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Having a dog who is a committed digger can be difficult for pet parents—and their lawns, bushes, and fence lines. No one likes heading outside to find the spring bulbs dug up or a new trench line installed.
The good news is your dog probably isn’t just into landscaping. There are some specific reasons that dogs go on digging sprees. They might need more exercise or play, they could have a strong prey drive, or they could be trying to engineer a new and fun escape. The best solution to a digging dog is finding out why they’re doing it and adopting a strategy that targets your dog’s needs.
The bad news, though, is that there’s some urgency to the problem. Dr. Sabina Kong, a veterinarian and longtime dog trainer who runs We Love Doodles, notes that if digging isn’t addressed, it can grow worse over time.
We’ve outlined the most common causes for digging and a host of solutions to help your pet find a new extracurricular activity. Whatever the cause, there’s a positive reinforcement tool or technique to accompany it.
- Is Your Dog Digging Because They’re Bored? Toys, games, and exercise are your friends.
- Is Your Dog Digging for Prey?Try exercising their prey drive.
- Is Your Dog Digging to Den? Consider a comfy burrow bed.
- Is Your Dog Digging to Cool Down? Cooling vests and mats can help.
- Is Your Dog Digging to Escape? You’ll want to block underground exit paths.
- More Options to Distract Think sandboxes!
- Punishment Doesn’t Solve Digging Use positive reinforcement instead.
Boredom Digging: A Common Problem and a Straightforward Fix
Dr. Kong explains that more often than not, dogs dig because they’re bored. Digging offers interesting sensations—and it might also get your attention, which is a win in a bored dog’s book. The solution to boredom digging isn’t always easy, but it is straightforward: keep your dog well-exercised and maximize their opportunities for mental stimulation.
- Add an extra walk to the schedule
- Prioritize energy-burning games like frisbee and fetch
- Incorporate puzzle toys in a dog’s daily routine
A tired dog is less likely to dig—which is where physical exercise can help. If there’s no room in your schedule for an extra walk, consider a dog walker who can get your pup out to burn some steam.
Bored diggers can also benefit from active games like frisbee and fetch. If you’re already maxed out on interactive dog games, don’t panic. Automatic ball launchers have come a long way in recent years, and there are self-moving toys that can engage your pup in a game of chase without your active involvement (though we recommend supervision).
But not all boredom is about exercise—dogs also need mental stimulation. Puzzle toys are one of the huge winners of the pet market in recent years. They come in a variety of difficulty levels, from simple slow-feeders like the popular Bob-a-Lot to Nina Ottosson’s complicated shell games that require dogs to learn to remove pieces of the game board in order to access others and win treats.
Puzzle games can make a huge difference for bored diggers, since they promote “arousal reduction” and offer better, more rewarding opportunities to exercise the urges that lead to digging.
How To Stop a Dog Who Digs for Prey
Does your dog come alive when they’re on the chase? Do they drop everything to pursue toys that have squeakers and love to sniff out furry friends around the yard? If so, chances are good your dog has a strong prey drive.
As a result of their breeding, some dogs are more likely to have a strong prey drive for burrowing critters, including Terriers, Huskies, and Dachshunds. You’ll tend to know if this is your dog if you suddenly have a new trench system across the newly manicured lawn and a dog who could not be happier with their snout full of dirt.
- Add an extra walk to the schedule
- Prioritize games and toys that offer outlets for prey-seeking behavior
- Try structured games like a flirt pole
- Make sure you’re not attracting interesting prey to the yard
Dr. Kong notes that prey drive is among the most common reasons for obsessive digging, and like with boredom, focused exercise and play can help.
You may, however, want to look into a different set of toys. Traditional puzzle toys often appeal to food-motivated dogs, but you want something that also speaks to the prey instinct—toys that compel a dog to burrow or chase.
Snuffle mats fit the bill, as do some self-moving toys, like the Hyper Pet Doggie Tail.
Flirt poles are another option to focus dogs who have a strong prey drive. These toys are designed to be interactive so that humans can play with their pups in a way that helps them get in tune with their instincts.
It’s also worth considering that your dog might not be the only reason you’re seeing holes in the lawn. If you have gophers, squirrels, rats, or other prey animals leaving trails, smells, and more to rile up your buddy, you’ll likely see your dog scratching at the fence line or digging near trees or plants.
If that’s the case, your first project will be to look for signs of invasive rodents or burrowing animals, then humanely reduce the attraction of your yard to other wildlife.
What About Dogs Who Dig To Den?
Some dogs begin construction on a new tunnel system under the tulips because they are looking for a safe place to den—a quiet, cozy hiding spot. If you often find your dog laying in the hole they’ve made, or if they often make holes in the same place, that might be your pup.
Your best bet to combat denning digging is to offer a better replacement. What that looks like depends on what appeals to your dog:
A dog house can satisfy a dog’s denning instinct nicely, and it’s an especially good choice if your dog likes to spend time outside. Consider a heated option if your pup will be out there in the winter.
Oscar the burrowing Mini-Dachshund loves his pineapple cave.
Cave beds are another good choice for pups who like to burrow, since they offer shelter from above and lots of soft fabric to dig into. They do, however, tend to be soft and cozy, which may mean they’re a better choice for an indoor den than an outdoor one.
Dog tents can solve that problem, since they’re made for the outdoors and offer weatherproof shelter and shade in the warmer months. We like that they don’t have to be a permanent yard feature—many are easy to take down and set up again as needed.
How To Help Dogs Digging To Cool Down
Many dogs, particularly in warmer weather, dig as a way to cool down. The soil below the surface is cooler than the toasty top dirt, and a freshly dug hole is a great place to chill. If your dog is digging shallow pits in your yard and then laying in them, there’s a good chance they’re digging because they’re hot.
There are a variety of products out there that can help to keep a dog cool while outdoors:
- Try cooling vests and mats
- Consider an inflatable doggie pool
- Prioritize hydration and frozen dog toys
Cooling vests are one of the niftier pet inventions of recent years. Your dog can wear a light, flexible vest designed to keep their core cool in warmer temps. If they’re not the clothing type, opt for a gel-filled dog cooling mat instead—we’ve been impressed (and occasionally borrowed them for our own cooling needs).
Ruby models the SGODA Dog Cooling Vest.
Dog pools are also popular summer options for both cooling and enrichment, and they pair well with water toys (a good way to combat a pup’s boredom).
Remember: a hydrated dog is a cooler dog—consider leaning in to frozen toys and pupsicles that up your dog’s liquid intake.
How To Stop a Dog from Digging: Is Your Dog Digging to Escape?
Some dogs dig as a way to escape an enclosure, which can lead to some scary moments for pet parents. If you have an enterprising escape artist and need to stop your dog from digging for their own safety, there are some good tools available.
Be aware that some products on the market use sharp points to deter digging. While these may do the trick, they also could introduce a hazard that can cut paws or teeth as pets try to dig.
Barriers like the Dig Defence are a better solution. A system of sturdy metal stakes goes into the ground just in front of your fence line to cordon off areas where a dog could feasibly dig to escape. You can purchase the bars in 4-, 10-, or 25-section packs.
The Dig Defence barrier system makes it harder for a dog to tunnel under a fence.
Mystery Diggers: Make Another Area More Attractive
Maybe you have no clue why your dog is digging—they don’t seem to fit the profile of any of the above diggers, and your lawn is a mess. You’re not out of options yet.
- Targeted diggers can benefit from localized deterrents, like rocks and chickenwire
- Give them their own special place to dig
- Consult a trainer or behaviorist
- Try a digging deterrent spray
If your dog tends to go back to the same spots, try burying rocks or chickenwire just beneath the surface of your pup’s favorite digging zone.
Or, if your dog is all over the place, consider a “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em” approach: install a safe sandbox for your dog to dig to their heart’s content. Dr. Kong recommends this for particularly difficult cases, especially in tandem with some training. It’s easier than ever to get help with behavioral issues, thanks in part to the rise of popular online training sites like GoodPup.
sgilsdorf via Flickr
To make the designated digging area more appealing, some pet parents bury little toys or treats in sandboxes to let their dog know that the sandbox is the best place to dig. You can build your own sandbox, or you can try ready-made options. Dog pools work especially well and are deflatable when you’re ready to put them away.
If a sandbox solution won’t work, you might try a no-dig spray. We asked several experts about no-dig sprays, and the results were mixed. Most noted that the results vary widely (after all, dogs have different ideas about what tastes good and bad, just like people do).
If you decide to give them a shot, remember that you’ll need to be consistent: your dog must experience the undesirable smell or taste every time they try to dig in a certain area.
NaturVet Off Limits Training Spray
NaturVet Off Limits is a relatively popular herbal choice to keep pets away from specific outdoor areas (though note that you won’t want to use it on your vegetables). Reviews are mixed: some find it the deterrent they’ve dreamed of, while others report that their dogs had no issue with the scent or taste.
Punishment Doesn’t Solve Digging
While digging can be incredibly frustrating dog behavior, every expert we surveyed agreed that punishment is not an effective solution and will not deter a dog’s behavior. If anything, it could increase both their anxiety and their desire to dig, according to Dr. Dwight Alleyne, DVM. And, if you happen to catch them after their digging activity is complete, it’s pointless to try to correct them, as they will not correlate your frustration with their digging.
As Dr. Kong explains, positive reinforcement is the best training aid. If you catch your dog digging in an area where they shouldn’t, redirect their attention in a positive way (like interactive play or a walk). If you are using a designated digging area, it might be as simple as leading your pup over to the right place to dig. And when they do refocus and engage in another behavior, praise them!
How We Chose
The products featured here were selected based on a combination of our own hands-on testing, a comprehensive look at customer reviews across a wide variety of retail platforms, and interviews with veterinary experts.
We prioritized products that provide positive reinforcement when dogs can refocus their attention, safe products that help deter and distract, and products that can help to increase the bond between dogs and their pet parents through interactive play. We’re also guided by the experience of living and playing alongside our own much-loved and strongly opinionated pets, who are never stingy with their feedback.
