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Digging is a normal and natural behavior for dogs. Wolves and wild dogs dig to bury food as a reserve, to chase small animals, to find cool earth to lie in and a safe place to birth their pups, and as a way to mark territory by scenting the ground with their paws. Pet dogs may also dig to escape an enclosure or simply because digging can be fun. So, if you leave your dog unattended in the yard there is a good chance he will dig for one of these or another reason.
As digging is a normal part of dog behavior, and since so many dogs find such great joy from indulging in this activity, it is generally best to focus on redirecting your dog's natural instinct to dig, rather than trying to completely eliminate it from his or her behavioral repertoire.
In this case, choose a special digging spot for your dog. Ideally, this should be a clearly delineated area, much like a child's sandbox. Show your dog you are burying some food and toys there. Then encourage him or her to come over to investigate and dig. Praise when he or she does.
In order to prevent your dog from digging anywhere in the yard but in the special digging spot, simply don't leave your dog unattended there... If you are supervising your dog in the yard you can call him or her to you if they start to dig in the wrong spot. Then, calmly redirect them to the right spot and praise them for being a smart pup!
About this Author
Andrea is a Certified Pet Dog Trainer through the Certification Council for Pet Dog Trainers and a Certified Pet Partners Team evaluator for the Delta Society and the AKC's Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test. She is the Director of Andrea Arden Dog Training in New York, and was named the best dog trainer in New York by New York, W, Time Out, Quest and the Daily News. Her website is located at http://www.andreaarden.com and she can be reached at 212-414-9597. You can follow her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/andreaardendogtraining.
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