Our furry tail-wagging companions are one of life’s greatest delights, until they start digging underneath your fence, scratching the living daylights out of it and leaving a soddy mound of dirt where grass used to be.
If you’re trying to figure out how to stop a dog from digging under a fence, we’ll cover some expert tips in this article, to ensure that your escape-artist pooch keeps his paws above ground.
Walk them for longer
Tired dogs don’t tend to misbehave, which is why it’s critical to walk your dog for the recommended time for its breed. Exercise is the best dog digging deterrent in your arsenal. When your pooch is puckered out after a walk, it will probably want to sleep for hours, rather than frantically digging underneath your fence.
You can also tire them out by playing fetch with them during the walk, or in your backyard.
Give them more attention
Dogs will also misbehave if they don’t have enough mental stimulation. Like us, they can become fidgety when they have nothing to do, but don’t have a job, a smartphone, professional sports, or Netflix to keep their minds occupied. This is why it’s important to give your dog enough attention throughout the day, with pets, games, training, and treats.
Again, the amount of attention that you’ll need to give your dog will vary depending on the breed. Working breeds such as Border Collies will need a lot more mental stimulation than lazier breeds such as English Bulldogs, who usually snuffle around for a bit before falling asleep for eight hours.
Give them plenty of toys
Toys are a great way to keep your pooch occupied, especially food puzzle toys such as Kongs, which need to be nudged and pawed at to release the delicious treats inside. If you give them enough exercise in the morning, and then leave them with plenty of toys to play with while you’re at work, your dog probably won’t feel like digging a filthy hole underneath your fence.
Make sure they’ve got shelter
Some dogs will dig because they know that the earth underneath the topsoil is cool, and they want a chilled spot to relax in. Like kangaroos, to get away from the harsh Australian sun, they scratch away the surface of the soil and plonk themselves in it. To prevent this from happening, make sure your dog has access to a shaded area for the entire day, taking into account the movement of the sun.
Add obstacles
While there’s no such thing as a dig-proof dog fence, if walking, attention, and toys don’t do the trick, and you still can’t figure out how to stop your dog from digging, you can add obstacles around the fence’s perimeter to prevent your dog from being able to reach it. This can be achieved with partially-buried rocks, chicken wire, or chain-wire fencing, depending on the kind of look you’re after.
With these tips, you can help to ensure that your dog is reluctant to bore themselves into the ground, keeping your garden and fence in top condition.