How To Prevent A Dog From Digging Under a Fence?

Have you ever stepped out of your front door only to discover that your dog has been on a digging spree? Does your dog seem to be on a mission, creating trenches and craters in their way? If so, you’re not alone in this struggle.

Trying to stop your dog from digging large holes in the yard or behind the fence may seem like a hopeless struggle. A dog can become a major nuisance if it digs into your neighbor's property or makes a hole large enough to cross from your yard onto the street.

While it might seem impossible, there are some ways to resolve your dog’s digging behavior. By understanding why your dog is doing it, you can take steps to stop it without offending your furry friend. Stay with me on this topic as we'll investigate the reasons behind this behavior.

The Process to Keep Away Your Puppy from Digging The Garden

1. Try to Understand the Cause

One of the main reasons for digging is its instinct. Dogs are naturally hunters and curious animals. If they see any small animals, such as rodents and squirrels, they may chase and hunt them down. It's a natural response and hunting instinct developed by many years of evolution. 

For this very reason, they may dig to hunt. It may start digging if it can smell bones, flesh, or corpses of dead animals. Sometimes if your dog is digging in the yard, it may have got something to hide from you, like a bone, toy, or poop. It doesn’t matter if your dog has a good bond with you; it’s an instinct for dogs to dig and bury just to hide from others.

Dogs are social animals; they have a strong bond with their owner. If your canine friend digs under the fence, it is either bored or trying to escape. Maybe your dog feels lonely when you leave and is suffering from anxiety.

Or there are other reasons, like looking for a mate or a friend. Perhaps it’s doing this just because the temperature or climate is intolerable for your dog. If your dog is pregnant, it’s digging for a place to give birth. In this scenario, when you have more than one pet, your dog simply plays or hides things from the other pet.

2. Increase Exercise and Enrichment

Dogs are energetic and enthusiastic creatures. They are naturally built for hunting, guarding, and other such activities. If your dog is not getting the optimum exercise, it will not tire. So, the dog has to channel the energy to stay healthy and relieve stress. 

Before you blame your dog for digging the yard, you should take it for a walk and play with it. Thus, the dog gets the exercise and attention it needs. If your dog is not getting enough workouts and playtime, it may cause stress and lose its mind. 

To understand this situation better, you must understand the psychology of a dog. A dog finds it stressful if it can’t work on anything during the peak hour of the day. It may seem very difficult for busy individuals to have time to play and make your dog exhausted. So, you've got to be creative and clever here. You can use different things, such as-

• Buy a treadmill for the dog.
• Invest in puzzle games made for dogs.
• Train to restrain its hunting urges.
• Buy a toy that can make your dog run.
• Play fetch with a frisbee or ball.
• Take your dog with you for a morning or evening walk.

3. Provide Alternative Digging Areas

Your dog is a hunter. Dogs keep their paws healthy and sharp by digging holes and trenches, or they might hide from the climate. To avoid property damage, divert your dog to digging in a designated area. By providing an alternative digging area, you're not only preventing property damage but also keeping your dog healthy and sound-minded.

• Provide a small sand pile.
• Mark places to dig.
• Buy a snuffle mat.
• Make a ball Pit.
• Install Diagbox.

4. Use Deterrents

There are many kinds of deterrents for preventing your dog from digging under the fence. You can use sound, smell, or structure to keep your dog away.

• Sound alter system.
• Spray unpleasant scent for dogs around the fence.
• Use concrete reinforcement under the barrier.
• Use signs and scarecrow.
• Plant citrus trees (lemon, orange).
• Outline your property with vinegar.
• Use motion detector water spray.

5. Improve Garden Conditions

A tip-top garden condition is one key factor in keeping your dog away from the fence. Dogs are intelligent animals. They can differentiate between a pleasant and unpleasant garden. A tidy garden is more likely to stay unharmed. There are some ways to keep it nice and neat.

• Install faucet. 
• Use dog-friendly decoration.
• Use interactive decoration so your dog can play.
• Plant citrus trees (lemon, orange) around the property.
• Clear the weed.
• Avoid overcutting grass because dogs eat grass and leaves if stressed or stomach aches.
• Install shades for your dog to keep it safe from rain, snow, and sun.

6. Positive Reinforcement

A dog can dig a hole if it’s mentally unstable or stressed. If the dog is not praised or appreciated, it can cause stress and trauma to the dog. A positive attitude and behavior are key factors to control your dog in the way you want. For that, you can adapt these ideas.

• Treat your dog
• Play with your dog
• Be kind
• Don’t hurt 
• Be friendly 

7. Provide Essential Training

Training is an essential part of your dog’s well-being. If you train your dog well, it won’t misbehave. A well-trained dog will abide by all the boundaries. There are some promising ways to train your dog as -

• Give treats for learning.
• Act like a pack leader.
• Provide a good shelter.
• Spend time with your dog.
• Give the attention it needs.

8. Create a Safe and Comfortable Environment

Owning a pet means you’re committed to providing everything it needs. A fundamental need for any animal is a safe and comfortable environment. The environment determines how the dog will react to new situations. 

If a dog is kept well in an environment, it’ll stay mentally and physically fit and healthy. Don’t let rogue animals or aggressive dogs threaten your beloved friend. Treat your dog with love, compassion, and care.

9. Monitor and Adapt

Sometimes, you’ve to be an excellent observer to understand your dog. Every dog has a different personality and different behavioral patterns. Your dog may have different reasons, maybe after a particular movement, sound, or smell driving it crazy to dig. 

Conclusion 

If you are a dog owner, you must look out for the betterment of your friend. You may be trying hard to stop it from digging, but it takes time, love, and care. Be kind, gentle, and passionate about your dog’s training.

Follow the ideas, and that’s what we’ve talked about. You must be getting positive results. If you find out the reason and follow the instructions properly, you will be able to [prevent your dog from digging under the fence. Best of luck with your journey to overcome the problem.