help if you need it.
Avoid using poisons or other dangerous methods to control unwanted animal residents in your yard, as these may harm your puppy as well.
About the Author
Carolyn Jordan
Creates helpful guides on crafts to inspire and educate readers.
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