Dig It
In this Section:
Solutions
Come spring, veterinarian Dr Wayne Hunthausen gets the first exasperated call: "Help! My puppy is digging up my garden. It's got big holes everywhere."
You may think it's strange that dogs dig. But there are practical reasons for this behaviour. And there are solutions, says Dr. Hunthausen, co-author of the Handbook of Behaviour Problems of the Dog and Cat. First, you need to understand why your dog digs.
Predatory Instincts
"Young dogs may dig to entertain themselves," Dr. Hunthausen says. Or they may be triggered by instinctive, predatory instincts. For instance, a dog may spy a worm slithering into a hole and dig after it. Sometimes, he says, your dog might dig to escape a fence. Maybe juicy drippings from last night's burgers on the barbecue are at fault. Or your pregnant dog could be trying to dig a nest.
Perhaps your dog likes burying bones. This trait was passed down to domestic dogs from ancestors. These wild dogs buried animals they killed just to keep the other dogs from stealing them (Click here to read more about ancestral traits inherited by dogs.)
Or, says vet Dr Bonnie Beavera dog could be digging her very own "air conditioner." On a hot, summer day, dense, moist soil is cooler than a dog.
Solutions
If your dog paws your carpet or bedding, she may be bored. Try leaving out her favourite squeak toy to play with instead. If she digs in your bed while you're gone, she may be comforting herself with your scent. Leaving one of your old shirts or pyjama tops for her to curl up on may help solve this.
If your dog is still digging, Dr. Hunthausen says to look for reasons and solutions. For example, if your dog is digging ...
- after wildlife, call a wildlife expert for advice on keeping vermin away.
- to escape, try more exercise. Your dog may need some toys to play with.
- to stay cool, put a sandbox with wet sand in the shade and let her dig in that.
