I have a young dashund that is nine months old and just has started majorly digging/destroying my yard?

Question

Does anyone have any idea on how to stop a dog from digging. Any help would be greatly appreciated in the answering of this question. I currently live in an apt but go home to the house my mother stays at for work. It is a nice house and yard but it isnt our yard and dashie the dog has practically destroyed it with her digging.

Answer 1

Hi. Dachshunds are wonderful, fun, entertaining and loyal dogs. That being said, they were originally bred specifically to dig badgers out of their holes. As far as a dachshund is concerned, the ONLY reason they were put on this earth was to dig. I know that is not the answer you are looking for, but it would be impossible to completely eliminate that behavior from this breed. The best thing you can do is provide your doxie with alternative things to dig in. Try getting your dog a blanket and hide little bitty treats throughout it. She will dig through the blanket looking for them and will eventually associate the blanket with digging. You will need to do this quite often. One of my two dachshunds is obsessed with digging and goes through a blanket every two weeks or so! Patience and persistance is the key. Good luck!

Answer 2

Unfortunately I don't know if you want them to stop digging. Let me explain. Dachsunds were bred to be badger hunters. Badgers dig holes like moles and rabbits. If there are moles or other underground rodents your dachsund is digging to find and destroy them. I have a dachsund who is 8 years old now. She doesn't dig like that anymore, but she goes to every hole she sees in the yard and investigates. She fights possums and skunks and everything that is deemed a thread. It is over 300 years of breeding. She is a great companion and very loving and caring, and especially good with kids. I wouldn't want to train her instincts out of her. I know the damage to the yard is awful, maybe if you could find the cause of the digging and eliminate it, that would do. Otherwise, you may want to consider another breed like a lab or yorky or pomeranian that won't damage the yard. Good luck.

Answer 3

Digging occurs for many reasons. Dogs dig to bury and recover bones; they dig cooling pits when it's hot and warming pits when it's cold; they dig up prey and they dig dens. Digging is a highly enjoyable and natural canine activity. Lack of exercise, prolonged confinement and boredom can also cause digging. Once digging starts, it can quickly become a habit.
Preventing Digging
If you provide your dog with regular walks, runs, play-time and training, the chances are you will not have a digging problem. But until your dog has been taught that digging up your garden is unacceptable, he should not be given free access to these areas when you are not there to supervise him. Temporarily confine your dog indoors or to a dog run. Confinement is not the solution; it is only a temporary measure until your dog can be trusted not to destroy your garden and yard.
The Digging Pits
If your dog loves digging, provide him with his own digging pit just as parents would provide their child with a sand box. Make sure the pit is neither directly in the summer sun nor unprotected against the winter winds. A 3 x 6 foot area about 2 feet deep is sufficient. Dig it up to loosen the dirt and mix in a little sand to help it drain in the rainy season. Let your dog watch the preparations and if he joins in to help, lavish him with praise. Once the pit is ready, it is easy to get your dog digging in it. Take some of his favorite toys and treats and let him watch you make a fuss over burying them. Call your dog over and help him dig things up. Once he gets the idea and is digging without your help, enthusiastically praise him and repeat, 'Dig in your pit, dig in your pit.' When he digs up a treat, he is immediately rewarded by getting to eat it. If it's a ball or toy you've buried then you can immediately play a short game of fetch, then bury it again. Repeat this over and over, always repeating the command, 'Dig in your pit.' Your dog will quickly learn what the command means. You can test this by putting your dog inside the house, burying a dozen or so treats and exciting chew toys, and then letting him out. Say 'Dig in your pit' and praise him if he goes to the pit. This training can usually be accomplished in one afternoon.
Continual Reward for Digging
Once your dog has learned that digging in his pit is fun; you must still encourage and praise him whenever he shows any interest in the pit and especially for digging there without any encouragement from you. Now, every morning before you leave for work, you can hide all kinds of fun things in the pit, which will keep your dog busy digging for hours. Even if he has found all the goodies, he will keep digging and looking to see if anything else is buried there.
Discouraging Bad Digging Habits
Once your dog understands that digging in his pit is an acceptable and enjoyable activity, and knows the meaning of the command, 'Dig in your pit,' now you can teach him that digging elsewhere is forbidden. The first step is to teach your dog to stay completely off the flower and vegetable gardens and that he is only allowed on the grass or other parts of your yard. Clearly demarcate the forbidden areas with a short fence about a foot high. A few small sticks with a length of string attached along the top are fine. The fence is not intended as a physical barrier but as a means of marking a boundary. Spend the day outside and watch your dog. Each time he gets close to the boundary, quietly warn him by saying 'Off.' If one paw goes over the line, scold him firmly until all four paws are on the correct side of the boundary and then immediately praise him. If you invest some time, your dog will learn to keep out of the garden.

Answer 4

I am sorry your dash. is digging. That sucks. I have a few suggestions I read about when I adopted my dog (they gave me literature about digging prevention since he is part husky and they like to dig).

- don't let him see you dig holes in your yards, like if you garden or something like that.

-when you so see him dig, spot him right away and take him into the house. immedeately fill the hole with dirt, but don't let him see b/c he will start to think it is a game.

-before you fill holes he has dug, put some of his poop in the hole and bury it. he will smell his smell and leave that spot alone. he wil think to himself 'oh , i've been here before. never mind'

-if you leave him in the yard for extended periods of time, leave him with a variety of toys. he might be digging because he is bored. bored dogs are destructive dogs (mine was a chewer).

good luck!!

Answer 5

That's a really good question, I have a dachshund also, but he doesn't dig holes at all....hope you can fix the problem. Now that i think of it, dachshunds used to be used back in the day to drag out badgers from their burrows. Maybe your dach. is smelling something underground and trying to get to it?

Answer 6

You can't...

Believe it or not, Your Dashund was born to dig.
Dachshunds actually originated in Germany. The name means "Badger Dog" They are fierce hunters and were bred to dig out Badgers and rabbits from thier deep holes.
Try giving him lots of toys to keep him occupied.

Answer 7

does she have toys or bones in yard to play with? she may just be bored, but dachshunds are diggers. especially if they think there is sometime there to get. maybe there are moles in yard. dachshunds (german for badger hound) are bred to go underground after animals. they are a pack dog, and will chase anything that runs and g-d help it if they catch it.

Answer 8

perhaps a shock collar (spck) some will view it as in-humane but i believe it is up to the owner...the other way i know of is to watch "Dashie" and when (he/she) starts digging go out to (him/her) and smack with a rolled up newspaper (not hard though--the sound of it is what scare's them more) but anyways a certain amount of times of this may help....it's like the hot burner technique, when you touch the burner and it's hot you learn to aproach it in a safer manner..!!

Answer 9

When dogs are in heat or smell those who are, they will stop at nothing to reproduce.
Spay or neuter your pet, and give it allot of your time and attention.
Your dog is also board and needs companionship