Contents:
Why Do Havanese Dogs Dig?
Stopping Your Havanese From Digging
The Rewards of Digging
Havanese dogs love to dig. This can be a particularly frustrating fact of life if you have a big garden and if your dog loves to dig up your flower beds or tracking dirt and mud throughout your house. There’re a few reasons why dogs like digging, but the good news is there are a few things you can do to deter destruction as a result.
Why Do Havanese Dogs Dig?
A dog’s natural instinct to dig is just that: instinct! Your Havanese drive to dig is just as ingrained as barking or sniffing! Most of the reasons your Havanese digs holes in your backyard have to do with instinct.
Predatory Instincts
It’s not only the Havanese breed that loves to dig, even the proverbial couch potatoes of the dog world has a predatory instinct within them. It’s why your dog loves to chew up their squeaky toys or chase squirrels while on their walk. When your Havanese is exploring the yard, they could very well be hearing and smelling animals that are underground.
Storing Food and Objects
Some Havanese may have a strong instinct to store things they value, such as food, bones, or even toys. They do this because they feel an instinct to hide things to keep safe. Of course, you don’t want their highly prized and chewed up toy around the house, but your Havanese doesn’t know that. Your dog just knows that they love their toy and don’t want anyone else to have it. As a result, your Havanese may start digging holes that serve as a place to hide a bone or toy.
Temperature control
Anyone that’s ever been inside an underground cave knows it can be noticeably cooler when just a few feet below ground. If it’s an especially warm day outside, your Havanese may dig up your yard in order to get to some cooler soil and try to rest there.
Stress and Anxiety
There are several classic displacement behaviors dogs might exhibit when they are feeling stressed or anxious. If a stressed Havanese is pushed over a certain threshold, then they could get so worked up with anxiety that they start digging frantically in an attempt to escape whatever has them so worked up. This can still be the case, even if the perceived threat isn’t a real threat at all.
Stopping Your Havanese From Digging
Because digging is a deeply held instinct in your Havanese friend, you might not be able to stop it completely. Instead, most behaviorist experts say that it is important to provide more appropriate outlets for your Havanese digging, addressing issues that would lead your Havanese to dig in the first place.
They’re Just Bored
We’ve all experienced boredom? But what behaviors do you do to entertain yourself to escape boredom? Are any of the behaviors wasteful or even destructive? It could be that your Havanese finds digging to be far more enjoyable than staring forever at the back door! It could be that your dog is simply having fun digging up your backyard. Is there any behavior that you do just because it’s fun and you enjoy doing it? Are any of these behaviors something that you know isn’t really good for you? If we humans do things just because we enjoy them, then can we really be angry with our dogs for just enjoying life?
Freedom
Some Havanese will dig to pursue freedom. These dogs could really believe that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. You can tell that your dog’s purpose is freedom if they’re digging next to a fence line or under walls. This reason for digging can be the most dangerous for your Havanese! What will they do if they manage to get under that fence?
Rodent Control
Whether you would prefer making your backyard, a Backyard Habitat or you prefer to enjoy nature from afar, you may need to implement some rodent control if your Havanese likes to dig up your yard. There are several ways to make your yard more undesirable for rodents. This can be as simple as planting fragrant herbs and plants, i.e. mint, basil, and thyme. Try to avoid using dirt mulch for your flower beds, as rodents love to burrow and nest in these areas. There are also solar-powered repellents that will use sound and vibration to deter rodents, but depending on the frequencies these could also be a nuisance for your Havanese.
Does Your Havanese Have Enough Shade?
If your Havanese likes to dig up the yard only to lie in the upturned soil, then they may appreciate a shady spot to lounge in. Providing a shady spot for your Havanese to get out of the direct sun can allow them to cool off without seeking out cool soil.
You may never stop your dog’s desire to dig, but that doesn’t mean that you need to constantly struggle with your dog making potholes in your yard.
The Rewards of Digging
Your Havanese will repeat behaviors they find some type of reward in. Therefore, they will stop certain behaviors that don’t produce some type of reward. You are wise to ask yourself what reward your Havanese receive by digging! The answer to this question is your clue to deter your dog’s digging. Try spending some time discovering the positive reinforcement your puppy gains from their digging. Your job is to change this positive reinforcement to a correction. And if you think that this will be a difficult task, then you’re correct! It’s honestly easier to solve your dog’s behavior issues that prevent you from leaving your Havanese indoors than trying to solve their outdoor behavior issues. The reason for this is that most dogs consider the yard to be their territory, not yours. Another reason is that because your dog is often outdoors and on their own, there’s no one around to direct their activities!
Conclusion
Remember that it’s usually easier to solve the issue of why you do not leave your dog indoors than to solve outdoor behavioral issues! Do your best to give your Havanese good consistent exercise. Remember to train your dog both in the house and in the yard. Keep in mind the building blocks of a successful relationship with your dog – love, trust, and respect.
