How to stop a dog digging up the garden
Digging feels good to a dog and pays off in interesting smells, cool earth, or a buried chew. Rather than trying to switch off a hardwired behaviour, the reliable approach is to give it a legal home, remove the pay-offs from the lawn, and cover whatever need is driving it.
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Quick answer
Identify the driver: boredom, instinct, cooling off, scent, hiding things, or escape. Then supervise garden time so you can redirect, provide a designated digging pit and reward its use, block favourite spots, add shade and water in heat, sort any rodent problem, and raise daily mental stimulation and exercise. Do not punish after the event.
Why dogs dig
| Driver | Clues | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| Boredom / energy | Random holes, worse when left alone in the garden, young or working breed | More exercise and enrichment; do not leave the dog out alone for long |
| Breed instinct | Terriers, Dachshunds, some spitz breeds; focused, determined digging | A digging pit is essential; give an approved outlet daily |
| Cooling down | Shallow pits in shade or damp soil, hot days, dog lies in the hole | Shade, water, a raised bed or cool mat, bring the dog in during heat |
| Scent / prey | Digging at one spot, along fence lines, at molehills or tunnels | Deal with the pest humanely; block access to that area |
| Caching | Burying chews or toys, then digging them up | Fewer high-value items outside; feed chews indoors |
| Escape | Digging under the fence, often near gates, paces the boundary | Secure the fence line; address why the dog wants out (understimulation, entire dog seeking a mate, anxiety) |
Build a digging pit
- Pick a corner, ideally with shade. A child's sandpit, a raised bed or a marked-off patch of loose soil or sand all work.
- Seed it: bury chews, a stuffed toy, or scatter kibble just under the surface while the dog watches.
- Encourage the dog to dig there and praise or play when it does. Do a "find it" in the pit daily for the first week or two.
- Top it up so there is always something worth finding at first, then fade to occasional.
- If the dog digs elsewhere, interrupt calmly, walk it to the pit, and restart there.
Manage the rest of the garden
- Supervise garden access during training so you can redirect every time.
- Put large flat stones, chicken wire pinned down, or planters over favourite holes.
- Refill holes and firm them; some dogs lose interest once a spot is not soft.
- Fence off borders and veg beds temporarily.
- For fence-line digging, run paving slabs or buried wire along the base and check for gaps.
Cover the underlying need
Boredom digging fades when the day has more in it: foraged meals, scent games, training, and appropriate exercise. See how to mentally stimulate a dog and, for working breeds, high-energy dog activities. Never leave a bored dog alone in the garden for long stretches and expect it not to dig.
Mistakes to avoid
- Punishing after the fact, or filling holes with the dog's own faeces, water or chilli. These are unreliable, can be distressing, and do not teach an alternative.
- Only blocking spots without giving a legal outlet, especially for a terrier.
- Leaving the dog unsupervised in the garden during the training phase.
- Ignoring heat as a cause and just telling the dog off for trying to cool down.
When to get help
Frantic digging at doors or windows when the dog is left, alongside pacing, panting or destruction, points to separation-related distress rather than ordinary digging, see dog destroys house when alone and speak to your vet. Sudden obsessive digging at one spot indoors can also be worth a vet check.
Where a program fits
For boredom-driven digging in an otherwise healthy pet dog, a structured reward-based course helps you keep the enrichment and the "leave it" and recall work going. Brain Training for Dogs covers digging in its behaviour section with this redirect-and-enrich approach.
Keep the enrichment consistent
Reward-based games, recall and "leave it" training, plus a daily enrichment structure. See the current offer.
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FAQ
Related guides
- Dog behaviour problems
- Dog boredom
- Dog enrichment
- High-energy dog activities
- Mental stimulation for dogs
References
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These references describe dogs and training in general. They are not evidence about any specific commercial program. This page is general information, not a substitute for individualised veterinary or behaviour advice. Last reviewed: 30 August 2026.