If you take pride in your nicely groomed garden and your dog belongs to the category of the so-called diggers, it probably doesn’t make you very happy. However, frantic digging in earth doesn’t please not even us, who wink at a few holes in the grass. Because instead of a fuzzy friend, we get a ball of mud coming home after such digging session. Why do dogs even dig? And what to do with it?
Fortunately, my dog doesn’t belong to the digging enthusiasts. But the dachshund of my cousin belongs among the masters with these gardening skills. And do you know, why does a dog even dig? It isn’t so easy to understand it, since there are numerous reasons for it.
They like it
Dog digs just because it’s a game for them. Among the breeds whose members dig more often than others belong various kinds of terriers and exactly dachshunds. And how do you know that your dog isn’t digging just for fun? They usually switch between digging and happy running about and posing in the so-called playful position, when the front part of their body is lower than the back one and it seems a bit as if the dog was bowing down. One of the solutions for this kind of digging is to teach the dog to dig only in a designated place. Set apart a section of the garden where you don’t mind their digging and if they are digging there, reward them. Punish digging in another place, for example, by snapping at them.
They dig because they are bored
If the dog spends a whole day alone in the garden, it is possible that they are simply bored and digging distracts them. A solution is to purchase different interactive toys for them. For instance, such that you can fill with treats that fall out during a game. Give them a large bone which they can chew on and keep busy for a longer period of time. In short, find them some other entertainment different from digging. Another option is to tire the dog before you leave them in the garden alone. Take them for a longer walk, run with them or play more with them.
They want to run away
Another reason why dogs dig is that they want to dig under and away. The reason can be that there is a bitch in heat in the proximity or they are missing you and want to dig under and away to get to you. In this case, it is necessary to rather deal with separation anxiety than with digging. And this for the dog to spend their time in peace and without any stress even when you’re not present and they wouldn’t have to dig out of nervousness. However, in case of a bitch in heat, you can’t do much to deal with the effort to run away. If you have a garden, then only if you secure it well.
They want to hide a treat
One of the old dog instincts is hiding of food. And that’s why some of the dogs may dig. They want to hide a portion of food or a chewing bone, for example, which you have given to them. You will easily get rid of this kind of digging when you start giving only so much food and treats to the dog, as they are able to eat without any leftovers. If nothing is left, they won’t even have anything to bury.
They are hot
In our climate zone, this possibility is likely only in summer. Nevertheless, some dogs do dig a hole in the ground only because they want to cool down inside. This reason doesn’t belong among the most frequent ones. In this case, the solution is very simple. Provide the opportunity for the dog to cool down. Set up a children’s pool with cool water in the garden, get them a cooling mat and enable them hide somewhere in a shade. However, don’t forget the most important thing: a bowl of fresh water placed somewhere in a shade. And don’t forget to refill and change it regularly.
Their hunting instinct woke has awoken
Maybe, there are mice or moles living in your garden and your dog can smell their presence. Because of this, a hunter awakes in them who goes for their prey and therefore, they are trying to get to the mice or moles whatever the cost. To unteach a dog this kind of digging belongs to the most difficult things, since the hunting instinct is very strong. Don’t ever punish the dog after you find dug out holes. Scold them only in case you catch them in the act. Even so, steel with a great amount of patience, since to unteach a dog this kind of digging may take a long time.
And why did my cousin’s dog dig, you may be asking yourselves? Just because he likes it. So he got his digging place in the garden, behind the compost, where he’s learned to go. Everyone is content and the garden – except for the part behind the compost – looks immaculate again.
The trend of pets has been a matter of the past 150 years. But what will the next 150 years look like? With the evolution of our society and its values, circuses and zoos are on the radar, and the number of people who do not eat meat, and even vegans,...
Do you have a pregnant cat at home? Is this stage slowly coming to an end and you are starting to panic about the birth? Let me take you through it from the beginning to the end. Let's take a look at when it is necessary to intervene, when the help...
July is the time to prepare for autumn kittens. It's good to remind ourselves what cat pregnancy entails, when and how to prevent it and why.
Outside temperatures suggest that the boater season is just behind the corner. Many people take their family and children on a water adventure. Some boaters even take their four-legged friends along. What can you do to make sure your trip goes...
In the summer, most of us move to the garden, whether at our home or cottage. Of course, we also want to let our rodent friends loose, and simply bringing the cage out won't do it. How can we make a comfortable, safe outdoor enclosure?
Does your cat wander outside? Are you tired of constant meowing and scratching on doors, or constantly opened windows? Then it's time to get your cat a door.
The nutrient requirements of each dog varies depending on its age, physical condition, lifestyle and size. There are many aspects, and you need to take them all into account when choosing your food.
Cats can take a cold a lot harder than we do. For them it's a relatively serious and very contagious viral disease. A cat cold is a combination of diseases, whose symptoms include a cold.
What elements play an important role in cat nutrition, why do they need them and in what proportion should they get them? This is the alchemy behind the preparation of quality cat food.
Although traveling is fun, it can also be stressful. We have to make sure we don't forget anything and that everything goes according to plan. But what if you decide to travel with your little friend, a guinea pig? Let's take a look at what you...
It is a well-known fact about cats that they like lying in the sunlight. However, that doesn’t mean they are never hot and the risk of overheating is not real for them.
The fact that there are different cans and dry food for dogs and cats is not a marketing stunt. Both beasts have their specific nutrition needs which vary in certain aspects and if you give them the wrong food, they will start suffering quite soon.
