CHENNAI: Our 18-month-old Golden Retriever is well-behaved, but routinely digs holes in the mulch, flower beds, or in the yard. We arrive home after work to find these results. How can we curb this behaviour?
—Simran
As frustrating as it may be to come back home to a garden dug up with holes, you need to understand that digging is natural behaviour. Dogs dig for a number of reasons and it is important to understand why she is digging in the first place. Although we humans interpret digging as bad behaviour, for a dog, it is purely in pursuit of pleasure.
In most cases, the dogs dig simply to escape boredom. Digging can be really fun and entertaining for your dog and in the absence of any other activity, she may resort to digging to keep herself occupied.
Burying food for later consumption is a reliable and traditional means of storing and protecting leftover foods from scavengers, and is a trait that she has inherited. It is possible that she is stashing her valuables in these holes. If your dog is underfed, she may even be scavenging for food. Sometimes, they hear underground creatures and dig holes in an attempt to find them. In summers, dogs try to cool themselves and use these holes.
The soil under is relatively cooler and usually they dig holes under shaded areas in such cases. In some cases, digging might be an indication of an underlying separation anxiety. Your dog is attempting to dig out and escape from confinement in search of you. You will notice other signs of anxiety along with if this is the case.
Completely denying digging privileges is not recommended. Instead, give her a specific area where she is permitted to dig. You can do so by rewarding her when she digs into this zone and correcting her otherwise. You can leave your dog’s poop in the holes as a deterrent. Dogs won’t dig where they poop and will move out of the zone. Enforce a good exercise regimen that could eliminate boredom.
Teach her to engage herself with the help of chew toys and treat dispensing toys. A good basic obedience regimen can help with the above. Digging can be unlearned. Be consistent and confident and you will be able to get her out of this habit.