Digging dog problem: stop it

One of the most common questions a frustrated owner will ask their veterinarian is how to stop the destructive behavioral problem of digging. Many times the owner has decided to allow the dog to keep digging until a hole is deep enough much effort won’t be required to bury the dog when the snapping point has been reached.

To stop the digging, an owner must first find out why the dog is digging to begin with. Many breeds were bred for that purpose in centuries past so digging in an instinctive thing. These breeds are often the hardest to break from digging. Terriers are notorious for digging and will often leave an owner’s yard looking like a form of trench warfare is about to take place. They are usually digging for moles or rodents and often an owner will come out their door to find a specimen lying on the porch with an excited dog waiting to see you mount their trophy on the wall.

Another reason dogs dig is to simply cool off. This is very common in dogs, which stay the majority of their lives outside. They start the hole in a favorite spot, often under a house or tree and then just continue to add to it. This hole basically becomes their private den or lair. Many times an owner has no problem with the initial hole but when an old tree starts to die or the support blocks of the house start to cave in, minds are changed.

Other times a dog will dig to escape confinement and leave spaces under the gate or fence a toddler could crawl through. These dogs are the ones that need to be stopped for their own safety. Escaping a fenced yard a dog is exposed to the hazards of automobiles, unwanted pregnancies, shotguns of upset neighbors, animal control as well as many contagious diseases.

Physical punishments such as hitting with a rolled up newspaper or belt, hard yanks on a collar or harsh verbal attacks can often cause additional problems. These problems can include a destruction of the pet and owner bond as well as teaching the dog fear. Once the dog learns you are likely to hit or yell at him when he comes to you, he will stop.

Prevention is the key to stopping a dog’s digging problem. If the dog is digging to escape confinement, try concrete or wire mesh buried under the fence where he is getting out. There are also underground fences that give a mild electric shock when the pet gets close to the property boundaries. Some owners have found “hot wires” to be affective. These can be purchased at most home improvement or hardware stores. They consist of a transformer that plugs into a typical electrical outlet, wire that carries the current and insulators that attach to fence posts. Many times a few shocks with one of these will teach the dog not to go near the area and the electricity can be turned off.

For those dogs that dig out of boredom or for the fun of it, provide plenty of toy options and stimulation. Chew toys, extra exercise, an increase in the play time or even getting a second pet can cut down or eliminate the problem. If you decide to get a second pet and the original one is an older dog, you will need to introduce them slowly. When acquiring a second pet, be sure you aren’t undermining your good intentions by getting breeds that would never get along together. Many adult terriers are more than willing to take on the biggest, baddest dog on the street. This trait isn’t just limited to the “Pit Bull” types. Vets see Yorkies and tiny Rat Terriers on a regular basis that took exception to the Rottweillers up the street.

Remote punishment is an option that requires an observant owner who has lots of time to sit and watch for the undesirable behavior. Aluminum cans partially filled with pebbles or pennies can provide this remote punishment. An owner will want several in his or her arsenal and they will need to be in a readily available spot so one can be tossed near the guilty dog to distract it from it’s chosen activity. Owners need to remember the idea is to land near the dog, not hit him.

There is another option when all else fails and the owner is at his or her wits end. Some (but not all) veterinarians will actually de-claw a dog in a manner similar to a cat. Many animal activists will be shuddering at the thought because it IS a painful operation for the dog. The owner or the veterinarian who does the actual work never enters into this surgical solution lightly even though it is a fairly simple procedure.

During the de-clawing, a dog will be placed under general anesthesia and the last joints of the toes where the nail beds are will be removed. The skin is then sutured closed, and each foot is given a heavy padding of gauze and wrapped in bandages. Unlike a cat whose bandages can come off in twenty-four hours, the dog must wear his up to ten days. The feet must be kept clean and dry with repeated changes of the bandaging material. Again, this is a last resort effort in controlling a dog’s digging and although many would consider it cruel, it is better than the dog taking a bullet to the head or lie dying in a ditch after being hit by a car.