Q: How can I stop my dog from digging up my yard?
 
A: Digging is a normal instinct and dogs will dig for various reasons.  Understanding the reason for the digging can help you control this behavior.  Notice that I said “control” and not “eliminate” this behavior.  Your dog should be allowed to exercise his/her normal instincts, but we can help so they do this in appropriate locations and at appropriate times.
Some hunting dogs like terriers and daschunds were bred to dig as part of their hunting activities.  They will dig to find bugs, buried trash, moles etc.  Calling an exterminator to rid your yard of moles and large insects can help with these particular breeds.
Underfed dogs will dig to hunt for buried food. Be sure your dog has plenty of nutritious food and avoid giving him/her extra, because they may try to bury the food they don’t need.  Bones and raw hides are  favorite items to bury, so avoid these types of treats. Kong balls, which reward the dog with a treat inside the ball that require a lot of work on the dog’s part, are a better treat and toy for the back yard.
Some dogs dig to escape.  Taking your dog on long walks for at least 20 minutes twice a day will help curb this desire to explore. Spaying and neutering dogs also helps reduce their desire to roam. Allowing dogs to socialize at dog parks and during training sessions will help quell the urge to escape to socialize.
Some dogs will actually learn digging from other dogs and possibly from you.  Keep young impressionable dogs inside if you are tilling or digging in your garden.
Many dogs will use digging to search for attention.  If you come out and yell at your dog whenever he/she is digging, he/she will learn to dig when craving attention.  Instead of scolding during digging, try to go out and play with the dog when he/she is behaving.  Digging for attention is a sign that the dog needs more physical and mental activity with you.
Dogs will also dig out of boredom. 
Again, go on road trips, play fetch, walk or run for 20 minutes twice a day and provide plenty of toys.  Joining an agility club or obedience class can work wonders for these dogs that really need a job to keep them occupied.
Anxiety is a common cause of digging.  Separation from you, storms, fireworks etc. can all cause excessive digging.  Speak to your veterinarian about treating different anxiety problems.  If you can control the anxiety, the digging will often stop.
Be sure your dog has appropriate shelter when he/she is restricted to the out of doors.  Dogs will dig to reach cool dirt to lie in or they may dig a “den” to stay warm.  If you provide a cozy house to provide shade in the summer and heat in the winter, the dog will usually cease his/her efforts to dig.
Another thing that helps is to keep the dog’s nails trimmed fairly short. However, if the ground is very soft or muddy, this doesn’t work as well.
If you really have a problem digger, you need to provide a spot where it is ok for the dog to dig.  Make a sand pit (about 2 feet deep and at least 4 feet square) or dig up a part of the yard where your pet can dig without escaping or ruining your landscaping.  Go out there and dig with him.  Praise him for digging there.  Plant a bone, treat or a favorite toy in this location.
The next thing you need to do is make his/her inappropriate holes unappealing.  I know this is disgusting, but it can really work.  Collect your dog’s feces and plant it in the holes where he/she is digging.  For some reason, dogs won’t dig in their own excrement.  Some people place metal plates under a thin layer of ground where dog’s like to dig.  I have also heard of putting ground pepper in a hole (one round of sneezing after sticking their snout in the hole often encourages them to move off to another location) and one person even put blown up balloons in the hole – the popping noise did the trick, but this method can really freak out an anxious dog, so be careful.
In summation, dogs dig, and that is ok.  Give them a place to do it.  Give them plenty of love, attention and mental activity and they will respond by digging less and loving you more.
 
 
Dr. Katherine A. Saenger, DVM, owns Bees Ferry Veterinary Hospital and Boarding Kennel and is a former board member of the Charleston Animal Society (formerly John Ancrum SPCA.) If you have questions about pet behavior or health, or suggestions for column topics, e-mail her at vetsaenger@bellsouth.net, and watch the column in coming weeks for her responses. See more columns at www.moultrienews.com.