If your lawn is starting to look like the surface of the moon, you are not the first owner to despair at it. The key to how to stop a dog digging is to remember that digging is completely normal doggy behaviour, and it is almost always your dog trying to meet a need: boredom, energy, instinct, comfort or curiosity. Rather than trying to stamp it out, which rarely works and is not much fun for anyone, the kind and effective approach is to work out why your dog is digging and give them a better outlet for it. Get the cause right and the craters stop appearing.
I hear plenty about muddy paws in the salon, and behind most of them is a bored dog who just needs a better job to do. Here is how to sort it out gently.
Why dogs dig
Digging serves all sorts of purposes, so a little detective work pays off. Common reasons include:
- Boredom or too little exercise. An under-occupied dog digs to fill the time. This is by far the most common cause.
- Instinct and breed. Terriers and other breeds were bred to dig, so it is simply wired in for some dogs.
- Comfort and temperature. Dogs dig to make a cool hollow to lie in on a warm day, or a cosy den.
- Hunting. The scent or sound of something under the soil, like insects or small animals, is irresistible to some dogs.
- Hiding treasure. Burying a chew or toy to dig up later is a very natural stashing instinct.
- Anxiety or wanting to escape. Some dogs dig at boundaries when they are stressed or trying to get out.
The Dogs Trust guide to destructive behaviour is a good starting point for working out which of these fits your dog, and the RSPCA's advice on understanding dog behaviour is helpful too.
Meet the need behind the digging
Once you have a sense of the why, you can tackle the root cause rather than the symptom.
- For boredom, ramp up both physical exercise and mental enrichment. Snuffle mats, food puzzles, scatter feeding, chews and short training games tire a dog's brain out beautifully, and a satisfied dog has far less reason to dig.
- For heat, make sure there is shade and cool water in the garden, and a comfy cool spot to lie in, so your dog does not have to excavate one.
- For hunting, deal with any pest problem humanely, and keep your dog occupied with better games.
- For escaping or anxiety, look at what might be worrying your dog and, if it persists, get some expert help (more on that below).
Worth knowing: Digging is often the sign of a dog with energy or curiosity to spare. Before you tackle the digging itself, honestly ask whether your dog is getting enough of the right kind of exercise and brain work. Very often, meeting that need quietly solves the digging on its own.
Give your dog a legal place to dig
Here is the trick that delights dogs and saves flowerbeds: rather than banning digging altogether, give your dog a spot where digging is allowed and encouraged. The Dogs Trust guide to making a dig box walks through it, and the idea is lovely and simple:
- Choose a corner of the garden (or a sturdy container or sandpit) that you are happy to hand over.
- Fill it with loose earth or child-safe sand.
- Bury treats, chews or toys in it and encourage your dog to dig them out.
- Make it the most rewarding spot in the garden, so your dog keeps coming back to it.
The more brilliant things your dog finds in the dig pit, the more they will choose it over your borders. If they start to dig elsewhere, calmly guide them over to the pit and hide something exciting there so they come running.
Supervise and gently redirect
While your dog is learning that the dig pit is the place to be, supervise garden time so you can guide them at the right moment. If they start digging somewhere off-limits, do not tell them off. Instead, cheerfully call them over to the dig pit and reward them there. You are teaching them where digging pays, not punishing the instinct itself, which only tends to make dogs anxious or sneaky.
For beds or areas you really want to protect while you train, temporary fencing, chicken wire laid on the soil, or large stones can make those spots less appealing in the short term.
When to get some help
Digging that is really about anxiety, escaping, or that has come on suddenly is worth a closer look. If your dog seems stressed, is trying to get out of the garden, or the digging is frantic and obsessive rather than playful, please speak to your vet first (to rule out any discomfort or underlying cause) and then consider a qualified, force-free behaviourist accredited through the ABTC or APBC. They can help you understand what is driving it and put a kind plan in place.
Frequently asked questions
Why has my dog suddenly started digging?
A sudden change is worth paying attention to. It might be boredom from less exercise, warmer weather (digging a cool spot), a new pest under the lawn, or stress. If it comes with other changes in behaviour, a vet check is sensible to rule out anything physical.
Is it cruel to stop a dog digging?
Not if you do it kindly. Trying to suppress digging with telling-off is unfair and rarely works, but redirecting your dog to a dedicated dig pit and meeting their need for exercise and enrichment gives them a happy, legal outlet. That is the kind approach.
How do I stop my dog digging up the lawn specifically?
Give them a much more rewarding place to dig (a dig pit or sandpit stocked with buried treats), make the lawn temporarily less appealing while you train, supervise garden time, and make sure boredom is not the real culprit.
Which dog breeds dig the most?
Terriers were bred to dig out prey, so many are keen diggers, and other working and hound types can be too. If you have a breed with digging in its DNA, a dedicated dig pit is especially worthwhile, because the instinct is unlikely to disappear entirely.
Fluffs is a professional dog grooming salon in Wigginton, York, offering one-to-one grooming for dogs of every breed and coat type across Haxby, Strensall, Huntington, New Earswick and the surrounding villages. If all that digging has left your dog caked in mud, a proper groom will have their coat clean, healthy and comfortable again in no time. Book a one-to-one groom.