{"id":855,"date":"2019-05-09T12:32:29","date_gmt":"2019-05-09T16:32:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beverlyhillsvets.com\/blog\/?p=855"},"modified":"2019-05-09T12:32:29","modified_gmt":"2019-05-09T16:32:29","slug":"uh-oh-your-dogs-a-digger-why-dogs-dig","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beverlyhillsvets.com\/blog\/uh-oh-your-dogs-a-digger-why-dogs-dig\/","title":{"rendered":"Uh Oh! Your Dog\u2019s A Digger: Why Dogs Dig"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Has your lawn or garden<\/a> ever been sacrificed to the paws of your single-minded dog? If your dog is a digger, you may be throwing your hands up in frustration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aside from the holes in the ground, digging is one of the more difficult behaviors to understand, and may be a symptom of a greater problem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although it can usually be managed, it\u2019s important to start with an understanding of the reasons why dogs dig.

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Genetics and Natural Breed Behaviors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dogs were domesticated and bred for thousands of years for specific purposes. Many of the breeds we know and love<\/a> today have been intentionally bred to have a propensity for digging. Consider the following examples:
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Terriers \u2013<\/strong> Terrier breeds were bred to hunt for small prey such as badgers, gophers, and rodents, and were specifically bred to dig these animals out of their burrows. Their strong front legs and claws are perfectly suited for digging.
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Hounds \u2013<\/strong> Hounds and other hunting dogs may be searching for critters in your yard. These instincts run deep, and if you have gophers or other small animals on your property it may be tapping into your dog\u2019s natural talent \u2013 digging for prey.
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Siberian Huskies \u2013<\/strong> Dogs naturally seek the shelter of dens, especially Huskies who have evolved making dens in the snow to stay warm. If your dog enjoys having a self constructed space outdoors, digging may be hard to curb.

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Stress and Boredom<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In other cases, why dogs dig can be related to stress. Digging can be a great stress reliever for dogs, and many of them have great fun at it. Stress can be caused in many ways<\/a>, but in general falls into one of two categories:
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