Dogs dig for many reasons and are prone to digging more in the summer months due to looking for a cool place to make themselves comfortable in the heat as this is an instinctive behaviour which dogs have used to survive in extreme weather.
To avoid your lawn falling prey to the hot dog over summer, ensure you have a sheltered spot in your yard where your dog can remove itself from out of the sun.
Perhaps your kennel could do with an additional extension that provides more shade. Making sure your grooming is up to date and your dog is not carrying unnecessary coat is also beneficial at this time of year. Another top tip is to remove any high value items such as bones and rawhide chews once your dog has lost interest in them, especially if you have more than one dog as these will be buried due to competition.
If you find that your dog only digs while you are not home and this is in the region of gates and boundaries, this is a clear indication that your dog may be suffering from separation anxiety. This is a behaviour that can be resolved with help from an experienced trainer and I am happy to be contacted if you think your dog may have this issue.
We then have the category of all-out, built-in instinct, love-digging-can't-possibly-stop dogs in our lives. Hands up terrier owners. For this special group of obsessed diggers, no matter which breeds, the answer is simple, let them dig.
By giving up a part of your garden to create a digging haven, you will have an all-round happy dog. The easiest way to give into the digger in your life is by providing it with its own sandpit. By providing sand and teaching your dog to dig in the sandpit, its digging need is being met and the roses will survive in the soil in your garden because your dog learns that sand is the acceptable texture to be dug. To teach your dog that this is the place where all the fun
happens, bury toys and treats in the sand. Reward your dog every time it scratches at the sand and you will soon have your dog loving this new area.
To stop digging in unwanted places altogether, the key is catching them in the act and giving a verbal correction and a short time out to redirect the behaviour. If you have provided an area that is dig friendly, take your dog to it and engage it in digging in this spot.
Paw point of the week:
Many wives' tales exist in curbing digging. The fact is, changing any behaviour requires training and consistency to be successful.
Contact me for the chance to have your question selected for publication at nadines@dogguru.co.nz for further information on Dog Guru visit www.dogguru.co.nz