Digging Holes
The damage from a canine earth mover excavating your yard can be infuriating but your dog, well, he’s having the time of his life. It’s a problem that screams for a solution.
- Forget quick fixes like putting feces in the holes or submerging your dog’s head in a mud pit.
- These methods are dangerous, intimidating, and they don’t work anyway.
Dogs dig to:
- Bury treasure
- Hunt rodents (real or imaginary)
- Burn up unspent energy
- They also do it for temperature regulation.
- Body heat can be trapped against the sides of a winter hole.
- In hot weather digging into the cool moist earth feels better.
Your dog will have less reason to dig this summer if she has:
- A child’s wading pool
- A water mister will also help.
- They’re cheap and easy to install.
- Add a timer that switches on during the hot part of the day.
Your dog will really dig it if you give her a sand box (or dirt box) on the North side of your house where there is no direct sun to bake the earth.
- Break up the dirt and moisten it now and then.
- She’ll take a serious interest if you plant a few rawhides for her-just like an Easter egg hunt.
There will be less digging and other naughty behavior if your dog gets more exercise and has healthy after-school activities.
- “Play time” at a good kennel is a perfect way for the party animal to run hard and sniff rear ends a few times a week.
- Dog parks, while they don’t work for every dog, are a no-cost alternative.
