At least once in life we will have seen stories where dogs are protagonists . And if you are the one who enjoys the company of these pets, then you will have more than understood the subject of this article. Dogs digging in the garden, the eternal story of these restless little animals that apparently have a hobby to dig holes throughout the green area used for decoration. But have you ever wondered why they do it? How to prevent the dog from digging in the garden?
We will try to explain the reason for these behaviors in dogs and how to avoid them.
How to prevent the dog from digging in the garden?
In general, there is a common element in correcting this unwanted behavior, and that is understanding that this behavior is part of their canine nature. So his master’s duty is to educate him not to repeat the action of digging in the garden.
These corrections can range from speaking to him with authority to spraying him with water once he’s caught on the spot. Also, reward him when, in correcting, he stops firmly. This will reinforce the new behavior you are instilling in her.
Another good way to channel this verve is to always have toys at your disposal in such a way that the attention will keep you on them and not on the garden. The walks are also important, in this way you will spend energy walking and smelling other smells on the way.
Either way, the essential thing is to keep an eye on your dog’s behavior so that you don’t wait for it to dig again, but stop it right at the moment. With a firm call for attention he will change his behavior.
The origin of the problem: inheritance
There are various theories that explain why dogs tend to dig in the ground. Whether discovered or on land and on hard floors, worked in cement, ceramic or wood, there will always be a common element in all the answers: instinct.
As well as the use of smell to track, the need to excavate responds to the instinct of protection, search and survival of their ancestors. Today’s canids maintain that genetic inheritance, this being one of their most marked behaviors. Knowing its genetics better, apart from learning how to prevent the dog from digging in the garden, will serve for other tasks that will also have a favorable effect on its behavior.
And why are they digging in the ground?
The causes of this behavior may respond in a first order to genetic inheritance, as we have already commented, but from there other more specific aspects are derived, which are useful in terms of how to prevent the dog from digging in the garden. These are:
Curiosity: if your dog is attentive to what you do during garden maintenance, he assumes that his only objective will be to discover what, according to him, you have hidden. In this case, the right thing to do is divert your attention to other activities.
Olfactory instinct: if the dog senses an attractive smell in your garden, he will dig incessantly until he finds the origin of that aroma that has caught his attention. It is one of its oldest qualities, the use of its smell to follow tracks.
Games: If the canid is feeling bored, one of the most common ways to distract himself is by digging holes in the ground. To this is added the fact that dogs, for survival reasons, bury what they must protect from other predators . Your puppy will surely see a toy or a bone as an important object and that is why he will try to keep it safe by hiding it underground. Keep his toys in one place so he will know they are safe without having to bury them.
Patience and correcting it at all times will be difficult at first, but you will soon see the results, if you keep in mind our article on how to prevent the dog from digging in the garden. By following these tips, you will train your dog effectively and they will stop making holes in the garden