We can help keep dogs from digging under fence. Has your dog decided that your back yard is their personal excavation site? Dogs are natural diggers, and they do it out of boredom, when hunting for critters, or just to make a space to cool off when the weathers warm. But when their digging turns your perfectly manicured lawn and landscaped flowerbeds into what looks like foxholes in a war zone, it’s time to take action.
Let’s look at three foolproof ways to keep your furry friend from digging under fences and turning your backyard into the next Grand Canyon.
Here Are 3 Ways To keep dogs from digging under fence
Strategy #1: Construct a Dig-Proof Barrier
The dig-proof barrier acts as an invisible force field preventing your dog from digging under the fence. It’s quite an exercise to install it, but the payoff is worth the effort and there’s no chance of Fido going on a jailbreak adventure.
Step #1 Dig
Grab a shovel and start digging a trench one foot deep a one foot wide at the base of the fence. Sure, it’s kind of ironic that you have to dig to stop the digging, but let’s just get on with the job.
Step #2 Install the Barrier Material
After completing the trench, lay flat chicken wire or hardware cloth along the base and sides. Make sure your pooch can’t paw the stuff away. Dogs aren’t huge fans of clawing at metal, so lay the wire along the fence and flat from the face of the fence. Your pooch will hit it when digging and stop right there.
Step #3 Refill the Trench
Refill the trench and tap down the soil firmly. If you want to get fancy, you can add a layer of gravel on top of the soil to make the area even less appealing to your dog. Voila! The perfect dog proof barrier.
This method works like a charm, as it’s practically impossible for your dog to dig through the metal. They’ll get discouraged and find something different to do than dig holes.
Strategy #2: Designate a Digging Area
Sometimes you just have to meet your dog halfway. If your little furry friend enjoys digging, how about preparing a space where they can dig away to their heart’s content? It’s like their very own sandbox to dig around in.
Creating a Digging Zone
Pick a Spot — Pick a garden corner that’s out of view from your patio where your dog can get as messy as they want.
Make It Enticing – Bury some of their toys or treats inside the dig zone to encourage your dog to dig there. Eventually, they’ll realize that this place has hidden goodies, and they’ll stop releasing their energy by digging around your fence.
Make Boundaries – Use short logs, stones, or a small fence to mark the area your dog is allowed to dig in.
Praise and Reward – If you catch your dog digging in the designated spot, praise them as though they found buried treasure. A little praise goes a long way in training your dog to stick to playing in their digging zone.
Dogs just need an outlet to expend their energy with natural digging behavior. It’s quite entertaining to watch them play inside their little dirt paradise.
Strategy #3: Exercise and Mental Stimulation
Dogs dig out of boredom, when they feel stressed, and to release excess energy. The best way to stop the digging behavior, is to keep them well-exercised and busy so their mind is off digging, and they don’t have the leftover energy to dig around the fence.
Keeping Your Dog Busy
Regular Exercise – Take Fido on walks or runs or play fetch with them to wear them out. A tired dog is much less likely to dig up your yard.
Interactive Toys – Add some interactive toys to their digging zone that offer a mental challenge for your pet. Puzzle toys, treat-dispensing toys, and chew toys keep your pet entertained for hours on end trying to extract the reward. It’s similar effect to giving kids a video game to play, but for dogs.
Training Sessions – Regular training sessions are great for stimulating your dog’s mind. Teach them new tricks, commands, or engage them in agility training. It’s a great workout for both you and your dog.
Arrange Playdates – Dogs are social animals and making new friends can help with tiring them out. Plus, there’s the adorable bonus of the joy in watching them make new friends.
You’re minimizing the opportunity for your dog to take up digging to kill time or soothe their anxiety by keeping them well-exercised and mentally stimulated. A happy, tired dog is less likely to become a backyard archeologist. There you go, I shared the 3 ways to keep dogs from digging under fence. But I have more for you.
Extra Bonus Tips!
Because we believe in over-delivering, here are a couple of bonus tips to keep those paws out of the dirt.
Use Citrus or Vinegar – Dogs generally don’t like the smell of citrus or vinegar. Spraying some at the base of your fence might ward them off from digging in that location. Use caution with vinegar as it kills plants.
Plant Deterrents – Dogs hate the scent of certain plants, such as marigolds and rosemary. Plant them near the fence.
Chicken Wire Under Sod – When laying new sod, place wire fencing underneath. Your dog will quickly become discouraged after hitting the wire when digging (see strategy #1).
Online Dog Training Sites: A Paradigm Shift in Dealing with Doggy Digging Problems
Keeping your dog from digging under the fence or wall doesn’t have to be a big ordeal. With the right strategy, you’ll stop them ripping up your lawn and flowerbeds. But there’s always going to be the odd problem pooch that doesn’t want to let go of their fascination with digging.
If that’s the case for your doggo, then it’s time to consider getting professional help. Training helps. But many people don’t live near dog trainers, or they don’t have the budget for it, or they simply don’t have the time to take out of their schedule for it.
That’s where online dog training platforms come to the party. These sites are a real game-changer for your dog, and your yard. Online training sites provide a bevy of resources where you can read up on all types of dog behavior and strategies to stop your dog’s bad digging habit.
These sites offer personalized training programs and video demonstrations along with long-distance one-on-one coaching with professional trainers. They can walk you through detailed techniques to address your dog’s digging problem and ensure you apply the right methods effectively.
Online training is also super convenient. You get in on-demand, directly at your home, straight from your mobile device – how cool is that? You can take your dog into the yard and run training drills with them, while using your phone as your training reference, there’s no need to train in front of the TV in the lounge. Give it a try and hopefully you’ll end your dogs digging behavior.
If these three tips on how to keep dogs from digging under fence have helped you please let me know in the comments below.