Why does my dog dig?

When I was a kid, we had a mixed poodle dog.  We were taking care of it for my mom’s friend.  This dog, Brandy, had a white curly coat.  The first day we had him was not a great day.  It was rainy outside and whenever we let him out, he would come back dark and covered with mud.  My mom would wash him and dry him several times that day as Brandy’s repetitive adventure of digging and burrowing in the mud was fun for him.

A typical question asked is why do dogs dig?

It could be genetic such as with the Terrier group.  These dogs were brought up to dig holes in search of burrowing rodents.  With other dogs, digging is fun.  It’s a way to burn off energy and to keep themselves busy.  Digging could also be due to a dog having anxiety or stressed when left alone for long periods.  Then there are the escape artists, dogs that manage to dig big enough holes under a fence to get out.

Digging is a difficult behavioural problem to fix.  It is definitely not an overnight fix.  Some of the solutions to prevent a dog from digging is to keep the dog away from the area and not to leave the him or her unsupervised. One should never scold a dog while and/or after it has dug since this will induce fear and lower its confidence.

Catching the dog in the act and following through immediately with an obedience routine is a good way to help correct the dog in this behaviour.  Also, by continuing with a daily positive and motivational dog obedience training routine, it will help keep the dog busy and build on his or her confidence.