Digging in backyard

Is she outside by herself for a while? Dogs that are bored will dig to entertain themselves. If you want to leave her outside for a while, try leaving her out there with a treat ball (kong or some other form) to keep her busy. She may also need more exercise.
 
 

One piece of standard advice is to give the dog a place where she is allowed to dig.  The idea is that you can't stop the instinct, but you can channel it.  So, build her a sandbox and encourage her to dig there by burying treats and toys there for her.  If she digs someplace else, redirct her to her area and praise her for digging in the right spot.  Just like teaching her to potty in the right area -- but you'll need to be there to supervise her. 

There are other things people sometimes recommend to make digging unpleasant.  Put cayenne pepper over the spots, or fill the holes with poop, or rocks, or spray the area with wolf urine.  My dog happily digs on past all of  that stuff, but you might try just in case it works for your dog.

My yard currently looks like it's the moon, full of craters, so I know just what you are going through -- I'm going to try the sandbox idea once it's full summer. 

Back yards are nothing more than a bigger kennel to a dog. You want to see just how exciting your back yard really is? Just try standing out there for a hour, then think of the hours your dog stays back there. How often and how long do you walk him for to...help him deal with his energy?

My dog trainer also suggested putting orange peels around the area you don't want them to dig. Unfortunately, my boy seems to like eating those....until we put the cayenne pepper on the peels. He stays away from those flower beds now. Also, praising/rewarding him for burying his stuff in "approved areas" (dropping the item behind a bush, setting it on a window seal or the porch swing, etc., rather than actually digging holes) seems to have helped a lot too. He's just so proud of himself when he finds a place that we both agree on to "hide" his stuff.

ORIGINAL: acesmom

One piece of standard advice is to give the dog a place where she is allowed to dig.  The idea is that you can't stop the instinct, but you can channel it.  So, build her a sandbox and encourage her to dig there by burying treats and toys there for her.  If she digs someplace else, redirct her to her area and praise her for digging in the right spot.  Just like teaching her to potty in the right area -- but you'll need to be there to supervise her. 

This has worked well for quite a few of my students, and has the added benefit of you spending more time with your dog.  Dogs hate isolation, and will often find ways to amuse themselves.  Guardian breeds, like Rotties, may see things passing by on the other side of the fence that they would like to get to.  You really need to be diligent about not letting that happen - it's often how small dogs, or cats, (or sometimes, humans) get attacked by large dogs.  The frustration builds up over time, they get confident because they have been "chasing the intruders away" (that's how the dog can view it as the passersby just pass by) and if they get out under that fence - whamo.
In fact, with Shepherds & Rotts, I usually advise people to put the kennel area behind the house, or in a location where the dog does not see passersby.  Then, make the kennel area as entertaining as possible.  Stuffed Kongs, a marrow bone, a Buster Cube - something to enrich the environment and give the dog something to do.  And, exercise the dog!!!!  Most dogs will not exercise themselves, left in the yard - they'll bark, sleep, dig, etc. to relieve the boredom.

ORIGINAL: spiritdogs


Most dogs will not exercise themselves, left in the yard - they'll bark, sleep, dig, etc. to relieve the boredom.

 
I agree with that, i also agree that it does not matter if you leave your dog in a Toy's R Us for dogs, YOU need to interact with your dog more often
 
Like Awsome dogs said, a big back yard is only a big kennel and you would be digging holes too if you are left by yourself there, take your dog for walks, teach him tricks, play fetch (not only once every 3 days or for only 5 minutes), boredom could lead to frustration and frustration could lead to aggression

A little warning about the chicken wire.  My female is the best little digger around.  She has been getting into that lower portion of fencing and pulling out the chicken wire(as well as underground hose system- man they love ulling that out) with her teeth.  We had been questioning why she kept getting eye injuries, starting this fall and then just last week again....She is apparently poking herself in the eyes while digging away.  We are going to have to reinforce with cement, as she just won't quit. 
 
The dog yard is like a childs play pen.  We have no hope for growing grass there again.  They dig, run and have a bunch of toys. We put hay down to keep the mud from coming in the house when it is rainy.  It works great!  And the dogs like to "help" to spread out the bales!  Great fun. 

We had the same problem.  Finally, we had a truck load of gravel delivered and we put it all around the edge of the yard.  This has been the most effective.  Now, they can still dig in the middle of the yard, but at least they're not digging out to the neighbor's yard.