Will a Digging Dog Always Dig???

Some folks have wireless fences and love them -- some, like me, hate them simply because in my experience if what they want is attractive enough they will run thru the current and get out, but then WON'T come back because home just isn't attractive enough to justify running back thru the current jolt again.  They take a LOT of training -- but I doubt the age of the dog is a big deal.

1.  I'd give him a place TO dig.  Digging is fun -- the dirt flies, and you DO something.  Often it's not so much to get "out" (altho once that opportunity presents itself why not?) as it is just to DIG for the joy of digging.  Try making a sand box out of railroad ties in a corner of the yard.  Bury some toys, and spend some time out there with him SHOWING him he can dig there and have fun and it's not 'bad'.

2.  Another solution that takes some human effort -- lay back the sod near the fence and bury some chicken wire.  Attach it to the base of the fence (so it laps up a few inches) but then simply bury the width under a few inches of soil and lay the sod back over it -- so when he digs he suddenly gets thwarted - he digs down a few inches and suddenly hits chicken wire.  Typically they don't think to back up and have to tunnel under it.  That's worked for me in the past.

3.  Count your blessings??  See the hound in my signature?  She's one of those mixes with the itty bitty sawed off legs?  LONG but stands no taller at the withers than the pug (and she's shorter at the withers than the cocker).  But suddenly last fall after learning to tear around and chase the pug she discovered she could LEAP my 5' chain link fence.  No joke. 

 And I don't mean scramble over -- I mean LEAP IT (as in her feet never touch the top of the chain link!) -- we had to spend a few thousand putting a 7 foot stockade fence INSIDE the 5' chain link??  Lovely!!   Burying chicken wire would have been .... WAY cheaper! LOL

Good luck. 

dog karma

I have a privacy fenced in back yard and he is a pro at digging out.

dog karma

I have two other dogs so he is not lonely

What about actual exercise?, do you walk your dog every day between 30-45 minutes? Your dog is one of the breeds with more energy out there.

If he does not get to burn down that energy he will be looking the way to do it himself and as you can see most of the times he will think on something humans would actually dont agree with.

I think he is doing this out of boredom and lack of exercise. Thinking about a new fence will only make him to start digging in the middle of the yard. Usually dogs that want to "escape" do it looking for something more entertaining than a 60 x 60 empty backyard.

Contary to popular belief, a dog wont exercise himself if he is left alone in the backyard. Just like a human teenager wont exercise in his room and is also more likely to get in trouble because he is bored, the teenager will not think that hanging out with friends will cure the boredom of a boring town and will start getting in trouble. Dogs are not humans but i wanted to give you a more familiar example of what's going on.

I walk my dog everyday and he is ready to rest when we come back home, the days i take longer to take him out he starts acting like a tornado, so i can either walk for 45 minutes with him or put up with a tornado for the next 5 to 6 hours. I put it on a balance and is a no brainer what should i do, you will spend the same energy trying to control him during those 5 to 6 hours that the energy you spend walking him. Another thing to consider is that i would be weighting 400 lb right now if i was not walking my dog every day so the human also gets a benefit out of it and everybody wins.

In my experience, yes once a digger always a digger because the digging is just the outward symptom of the real problem - the dog is left alone long enough to dig and is bored enough to not having anything else to do.  I have a digger and I keep him off it by managing the environment (keeping him away from digging areas when I can't supervise or don't want digging) and making sure he has other things to do than dig.  Other people may disagree but I let this dog dig in certain contexts.  He has one patch in the shade by the porch where he is allowed to dig.  When it's nice, he loves to lie outside and watch everything but since he is big and black he gets hot, so he knows to dig the very top layer of soil off to expose damp soil, then he lies down on this to stay cool.  I allow this in the allowed area because it's not boredom digging or excessive.  Also on the beach he's allowed to dig as much as he pleases.  However, digging along the fence and digging just for the sake of it are not allowed.  Right now I'm using management by having this dog on a tie-out even in the fenced yard.  He found a rabbits nest along the outer side of the fence and if he's not physically prevented from going there, he will obsessively dig at that spot.  Once the babies leave, he can go back to that area of the yard.

To answer the question in the Thread Title:  Yep, most likely.  However, there are definate ways to manage it. 

I too have a Lab; and he is a digger.  But, with training, he now knows the appropriate places in which he can dig.  And, he does.  He digs for moles, and he digs to keep cool.

Someone mentioned putting their poop in a hole that they've dug.  It most definately works...or with my dog, it does.  We were having problems with him digging in certain areas, such as the flower garden.  The pile o' poop in the garden solved that problem. 

I believe your particular problem is digging out of the property; and we had that issue at one time as well.  Funny story, because I witnessed the act personally.  When Cody was alive (RIP) I witnessed her walking up to the front of the property with Buddy in tow.  I watched her walk over to the spot where they had been known to dig out.  I watched her stop, turn around to look at Buddy....who proceeded around her to the sweet spot.  Buddy, good little soldier that he is, did what she obviously told him to do; and that was to dig.  I continued to watch this little escapade.  I was amazed.  He dug, he stopped, he stepped back.  Cody wriggled her body under the fence.  She waited on the other side of the fence while Buddy dug a bit more then wriggled himself out of the hole.  My little escape artists.    When they both were "free" and happily about to go on adventure, I called them back.  Doh, dang Ma was watching.  Come on Buddy, we gotta go home. 

So, we thought long and hard on how to remedy this problem.  The solution we came up with is a hot wire along the bottom of the fence.  Now before you cringe....this hot wire was not THAT hot.  I tested it personally.  Yes, it zapped....but it was tolerable.  More of a quick pinch.  Not a big deal.  I'm telling you, it worked like a charm.  All it took was one time for both of them...that was it.  Never again...did Buddy (even with Cody's coaxing, I'm sure) did they leave the property on their own accord.  We actually still have the wire up...but it hasn't been hot in years.

I've never been a big fan of the invisible fences.  I have never owned one, but I've heard stories about how they just run right through it, then don't want to come back through it.  Of course, that system would take training....I personally, just wouldn't trust it.

Good luck!  Keep us posted.

 If a dog digs within the yard, I call him a digger.  If he digs to get out of the yard, I call him an escapee:-)  Or, a potential SA (separation anxiety) dog.  For SA, Patricia McConnell's little book, "I'll Be Home Soon" can give you some insight into training modalities.

Diggers usually need pits where they are allowed to dig.  But, escapees need boundary training:

http://www.clickertraining.com/node/2409

 IMO, some dogs dig out of  boredom.

I so appreciate everyone's input...

Xebby, The poop sounds like a wonderful idea...the only problem is the spot he is trying to escape is the gate coming into the backyard by the patio door...barbequeing might not be as much fun just kidding ...it's certainly worth a try... By the way, I love your gremlin graphic!

Calliecritturs, the sandbox is an interesting idea...would you use sand or dirt??? Just curious...

Espencer, you have nailed the problem exactly.  I already had my other two dogs...then came Buddha...I had always walked my dogs...I was a runner (5 miles a day for over 20 years).  Right around the time that Buddha joined us I started to have problems with arthritis in my knees...big surprise huh?   I do take them down to my parents once a week and let them run on 2 acres fenced in and I take 30 minutes a day and throw the ball in my back yard.  But, I know my backyard is just not as exciting...no new smells

Liesje, You are right...structured digging could be the answer   Cool graphic!

CoBuHe, I think I'll try a little poop, too   Your description of the escape is funny, only because everyone is safe...It's scary to think about my babies all escaping

Spiritdogs, I am definitely going to check out the clicker training...you are right about the separation anxiety.  He just plain and simply does not want me to leave...I think he is so used to me being here because I work out of my house...He wouldn't think of digging when we are here together...

dog karma

would you use sand or dirt??? Just curious...

Probably because I could *buy* clean sand I'd use sand.  It also is really cool when it 'flies' when you paw at it.  And yeah -- that feeling of "accomplishing' something .. MOVING something ... that's a dog rush!!

Sand is probably easier to manage -- but I'm also talking about you taking a few toys/balls, etc. ... and go out there WITH him -- **YOU** dig a hole and plop something in it and then encourage him to 'get' it and dig it up. 

Typically if you use something like railroad ties  or even concrete blocks to 'border' your sand pit it will keep it relatively enclosed.  It shouldn't wash away like dirt will.  If you use dirt there's also more of a temptation to dig in OTHER dirt ... it will grow weeds, etc.  Sand won't.