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How to Stop your Dog from Digging

August 12, 2019 by Mary Telesz

a dog that needs to stop digging holesThere are plenty of reasons your dog could be digging. Most of them relate back to lack of overall exercise or attention, but there are other potential reasons as well. No matter the reason, it can be an incredible nuisance, especially depending on where the digging is taking place. If in your own yard, the digging can be enough of an annoyance. However, if your dog is digging while out on walks, that can be even more problematic. Here, we will go over the potential reasons behind your dog’s digging and how to stop your dog from digging.

Why is it important?

Your dog might seem like they are just blowing off steam. Maybe it seems like they genuinely enjoy digging. So, why is it important for them to stop?

You likely have a well-kept yard with plenty of green grass and attractive plants. If that is the case, having your dog rip them to shreds while digging can ruin the entire aesthetic of your yard. In addition, you might have a vegetable or fruit garden. Once your dog gets digging there, any crops you had are likely gone.

Your yard might not be the only place your dog finds interesting enough to dig. If you discover that your dog is digging while out on walks, you can get embarrassed at your inability to control your dog’s behavior. Not only that, you may find that you have to compensate your neighbors for the damage done. Your dog can do the same amount of damage to their yards as they have done to yours.

Ways to Stop your Dog from Digging

There are several effective ways to get your dog to stop digging. Below, you will find a few that we have found prove particularly helpful.

Use deterrents

owner distracting dog to make him stop diggingIf you find that your dog is constantly digging in the same place, whether that is on your own property or while out on a walk, you can use deterrents. This basically means that you can discourage the behavior of digging by placing something the dog does not like in that area. Sometimes that something could smell badly or could make the dog feel uncomfortable. You could even bring the item(s) with you on walks if your dog tends to dig in the same place while out walking.

Use distractions

When your dog starts digging, find ways to effectively distract them. They may be digging just for the purpose of getting rid of some energy. Since digging is not a good way to do that, find others so that your dog can still get the energy out. Distractions could include throwing a tennis ball or playing tug of war with a rope toy. It could also mean finding unique ways to get your dog back on path you follow while walking.

Help your dog cool off

Many dogs will dig as a way to get cooler in hot weather. If that is the case, make sure you have a cool spot for your dog to use. If out on walks, make sure you are choosing paths that have plenty of shady spaces. You also want to ensure you are bringing plenty of water with you for your dog to have.

Play More

Some dogs dig simply because they are bored. Make sure you are engaging enough with your dog so that they do not feel the need to dig anymore. A tired dog is far less likely to dig than one that has a lot of pent up energy. You could play more with your dog, allow them to run more, or take them out for longer or more frequent walks. If you tire your pup out enough, they will not have the energy to keep digging. In addition, your dog may be acting out because their activity level is just too low.

Make a space for digging

owner that is trying to find out how to stop this dog from diggingIf your dog really wants to dig but seems to be doing so in all the wrong places, you can always create a space in your yard that is acceptable for digging. This can help eliminate the need for your dog to dig where you do not want. Instead, the dog gets to dig, and you get to keep it in a space that is acceptable to use.

Need more help?

Hopefully the above tips have helped you to understand just a few of the ways you can encourage your dog to stop digging. However, this can be a difficult habit to break for some dogs. If that is the case for you, you may need more assistance. Reaching out to Paw Pals is a great first step. There, you can get some pointers on how else you can learn how to stop your dog from digging.

Filed Under: Pet Advice

Contact Paw Pals for More Information

Paw Pals specializes in professional dog walking, dog sitting, and pet sitting services. One of our reliable, adult staff members will keep your pet safe, while providing your pet the love and care they need when you are away. Contact us to learn more!

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Paw Pals Pet Sitting, LLC
14001-C Saint Germain Drive #213
Centreville, VA 20121
(703) 345-1695

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Taylor Smith
Taylor Smith
21:22 03 Oct 21
I never worry when Mary and team take care of my dog!
Michæl Silva
Michæl Silva
21:38 01 Jul 22
Mary at Paw Pals Pet Sitting is the greatest! She has helped me train my pooch Chico how play nice with other dogs and for that I am extremely grateful! A+A+A+A+A+A
Kwi Kim
Kwi Kim
22:37 17 Jun 22
I hired Paw Pals based on my sister’s referral. Meet & greet was very thorough and detailed. I was surprised that my finicky cat came to check the sitter out. Subsequently, a sitter watched my cat over several separate visits, and it was clear through the visit reports that my cat loved the sitter. All the visits were completed having followed my directions & with professionalism.I would highly recommend Paw Pals to anyone who’s looking for a dependable, personable, & professional sitter.
Joseph Walter
Joseph Walter
19:55 13 Jun 22
Paw Pals provided a large number of photos of our pets along with a personalized message on how our pets were doing with every single visit. I would highly recommend using Paw Pals, we'll be continuing to use them whenever we go on vacation.
Ashley Manning
Ashley Manning
09:50 11 Jun 22
Highly recommend as pet sitters!Initially, a sitter from the company will visit the house to meet the pets and learn where everything is. Tatiana took careful notes and we got her some spare keys.While we are away, Paw Pals sends sitters to come and look after our boys. They feed them, scoop litter, bring in mail and packages, and they will even manage trash, recycling, blinds and lights so that everything is comfortable for our kitties. Each time they check in, we receive an email message with updates and pictures, which is so comforting when we are on the road.Also, if you don’t let Paw Pals know when you are home, they assume something has happened and will continue to care for your babies. If something were to happen, I know they would be okay.Five stars for Paw Pals!
Brian Wood
Brian Wood
04:08 22 May 22
We have used Paw Pals for a number of years now and would highly recommend to anyone looking for help with their pets. Great communication from owner Mary and flexibility to make adjustments in schedule as life changes over time. Have had a consistent set of walkers who have gotten to know our pup and the various walking routes around our neighborhood quite well.
Lesley Bush
Lesley Bush
13:58 18 Mar 22
We can't rave enough about Paw Pals. They took care of our 18 year old Cat and 20 year old Chinchilla while we were away and when our flight got cancelled, they were so accommodating and available last minute for an extra day. We worked with Jen to coordinate visits from Miko and Danny. I loved the pictures and updates on how our Lil geriatric guys were doing. Thanks a million, Paw Pals!! Our special pets were so well cared for.
Sebastian Barnes
Sebastian Barnes
01:06 17 Jan 22
I have used Paw Pals for several trips over the last few months, and they have been phenomenal every time! Mary is extremely kind and responsive, and she makes sure that my cat and dog have the care that they need every time I am out of town. All of the pet sitters that I've had have been incredibly sweet to my pets, and they treat them like their own! Will gladly continue using Paw Pals every time I need a sitter.
Julie Shildt
Julie Shildt
17:45 14 Nov 21
It has been a pleasure doing business with paw pals. We have used this company for several trips we have taken over the past 6 months. They have been wonderful caretakers for our 2 cats. Anytime there is ever a question they don't hesitate to give us a call and they leave the best notes and pictures in the emailed report of each visit. We are so glad have found such a great company.
Andrea Hall
Andrea Hall
22:45 03 Oct 20
I wasn't sure about hiring a new doggie walker service... after all they are our kiddos... my babies were in great hands and I felt relaxed having them in their care. Thank you for everything!
Katie McCune
Katie McCune
19:19 15 Jul 21
I honestly cannot recommend Mary and her whole crew enough! We started using Mary originally about 7 years ago to stop by occasionally when our Aussie Lana was younger. Over the next couple years Lana stayed with Mary and her family for a couple weekends when we went on vacation. When we moved to our new house in Manassas, Lana stayed with Sam, who lives in Manassas, overnight for moving day, and did great. Right before the pandemic, we adopted our second Aussie, Goose, and Mary recommended a fantastic trainer for him.We now have weekly walks for the dogs, and they love all of their walkers! Trevor, Paul, Hazel, Sofie, and probably a couple others have helped Goose get used to more people, and have helped my husband and me when our schedules are crazy.Paw Pals is our go-to for any help with our dogs, so I highly recommend them!
Alexandra Hill
Alexandra Hill
22:43 23 May 21
I was a nervous mommy to leave my cats with a sitter service for the first time. Paw Pals went above and beyond to care for my cats and ease a nervous mommy. I already made a reservation to use them again!
Cindy Welgoss
Cindy Welgoss
13:12 27 Nov 20
We have been using Paw Pals for several years, and through a variety of pets that we have loved. Mary and her team have always been *exceptional* in every way. They are professional, courteous, and truly love our fur family! Mary herself is an organized and stellar administrator of her pet care business, keeping detailed records of our pet’s needs, scheduled pet visits, payments, and balance due easy to keep track of as the pet owner. The pet caretaking team is reliable and trustworthy. When our dogs see any of their Paw Pal friends, they get SO excited to see them! Follow up comments are left via text to keep the pet owner informed of the visit and how the pets are faring. Paw Pals has allowed our family the peace of mind to leave our pets at home, for work, weekend getaways and longer times away when necessary, where they are the most comfortable and familiar. We are grateful to Mary and her team for giving us the ability to enjoy pet ownership without feeling tied down. The responsibility of having pets comes with the need to keep them safe and comfortable at all times, and Mary and her team affords us this when our family has to be away.
Dr Tammy Cashion
Dr Tammy Cashion
21:11 12 Mar 19
We have used Paw pals pet sitting on multiple occasions for our bunnies while we are away. Many pet sitters are not interested in small pets however; Mary and her team, are amazing and we trust her implicitly! We are very happy with the outstanding service we have received from her team including texts and photos of our pets when we are out of town. They always go the extra mile and we highly recommend them!
Kristin Conrad
Kristin Conrad
16:00 16 Nov 19
We are so grateful we found Mary and her team at Paw Pals. They are exceptionally responsive, amazingly organized and detail-oriented.We have such peace of mind when we travel knowing our home and pets are so well cared for. Paw Pals is the best pet sitting service we’ve used, and we’re so happy we found them.
Katie Russell
Katie Russell
15:01 17 May 20
Paw Pals is fantastic! I have had a great experience with Mary! Compassionate, professional, responsive, and prompt! Thank you!
Phillip Evans
Phillip Evans
14:38 11 Jul 20
When we adopted our new dog in January, Paw Pals agreed to walk her and give her some outside time so she wasn't in the crate all day. She loved her dog walker and you could see her excitement every time the walker showed up. We moved out of the area but would recommend Paw Pals to anyone needing someone to care for their pets.
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