Gone Diggin' ...

Most all dogs have the desire to dig, oftentimes where we would prefer them not to.   Being aware of that natural tendency I try to teach my pets when and where it is appropriate to dig (not always successfully).    I try to catch my pet in the act of digging and praise them, then teach them to stop and come dig in a better spot,  like the garden I am working on turning over the soil  or for more avid diggers, that new basement I  always wanted ! 

Dogs dig for many reasons, to cool off in moist earth, hunting for critters and burying that favorite bone, are just a few.     I used to take my dogs to a large forest preserve with trails to walk on and when we got past the area of foot traffic, step off the paths and show them mole hills.    Adding a word like  "dig"  or "get it "   serves as a placeholder so the dog remembers the action as a command.  Some of the best times were when my companion was sure there was a mouse, mole, or shrew avidly digging while they were trying to unearth the critter.  Motivated by prey drive, they learned the new command quickly.    Nine times out of ten there was nothing under that mound, but that one time there was served to encourage them greatly. 

For people who have avid diggers or breeds such as  terriers  (derived from Latin terra , meaning earth)  these dogs were bred for digging and controlling rodent populations.    One might want to get a sandbox or designate an area of the yard and cover it with sand, bringing the dog to that space and, in advance, burying favorite toys or treats to encourage digging in that one place.   This will save your yard from looking like a mine field.     Less fervent excavators may take to the places you show approval and gentle correction teach them to refrain from other areas.
 
Grace, being a beagle, loves to dig!   One can only dog proof a large fenced area just so much with bricks and tent stakes to try to keep the dog in, after that you need to train the animal.   Grace never tried to dig out, however the very first night I  brought Missy home, she dug under two fences and vanished.   I was worried sick and after leaving the gates open and walking the streets till about two A.M. I returned home to find her sitting on my back step waiting for me.   I was lucky !   So many dogs never find their way back or get hit by cars before they do.   Missy never dug out again.

Grace still digs here and there and one day she was digging at the edge of where my gravel meets the grass, directly under a 4x4 piece of treated lumber.    It was warm and sunny out so I stayed and kept telling her to get it, even helping by moving the lumber out of the way.   She was not making a deep hole, but one that went under the rocks.   She got to one point where she stopped, laid down, and looked at me.  Foolishly thinking she needed encouragement, I poked the hole with my fingers and told her "get it out of there!"

Of course, being a good dog she did, and what I thought might be a tiny mouse or bug was not at all.
The last time she stopped , laid down and looked at me I bent over and thought I heard a buzzing noise coming from the spot.   That was the last thought  that crossed my mind as to my horror, out crawled a huge hornet !    The hornet immediately took flight after Grace and I, dive bombing us.   I was yelling "get in the house Grace!" and she, Spike, and I hit that back door in a huge hurry, with the hornet in hot pursuit.   Slamming the door and looking at the confused dogs, I baracaded the doggie door until dark, then went out and covered the hole.   Thankfully, the hornet decided it would be better to find a new place to live.    That day, digging was not fun for any of us.

On the whole, allowing your dog to fulfill it's natural tendencies to forage for prey though digging is rewarding , builds self confidence and provides exercise for your pet.   For owners who prefer a pristine yard, make sure to pick a breed that has little inclination for this task.  I count this experience as another lesson learned about the art of digging.


                                                                   © PawEarFull Legacys