How do you stop a dog from digging?
Short answer: you rarely stop digging by punishing it — you redirect it. The fastest-working fix is a three-part plan: give your dog one dedicated digging zone it's allowed to use, burn off energy with daily exercise, and hand over a long-lasting chew to keep its mouth and brain busy when the urge hits. Digging is an instinct, not defiance, so the goal is to give that instinct a better outlet. Below is exactly how to do it.
I'm Preston Smith, co-founder of Bully Sticks Central. I've watched plenty of dogs (including customers' yard-wrecking pros) turn the corner on digging, and it almost always comes down to redirection plus a good chew.
Why do dogs dig in the first place?
Dogs dig for a handful of very normal reasons: to chase burrowing prey they can smell, to carve out a cool spot on a hot day, to bury or dig up a "treasure," to escape a fence line, or simply because they're bored and full of energy. The American Kennel Club notes that digging is a natural behavior tied to breed instinct, temperature, and stress relief, so figuring out why your dog digs tells you which fix will actually work. (AKC)
Six proven ways to stop a dog from digging
- Create a dedicated digging zone. Pick a corner of the yard, loosen the soil, and bury a few toys or chews there. Praise your dog every time it digs in the right spot. You're not banning the behavior — you're giving it an address.
- Exercise before the digging starts. A tired dog digs far less. A brisk walk, fetch, or a training session earlier in the day drains the energy that would otherwise go into your flower beds.
- Train "leave it" and reward the alternative. Interrupt calmly, redirect to the digging zone or a chew, and reward the moment your dog chooses it. Punishment after the fact just confuses dogs — the VCA recommends redirecting to an acceptable behavior instead. (VCA Animal Hospitals)
- Make the hot spots unappealing. Rocks, chicken wire laid just under the surface, or the dog's own droppings placed in favorite holes will usually discourage repeat digging in that exact spot.
- Beat boredom with a chew. Boredom is the number-one digging trigger. A chew that lasts more than three minutes is one of the cheapest fixes there is.
- Address loneliness and escape. Dogs left alone too long may dig at fences to get out or to relieve stress. More company, more enrichment, and a secure fence line all help.
Why a good chew is the digging fix most people skip
Digging is usually a symptom of an under-occupied dog, and chewing scratches almost the same itch — it's focused, satisfying, and it tires them out. That's where the right chew matters. At Bully Sticks Central our chews are 100% natural, single-ingredient, made from 100% real meat, fully digestible, and contain no rawhide. Everything is ethically sourced from grass-fed American and Argentinean farms and 100% high-quality guaranteed.
A few options that hold a digger's attention:
- Bully sticks — the go-to long-lasting chew. Here's everything you need to know about bully sticks.
- Single-ingredient chews — no fillers, no mystery additives. Learn why single-ingredient chews are worth it.
- Puppy-safe options — if you've got a young digger, start here: bully sticks for puppies.
Hand one over right when digging usually kicks off — say, when you head outside to garden — and you turn your dog's peak digging window into quiet chew time.
What about weather, prey, and other yard factors?
If your dog digs shallow pits and lies in them, it's probably cooling off — give it shade and water. If the digging clusters near fences, molehills, or garden edges, it's likely chasing prey or an escape route, so dealing with the pests and securing the fence solves more than any command will.
How long does it take to stop a dog from digging?
Be patient — this is a habit, and habits take weeks, not days. Expect a stretch of dig, refill, redirect, repeat. Stay consistent with the digging zone, the exercise, and the chews, and the holes get fewer and farther apart. The aim isn't a dog that never digs; it's a dog that digs where you want and chews when it's bored.
Quick FAQ
Will punishing my dog stop the digging? No. Punishment after the fact confuses dogs and can raise the stress that fuels digging. Redirect to a digging zone or a chew and reward the better choice instead.
What's the fastest thing I can try today? Give your dog a hard, long-lasting single-ingredient chew at the time it normally digs, and add one extra walk. Those two moves address boredom and energy — the two biggest triggers.
This post was last updated at August 6, 2026 20:45
