How to Prevent a Dog from Digging Under a Fence: 7 Effective Methods

If your dogs are anything like mine, they are true Houdinis when it comes to evading capture and making their way out of the yard. One of my dogs is a master thief and is always trying to get away. It is very annoying for me that he likes to push through the fence, jump over the fence, or burrow under the fence. Also, jumping over the fence.  

If you have a dog like that, you need to be familiar with these tips to prevent your four-legged pal from digging under the fence. Before we get into that, let's take a look at some of the potential reasons why your canine companion is attempting to run away.  

What's Your Dog Doing Under the Fence with His Digging?

Your dog may be attempting to flee your yard for a variety of reasons, the most common of which are listed below. Discovering the underlying reason why a dog digs under a fence is the first step in discovering how to stop the behavior. Let's take a look at some of these, shall we?

Dogs Dig Holes for Entertainment

If you find that your dog is digging in your flower beds or under the fence, it's possible that he's doing it because he's bored and looking for something fun to do. This is especially the case if you leave him alone for extended stretches of time or if he is not provided with an adequate amount of enrichment.  

If you keep your dog in an area that does not provide him with any toys that he can use to occupy his time and keep himself busy, your dog may become bored and start looking for something to do. This is typically the case with puppies because they have boundless amounts of energy and are constantly looking for something to do. It has come to my attention that your dog likes playing games too

It's also possible that your dog is a member of one of the many breeds of dogs that are specifically bred to be diggers, such as certain terriers or beagles. This indicates that it is fundamental to their species to create burrows, dig holes, and bury items such as toys, bones, and even food. There are some dogs whose purpose in life is to dig, and they take their work very seriously.  

He is on the Prowl for His Prey

A significant number of canines are known to pursue animals and creatures that burrow, such as small rodents or even insects. Some breeds of dogs, such as beagles and dachshunds, have an exceptionally robust instinct to hunt, and these canines will do anything it takes to bring down the prey they've set their sights on.  

In this scenario, the digging is concentrated on a single location, such as the ground around the trunks of trees or shrubs. They aren't planning to run away from the yard, but if they dig in the wrong spot, they could make a hole that leads out of the property.  

He is Attempting to Get People's Attention

Your dog requires mental stimulation in order to thrive. Because he is bored when he is not being sufficiently stimulated, he will frequently try to escape or dig holes in order to get your attention. There are times when even negative attention is preferable to none at all.  

When this is the case, he will frequently engage in behaviors associated with digging right in front of you. He is making it clear that he would like for you to spend some time with him.  

Your dog is trying to dig his way out of the yard.

One of the most obvious reasons why your dog might be digging is probably because he wants to run away. This does not imply that he is unhappy at home; however, it is possible that he has seen other dogs or animals outside the yard, or that he simply wants more space to run around in.  

If your dog has not been neutered or spayed, this is one of the most common reasons for digging behavior. Dogs that have not been spayed or neutered will be attracted to other canine companions when they are in search of a mate.  

It has even been reported that some male dogs will climb through a window in order to reach a female dog that is in heat. In addition, between 70 and 76% of dog bites are from unneutered males1dog bites are from unneutered males That could put you in a very precarious position if your "intact" dog manages to get out of your yard.  

If your dog suffers from separation anxiety, this is another common reason for them to want to escape. Many dogs who have strong bonds with their owners find it difficult to be separated from them, and as a result, they may exhibit a number of symptoms that are linked to the anxiety that they experience whenever their owners leave the house.

What should a person who owns a dog do if they want their best friend to quit digging?

Methods That Will Put an End to Your Dog's Digging Behavior

You want to put an end to your best friend's digging behavior so that he won't be able to run away and so that you can have a nice yard. This is because you are a responsible pet owner who is concerned about the wellbeing of their dog.

There are many of them. strategies recommended by the Human Societyrecommendations made by the Human Society for various courses of action to assist you in accomplishing exactly that Let's take a quick look at some of the methods that have been tried and found to be unsuccessful in preventing a dog from digging under a fence.  

What Is Not Successful

It is ineffective to correct your dog's behavior by punishing him after he has already broken the rules. He is unable to make the connection between the reasons you are punishing him and the actions he has taken in the past. Even if you show him what he did while you punish him, it will not have any effect.  

The way in which dogs' minds operate is simply not like that, and you run the risk of making the situation even more stressful for your cherished friend by doing so. Try as you might to fill the digging pit with something, like water, or tie your dog up close to the hole that your dog has dug, neither of these things will be successful.  

The dogs won't make the connection between his digging behavior and these strategies because of how he does it. Positive reinforcement is the method that has proven to be the most effective in stopping a dog from digging under a fence.  

What Strategies Can Be Employed to Prevent a Dog From Digging Under a Fence?

Now that you are aware of what you should not do, let's look at some of the things that you can do that will be successful.  

1. Determine the Reasons Behind Your Dog's Digging

The first thing you need to do is get a better understanding of the factors that contribute to your dog's behavior. Is he the kind of dog that naturally digs holes, or does he come from a different breed? Is he a young man who possesses an excessive amount of energy? When you leave, does he experience symptoms of separation anxiety? Or is he running away from something and we don't know why?  

After you have determined the reasons why your dog is digging under the fence, you will be able to put into action the appropriate strategies to remedy the situation so that it works to everyone's advantage.  

2. Set Up a Digging Zone

If your dog is a natural-born digger and the typical deterrents aren't working, this method is going to be especially effective for you. By utilizing this tactic, you are providing him with an area in which it is acceptable for him to dig but from which he cannot escape. Therefore, he will have somewhere to direct his behavior, but you will still be able to keep him safe.  

You can instruct your canine companion where to dig by covering the area in which they are digging with sandboxes or loose soil. Then you should bury things in the ground for him to find, such as toys or other harmless objects. When he locates them, be sure to lavish him with a lot of praise.  

Tell your dog "No dig" if you find him digging in an area where he is not permitted to do so. " either by speaking in a forceful and loud manner or by making a loud noise. Then, take him straight to the digging area, and compliment him on his work there as soon as you can.  

You can also make the areas that he is not permitted to dig in less appealing to him by doing things like covering them with chicken wire or large rocks. You will be able to remove those covers and return your landscaping to its original state as soon as he has pinpointed the location of his digging spot.  

3. Ensure that your dog gets an adequate amount of physical activity.

If you notice that your dog is digging as a form of entertainment, you should make sure he gets plenty of physical activity. You need to take him out for a walk at least twice a day and engage in active play with him using things like a frisbee.  

It is also a good idea to consult with a dog trainer and teach your pal a variety of new activities and tricks so that the two of you can spend more time together. This keeps him entertainedThis keeps him amused and occupied. , and if he is a puppy or a young dog, it also helps burn off some of that excess energy.  

Make sure your dog has some chew-proof toys or a treat dispenser to keep him occupied when you aren't around so he doesn't get into mischief. This provides him with an alternative activity to digging under the fence or in other areas of the yard.  

4. To prevent animals that burrow from entering your yard, erect a fence that is humane.

If you have the impression that your dog is hunting, you should take measures that are kind to the animals in order to prevent them from entering the yard. You should avoid using any kind of poisonous substance to get rid of them because it could endanger your pet in the process.  

You could try using something like a capsicum mixture in order to ward off those obnoxious rodents. That will keep them from coming into your yard, and it will also help prevent your dog from digging. You can also prevent them from entering by surrounding the area with a chain-link fence or burying chicken wire at a depth of at least six inches all the way around.  

5. Focus on the Positive and Ignore the Negative

If your dog is digging in the yard in an effort to get you to pay attention to him, you should consider giving him more quality time with you during playtime and walking him at least twice a day.  

If you are certain that you are giving him an adequate amount of attention, then you will need to resort to other methods in order to prevent him from digging. First, you should disregard the negative attention that he is seeking and lavish praise on him whenever he does something good.  

This will teach him that the attention that he craves is directly proportional to the behavior that he displays. Ensure that he has access to a large number of dog toys, and spend some time engaging in interactive play with him using those toys. Therefore, when you leave, you will be able to leave the toys behind, and he will remember you by those toys.  

6. Ensure that his environment is secure, appealing, and devoid of any opportunities for him to flee.

If you believe that your dog is simply attempting to run away, there are a few things you can do to prevent this from happening. First and foremost, if you do not intend to breed your dog and he or she is not already neutered or spayed, you should consider having that procedure done as soon as possible. This prevents them from acting on their natural instinct to wander around in search of a partner.  

If you have already done that or if you are unable to because you will be breeding your dog, another option that is effective is to bury chicken wire at the base of the fence. This will prevent the dog from digging under the fence. Be sure to roll the wire's edges away from the yard before you leave the yard.  

You can also discourage him from digging around the rocks by partially burying them along the fence line. This will work especially well if you use larger rocks. A chain-link fence that has been anchored along the bottom of the fence line and is laid out on the ground in close proximity to the fence is yet another effective method. Your canine companion is going to find it difficult to walk near it as a result of this.  

You may also choose to bury the fence line somewhere between one and two feet below the surface of the ground. Because of this, it will be more challenging for your best four-legged friend to dig deep enough to escape.  

When All Else Fails

After you have tried everything you can possibly think of to stop your dog from digging, there are a few more extreme measures you can try to control his digging behavior.  

In the event that you are required to keep your dog outside, you can confine him or her in a pen. You could even do it. make a DIY pen1make a DIY pen that will be sufficient for your requirements; however, you should make sure to use one that has a ground cover that is difficult for him to dig through, such as gravel. If that doesn't work, you can try putting him in a smaller kennel, similar to the kind you'd use to transport him to the veterinarian.  

Wherever you decide to leave your dog, whether it be in your yard, a kennel, or a pen, you should make certain that he has access to some kind of shelter, a sufficient amount of water, bedding that is comfortable, and a few treats. toys to occupy his time and his mindtoys to keep him occupied, both mentally and physically Never expose them to the potentially lethal heat outside.

At this point, it is also a good idea to work with a dog trainer or behaviorist to help change your dog's behavior in order to improve your relationship with your pet. Dog training can do wonders for his demeanor, even if it's just a little bit. It provides him with something to do, it keeps both his mind and body active, and it allows him to spend time with the person he enjoys spending the most time with, which is you.