Dog usually dig because they are bored and stressed. Boredom is the great canine curse of the 21st Century. Brain-dead, bored backyard mutts are so common and what do dogs do when they are bored? They dig holes, bark excessively, rip washing off the line, pull plants out of the garden and develop destructive behaviours.
Left alone for long periods, your dog will look for things to entertain it. As it spends most of its time in your backyard, it knows your backyard better than you know the back of your hand. It knows your garden by its sight, smell and texture and is far more aware of changes to your garden than you are.
When you garden, put new plants in the garden beds and disturb the peaceful status quo of the dog’s garden, Rover gets aroused. He’s curious. He watches your behaviour and to him, by digging you are mimicking something he has seen other dogs do. Once you leave the garden, your dog has a brand new point of interest; a new plant, new smells, overturned soil and, to put the icing on the cake, the area smells like you too!!
What’s a self respecting dog to do? He investigates. He sniffs the new smells. He nuzzles the fresh earth and discovers more new smells. A scrape at the surface with a paw reveals more newness, another scrape reveals more and off we go – hole city. What better way to while away the hours of loneliness?
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Contents of the next page (membership required)
What’s on the next page?
1. Solving the Whole Hole Digging Problem
2. Diverting the Digging