The purpose of a fence is to keep the good stuff in and bad stuff out. But this all changes when your dog digging under the fence. This will eventually allow the good stuff, your dog, to go outside and possibly allow bad stuff to get in. So, if you’re worried about how to stop your dog, we’re here to help.
Here at besthedgetrimmers.co.uk, we’ll help you to understand the reason first.
Why Do Dogs like Digging Under the Fence?
If you see your dog digging under the fence, it’s not to defy you or anything. Dogs, like foxes and wolves, their wild relatives, like to dig for several reasons. And you can find a solution easily if you know their motives to dig.
Dogs get bored if they are stuck in one place for long, they dig to get out. Or if they’re hunting for prey, like any animal or insect, they’ll be digging around a specific area. Dogs have valuables that they bury near the fences to keep them safe.
If your dog does so, there’s no solution to stop them from digging because it’s preference-based behavior. If you have any place in your yard that you don’t mind if your dog digs. Then you can redirect them to that location.
Dogs dig to gain your attention too. They want constant love and care. They want you to interact with them and play with them. So, they do stuff that will get your attention. You can identify this if they dig in your presence even though you told them not to.
Or it can be because they want a way to get out or come back in your backyard. This can be because they’re trying to get to or away from something.
Now that we know why your dog digs, how can you stop him?
Let’s find out.
Redirecting to a Sandbox
If your dog is a natural-born digger, this trick might work. In this, you’ll redirect your dog to a safe-for-digging space. Here, the dog can dig freely and can’t escape. This way, the dog would have a way to output his behavior without causing any problems.
You can start by placing loose soil at the place where they dig. Then, place their toys and other safe objects where you want them to dig. Once it starts digging at that place, you can praise it for showing that it’s okay to dig there. Then, if it’s still digging near the fence, tell it ‘no,’ like a command. And take it to the digging zone.
Other than that, you can make the area near fences unattractive by placing large rocks or chicken wires. Then, once it starts digging at the designated place, you can remove the objects near the fence.
Chicken Wire
Using chicken wire is a good method to stop your dog from digging near the fence. This will discourage your dog from digging there, as they won’t get anywhere with it.
For this, you’ll have to measure the fence carefully. Make sure the width of the fence is wider than the holes that your dog made. Once you’ve bought the fence, it’s time to install it.
First, you’ll be placing the chicken wire on the ground. For this, you’d need to dig a trench under the fence. This trench should be deep enough to place the chicken wire inside it.
Landscaping
Another method to stop your dogs from digging is called landscaping. In this, you’ll be decorating the area near your fence to stop the dog from digging. Since you can’t decorate the whole fence, this method is only effective if your dog digs around one specific area.
You can start by planting dog-friendly bushes along your fence. With this, different-sized rocks and stones will do the trick. A stone path would look great beside the fence. It will help in stopping your dog from digging there.
Fence under a Fence
If your dog loves to dig for a way out, the fence under a fence method is viable. In this, you’ll be using a fence like the chicken wire, but it will be hammered in the ground horizontally.
For this, you can get a fence from the store or welder and cut it in half. Make sure the part that you’ll be hammering inside has no bar going left to right. Then, hammer it from the top to push it to the ground.
When paired with chicken wire, it will give you an underground system that will keep your dog inside.
Supervise!
All in all, the best method to stop your dog is by supervising him. It’s boring to be alone, and we humans are the best example of it. We get bored when we’re alone; it goes the same for a man’s best friend.
Interact and play with your dog and build a strong bond. If the bond is strong enough, your dog won’t think about digging. This way, not only will you stop them from digging, but understand the reason why they dig. And most probably, you’ll find an easy solution for it too.
If you go inside when your dog is alone in the yard, you should only follow our tips.
Supervision is always a good act. Its mandatory not only when working with power tools as garden vacuums, lawn mowers, petrol strimmers, but also when taking care of pets.
Digging Under the Fence -FAQs
How do I keep my dog from digging under the fence?
To stop your dog from going under the fence, you can install the chicken wire. For this, you’ll have to make a trench near the fence and place the chicken wire over it. And then cover it with dirt. If you want extra protection, you can try the ‘fence under a fence’ method.
What repels dogs from digging?
If you want to repel dogs from digging, you can try landscaping near the spot. Place dog-friendly bushes and plants or large rocks. This will stop them from digging at the stop. Building a stone path beside the fence is another way to repel them from digging.
How do you fill gaps under a fence?
Suppose you have a gap under the fence and fear that your pets may get out through it. You can follow one of the tricks to fill it.
- You can fill the gap with stones; this will erase all the chances of digging from the stop.
- Cedar Pickets are another way to cover the area. Cedar pickets resist termites and are a cheap solution.
- Concrete wall blocks will help in closing the gap too.
What is a kickboard on a fence?
The kickboard is a piece of wood that is placed at the bottom of the fence. It is in contact with the ground. Kickboards are pressure treated, meaning it is resistant to rot, decay, and pest infestation.
Digging Under the Fence – Prevention
Although all those tips will stop it from digging, you need to get closer to it if you want your dog to stop digging. You can start by interacting and playing with it. Remember that dogs do such activities to gain your attention. Provide it with a sandbox and show it that it’s safe to dig there by praising it. It will solve your problem. Or, you could turn it all around in your advantage. I mean, why buy lawn scarifiers, when you have your own barking one?
