Ask The Dog Guide: Digging Dogs
Question: How do I get my Westie to stop digging in my gardens? She has this desire to dig.
Answer: Digging is a common instinct for dogs. There are a number of specific reasons your dog might be digging: she’s bored and restless, or she wants a cool place to rest in. Make sure your pup gets plenty of exercise and mental stimulation during the day, and has comfortable areas to lie down in.
Beyond those reasons, many dogs are simply compelled to dig. While there are a couple schools of thought on how to prevent or control this behavior, ultimately, the only sure-fire way to prevent her from digging is to not allow her to be in the yard/garden unsupervised. Providing a specific area for your dog to dig in (a sandbox, or certain patch of dirt), and teaching her to dig only there will alleviate the issue, but there’s no way to stop her from digging elsewhere if she’s alone. So, if so desired, choose/create an area for your dog, and redirect her to dig there whenever you catch her digging. Put some of her favorite toys in that spot, and reward her for appropriate digging. Associating a specific command, such as ‘Dig’, with this activity is a good idea. Once she has learned where she’s allowed to dig, she’ll have a safe (for your garden) outlet for that impulse. However, if you want to make sure she doesn’t dig in the garden, don’t leave her alone in that area.
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