Unbeknownst to us, digging is such a source of excitement for Goldendoodles. Digging up valued lawns or plants and tracking mud all through your house is a regular complaint among dog owners.
Due to specific behavioral characteristics that make Goldendoodles more prone to destructive tendencies, this tendency can occasionally be more extreme in these dogs. Due to their trainability and laid-back demeanor, Goldendoodles—a cross between a Golden Retriever and a Poodle—have grown to be very popular pets.
The good news is that there are a few things you can do to prevent damage if your Goldendoodle has been digging holes in your backyard. Dogs dig for a variety of reasons.
Why Do Goldendoodle Dig?
To answer that question, Yes! it’s obvious that digging is a behavior dogs have by nature. They aren’t being mischievous or intentionally damaging your lawn; they are just doing what comes naturally to them, reliving the time when dogs used to move in packs that hunt animals in underground dens and hid for protection. The urge to dig in your dog can be as engrained as the urge to bark or to sniff.
After all, dogs even scavenge through the couch cushions before taking a nap. Younger dogs who naturally learn the exercise also exhibit the habit more frequently. You can practically guarantee a digging phase if you have a puppy or young Goldendoodle. Due to their propensity for being more active and engaged, Goldendoodles appear to like digging more than the usual dog.
The Root of the Behavior
Dogs are natural hunters and even our cuddly Doodles are predators. Dogs dig for a variety of reasons, but their wolf forebears are at the root of this behavior. Nowadays, dogs bury whatever they can get their hands on, from goodies to their favorite toys, and the more active the dog, the more likely it is that he will develop a passion of digging.
The majority of the causes for your dog digging holes in your backyard are instinctual. In certain breeds, human intervention strengthened the digging instinct even more. In actuality, dogs dig for a wide variety of causes. They are consider terriers. These canines are also referred to as “earthdogs” since they may hear and smell animals that are underground when your dog is roaming the yard.
In an effort to catch the animals they hear and smell, your Goldendoodle may start digging frantically in yards populated by rodents like moles in an effort to locate anything they can hear or smell. They enjoy playing, and if you’ve ever raised a Goldendoodle, you know that these dogs need a lot of time, love, and attention to be content.
They dislike being apart from their owners for an extended amount of time, and they need to play and exercise every day to stay physically and mentally fit. However, Goldendoodles aren’t hard to raise and don’t require a lot of open area to get the necessary amount of playtime. It all comes down to how much attention your Goldendoodle is getting and how active he is in general. A dog, especially a Goldendoodle, is more likely to engage in destructive behavior whenever they become bored.
Dogs most frequently engage in digging when they are bored. If you observe that your Goldendoodle is attempting to leave the yard to explore new places or even look for a partner. But bear in mind that not all escape artists want to have a good time. Some dogs will attempt to flee if they are anxious, bored, uneasy in the yard, or afraid to be by themselves.
Encouraging the Behavior
What can we do to stop our furry pals from digging up our gardens because we all like our Goldendoodles and likely also adore our lawns? As was mentioned, your dog has instincts that we can’t control and shouldn’t try to eradicate, so we need to come up with a solution that benefits everyone.
To begin with, you must determine why your dog is digging. There are numerous reasons a dog might dig, though boredom will typically be the cause in cases involving young Goldendoodles. Your Goldendoodle might be digging to cool off if you live in a warm or hot area. You may keep an eye on your Goldendoodle to determine if he is digging just for the sake of digging or if he is burying something.
Finally, take into account whether or not the digging takes place whether you are at home or away. These indicators will assist you in determining whether the problem is behavioral or related to an outside factor. My preferred method for doing this is to provide your dog a dedicated area to dig in while also teaching him that digging is acceptable only in that location.
If you can just make your chosen spot the most appealing place for your dog to dig, this is not difficult. The greatest technique to educate your dog to dig in the place you want him to is to give a sandpit. I’m sure we’ve all smiled while watching dogs dig at the beach with sand flying up behind them. Either create a permanent sandpit in your garden or provide a sandbox just like you would for a kid to do this.
Other Solution And Consideration
The lively, upbeat, and trusting personality of your Goldendoodle can be preserved by giving them lots of love and care. Maintaining your Goldendoodle’s mental and physical activity will help to prevent any negative tendencies from developing out of boredom or nervousness.
You are the source of comfort and company for your Goldendoodle during the course of the day. Therefore, I urge the owners of my Goldendoodles to act morally and to spend quality time with them each day.
Final Thought
Digging holes in your yard is never something your Goldendoodle will choose above playing with you. Understanding why your dog engages in this behavior can go a long way in reducing it, so by coming up with a solution and teaching him that digging is permitted but not wherever he chooses we are living in harmony. We don’t want to deny our canine friends’ natural instincts, but we also don’t want our gardens destroyed.
So it’s obvious that digging is a behavior dogs have by nature.