Huskies are a fantastic breed of dog. Most people know they are high-energy, playful goofs who want to run and run and run! However, most people don’t realize they are also avid and skillful diggers.
The Husky paw is perfectly designed to dig. They have naturally webbed toes, tough pads, and tough nails that allow easy movement over snow and ice. This design also makes for excellent digging skills.
Is There A Way To Stop My Husky From Digging
To stop your Husky from digging up your yard, you must understand why it is digging. Digging is a natural behavior for all dog breeds, and they do it for a reason. If you know why they are doing it, it will be easier to distract them from digging and leaving your yard like a mine zone. Many people create digging pits for their Huskies, encouraging them to dig in that area only.
Why Do Huskies Dig
Huskies, as well as other dog breeds, dig for several reasons. Digging is a natural activity for dogs, as it is a hangover from their wild ancestors.
- To bury food.
- To find water.
- To create a cool place to lay down.
- To create a warm den to shelter in.
- To relieve boredom and anxiety.
- To release excess energy.
- To get to insects and other animals underground.
- They enjoy digging.
- To escape their enclosure.
How Can I Encourage My Husky Not To Dig
All is not lost, it is possible to reduce the damage of digging in your garden, but it will take time and close supervision.
We made the mistake of leaving our Husky girl unsupervised in the garden, and she ended up digging up a fully grown palm tree! We filled the holes with soil, bricks, and large stones, but she dug around them, and we had to get the tree cut down.
We created an area for her to dig and directed her to this area whenever she started digging elsewhere in the garden.
Many people make a digging pit for their Huskies filled with sand or soil. You can encourage digging in the selected area by hiding toys or treats in the sand or soil. However, you must keep a close eye on your Husky and redirect them when they start to dig elsewhere. Some Huskies just enjoy digging, so having somewhere for an outlet for this activity is a good idea.
Your Husky may dig to find water or create a cool resting area in warm weather. You can resolve this by having a paddling pool of water in your yard and a shady spot for your Husky to rest.
To stop your Husky from trying to dig a warm den in colder weather, it might be worthwhile to have a kennel in your yard.
The best way to deter your Husky from digging because of excess energy, boredom, or anxiety is to ensure they are well exercised daily. Huskies are a working breed and need appropriate exercise to meet their needs. A large yard or garden is no substitute for a hike, run, or long walk. Huskies also require a lot of interaction from humans and other dogs; they are a very social breed. Having some toys in the garden can also help relieve boredom.
My Husky has an active life; we are out every day walking, running, and swimming. However, when she is lying in the garden resting, she has been known to bite a chunk of soil out of the grass. She sensed something underground and decided to investigate. The only way to get around this is to eliminate any underground pests. I replace the sod of grass and redirect her with a treat, toy, or chew. In my opinion, having bugs in the ground helps the soil.
The escape artist Husky who will try to dig their way to freedom is trying to get out for a reason. Unfortunately, some need is not being met, and they have decided to take matters into their own hands, so to speak.
It’s a good idea to ask yourself why your Husky is trying to escape. Have they had enough exercise? Are they neutered, or are they trying to mate? Are you spending enough time with your Husky, or is your Husky looking for mental stimulation and attention from other dogs?
It is a good idea to have the fencing underground so that your Husky cannot dig under the fence. Chicken wire underground beneath the fence is a deterrent.
Will A Husky Dig Under A Fence
A Husky who wants to escape will dig under a fence to go off on an adventure of their own. So again, the best way to reduce the risk of escaping is to ensure that your Husky has had enough physical and mental stimulation. A well-exercised Husky who has enough mental stimulation is a content Husky. This is an intelligent breed that needs to use its brains and muscles.
How Can I Stop My Husky Digging Under My Fence
Having a fence around your yard or garden is a must when you have a Husky. However, if you have an escape artist prone to tunneling under your fence, you will have to extend your fence underground. Extending chicken wire underground from your fence is more cost-effective to deter digging.
However, you cannot beat a good hike, bike run, a long sniffy walk, or a play with another dog to release some of that Husky energy. Sniffy walks and playing with another dog is a great way to work the brain and body. Playing with another dog also meets the need to be social and should reduce the need for your Husky to escape for their adventure.
Final Word On Husky Digging Antics
When my Husky Luna was younger, she was an avid digger. It was treacherous walking across our garden because you would fall down a Luna Pit, and we lost a tree! The digging was our fault as we weren’t consistently redirecting her to her digging area as she would be in the garden while doing something else.
We got on top of the digging by meeting Luna’s needs. We extended and varied her exercise routine, allowed more dog interactions, and upped her training. We would take Luna to the beach and the sand dunes, and she would dig there. A content Husky is less likely to dig up your yard or garden. And a content Husky given appropriate outlets for digging is less likely to destroy your garden.
We hope you found this article helpful.
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