Dogs dig. This is a very natural thing for them to do. They dig to escape.
They dig to find a cool spot. They dig to bury a bone. They dig because
they "dig it". If your dog digs, you have two choices. Extinguish the
behavior or redirect it.
Extinguish the Behavior
To do this, you must supervise your dog in the yard. Either with you out
there or while watching through a window. When your dog begins to dig,
you must interrupt the behavior with something the dog will want to
avoid. A loud noise, your voice, a soaking with a hose. If you are not
adverse to using a remote training collar that can administer a small
electrical correction via a remote control device, this is the best way to
stop digging since the dog will think the correction is coming from the
behavior rather than you. Tritronics and Innotek make such devices.
Consult a qualified trainer or behaviorist for proper usage.
Redirect the Behavior
If your dog loves to dig and you don't mind that except that your yard is a
mess, create a Digging Place in a remote area of the yard. Take your
dog there and let him see you bury a treat or bone slightly under the
surface. Encourage the dog to dig it up and praise. Do this each day.
Bury fun things for your dog to find. Remember to correct the dog if he
digs anywhere but the special place. We are hoping that your dog will
dig only in the Digging Place since only there does he get reinforcement
(finding neat things) and receives no corrections. Note that escaping
behavior will not be satisfied by this method.
