Your backyard looks like a field of exploded landmines, with more holes and dirt than actual grass. Let me guess. You have a dog, and he’s a digger. While it’s not uncommon for dogs to dig, it can be a very destructive and frustrating behavior to deal with. But before you throw up your hands and resign yourself to a lawn full of divots and dirt mounds, it may be worth your time to figure out why your dog digs so you can take appropriate steps to correct the behavior.
Many dogs dig due to their hunting instinct. When this is the case, you may often find holes along rodent tracks or on top of a mole hole. If you notice your dog becoming very excited while he/she digs, with lots of whining, barking and fixating on the ground and the hole, he/she may be exhibiting a hunting behavior.
If your dog digs a hole (usually in shaded areas) and then lays in it, they are probably just hot and looking for a place to cool off.
Some dogs dig for entertainment or out of boredom. Holes dug for this reason will be sporadically placed all over the yard, and the dog will often dig even while you are at home (for entertainment), or when left alone long periods of time (out of boredom).
You may have a dog who likes to bury food/bones/toys, then either retrieve them at a later time or leave them in the ground permanently. This type of digging is usually instinctual; dogs’ wild ancestors, after killing a large prey, would sometimes bury or hide their food for later consumption.
Some dogs dig because they are actually trying to escape out of the yard. Naturally, these holes can be found next to and even under the fence. While both fixed and unfixed dogs (male and female) can exhibit this digging behavior, it’s most commonly associated with un-neutered male dogs.
And finally, many dogs dig because they are anxious – a feeling that often increases when left alone unsupervised. This behavior could sometimes be referred to as separation anxiety and will often go hand-in-hand with whining, pacing and other destructive behaviors.
By being able to determine what is causing your dog to dig, you can seek out the help of a professional dog trainer so they can help you come up with solutions to decrease, and hopefully eliminate, your dog’s desire to dig.