Now that the weather is fine, your dog may be embarking on his own personal excavation project in your yard. Unfortunately, many dogs dig, and many dig for the sheer joy of it. As far as I can tell from observing my dogs, digging is just plain fun for certain canines. Given their druthers, all my dogs would be thrilled to cover themselves nose to tail with mud, mud, mud every single day.
So if you don’t want a yard that looks like a moonscape, what can you do? Your dog is probably digging for one of a number of reasons. He may be after something in the ground, such as a rodent. Or maybe he’s hot or bored and trying to escape. With a little careful observation, you can probably figure out why the dog is digging and address the situation. If the dog is digging along a path and you have gopher holes, the problem is obvious. Deal with the gophers first, but do NOT use poison, which could harm your dog. Many dogs dig to create a cool spot. If the hole is in a shady area and the dog is lying in the hole, that’s a clue. So, create a more acceptable cool area for the dog. For example, we got our Samoyed mix (who is ALWAYS hot) a $10 plastic "baby pool." On hot days, she lies in the pool contentedly splashing. If the dog is bored, he’ll probably also be barking or otherwise expressing his displeasure. In this case, spend more time with the dog. Take him on walks, go to obedience classes, or play "fetch." Or get the dog a playmate and/or more engaging toys such as Kongs. Exhausted dogs don’t dig; they sleep.
Dogs don’t dig out of spite; it’s a natural thing for them to do. If you have a dog that is just plain dedicated to digging, you can try providing a "doggie sand box." Choose an area of the yard where it’s okay for your dog to dig and cover the area with loose soil or sand. If you catch your dog digging in a different place say, "no dig" and take the dog to his sand box. Praise the dog when he digs in the right place and make the unacceptable digging spots unattractive by placing sharp rocks, feces, or grass clippings into the holes. A more expensive option is to provide a kennel area that has a slab or patio blocks as a floor, which is probably the ultimate solution to problem digging. In fact, patio blocks are the only reason my dogs’ noses aren’t completely covered with mud right now.
Leia, who given the opportunity would be digging right now.