The Dog Keeps Digging the Ground

@SIMPLYD (90727)
Philippines
March 3, 2017 4:32am CST
I remember last summer, when one of our dogs at the backyard, an “ aspin “ or asong Pinoy or a local dog , keeps digging the same ground, everyday. My mother-in-law would cover them when she sweeps the backyard , since they are about 2 areas, but would be frustrated that on the next day it they were dug again. So she just let it be like that. We don’t really know why he does that. Mother-in-law said, maybe it’s because the soil is cold and he wants to cool his body since it is so hot during summer. Anybody knows why a dog does that? Has your dog ever done that?
21 people like this
23 responses
@allknowing (130088)
• India
3 Mar 17
I let Preiti do it. . After sometime when she stops doing I get them filled. I really do not know why they do it but I know all dogs do it.
5 people like this
@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
Did Preiti lie on that part ? We didn't see our dog stay on it though. Maybe at night.
2 people like this
@allknowing (130088)
• India
6 Mar 17
@SIMPLYD She would sleep in that hole
2 people like this
@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
@allknowing Probably it's where she sleeps at night indeed.
3 people like this
@josie_ (9764)
• Philippines
3 Mar 17
I think it's their natural instinct. Ever since someone gave me a pair of dogs, I no longer have a garden.
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@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
@josie_ Yes, the front yard dogs also does that to the potted pants much to the consternation of my MIL. So, she puts the potted plants on the top of the porch cemented railings.
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
So, indeed dogs really dig. I think so too that it's a natural instinct. But I wonder if we were correct in our thinking that they dig the soil so they can be in it since it's cooler. But we didn't see them on it though.
1 person likes this
@josie_ (9764)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
@SIMPLYD _They dig even my potted plants. I believe they're filing their nails. I place an old lumber which they use to scratch their nails on.
2 people like this
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
That is my problem with my dogs, they always dig the soil around my garden destroying my plants in the process. This is why I have to keep them away all the time. My husband says, they love the cool feeling it gives them.
1 person likes this
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
@SIMPLYD This is why we have to bathe them on a daily basis when the days are hot.
2 people like this
@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
@salonga That is true. No one would like to bathe the aspins. But those with breed, they are bathe on Sundays when it is sunny, by nieces my BIL pays.
2 people like this
@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
That is what we also think . The soil maybe be cooler for them to be in specially on a hot day.
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@Shavkat (136866)
• Philippines
3 Mar 17
My dogs haven't tried it. But I assume that your dog is looking for bones under the ground.
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@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
No, there wasn't a bone there, as we have suspected too. Though, I have seen our dog at my parents' house does that. Others here said that they lay on it since it is cooler. So, this summer they surely will do it. I think we will just let them , so they can be also in a cooler place.
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
@Shavkat Yes, I understand now.
1 person likes this
@Shavkat (136866)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
@SIMPLYD I agree. Dogs need to have a cooler place to stay. I think this is what makes them digging. Dogs can also suffer from heat stroke.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (454979)
• Switzerland
3 Mar 17
All dogs do this, it's natural for them to dig.
2 people like this
@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
Yes, I do know that as I saw our dog at my parents' house dug the ground and buried the bone after he had nibbled on it for the leftover meat.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (454979)
• Switzerland
6 Mar 17
@SIMPLYD The dog of my niece tried to dig the floor, she taught her dog has a problem, but the vet confirmed that all dogs dig.
1 person likes this
@cacay1 (83270)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
6 Mar 17
@LadyDuck ,hehehehe funny dogs.
2 people like this
@MarymargII (12422)
• Toronto, Ontario
3 Mar 17
Sorry can't help you there although I have seen dogs do this a lot! Weird -ha!
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
So, you have seen dogs do this too. I am now convinced that dogs do that and maybe because my mother-in-law is right as to why. Though, I have seen our dog at my parents' house dug the ground and buried the big bone he has just nibbled on.
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
8 Mar 17
@MarymargII Yes, i agree ! They have a strong sense of smell. They would bark even if my husband is still a distance walking towards the house at night.
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@MarymargII (12422)
• Toronto, Ontario
7 Mar 17
@SIMPLYD Yes, sometimes they bury things but I think sometimes they smell things too!
1 person likes this
• China
3 Mar 17
Many dogs do it .It is said that they do it by nature ,because a dog can dig cave as the wolf.
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
Yes, I know that they can be diggers of soil as they also bury a bone they have just nibbled, for them to dig again whenever they are bored or maybe hungry. Though we haven't seen the dog lay on it after digging, it is conclusive now to say that they dig the soil so they can lay on it where it is cooler.
1 person likes this
• China
6 Mar 17
@SIMPLYD Oh,it is the first time for me to learn that a dog digs the soil for lying on it ,the way they would stay cooler.There is something in what your Mother-in-law said,because a dog has no way of diffusing heat ,apart from doing it by lolling its tongue out of its mouth.
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
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• Bucharest, Romania
5 Mar 17
Animals have strange behaviors sometimes. Your mother in law's explanation might be correct I suppose.
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@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
Indeed. And I also agree with my mother-in-law's explanation. But I suppose your dog don't do this?
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
7 Mar 17
@Cristi_Ichim Well, we should just let them do that, because that's already their nature anyway.
• Bucharest, Romania
6 Mar 17
@SIMPLYD my dog likes to dig and to be naughty generally too.
1 person likes this
@PatZAnthony (14752)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
3 Mar 17
During the hot weather we have one that will dig for a cooler spot.
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
Not, I can truly say that the dogs do that so they can be in a cooler spot. Actually we haven't seen them lie on it. Though on second thought, we seldom take a look at them at the backyard.
@cacay1 (83270)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
6 Mar 17
Maybe there is gold bar friend hehehehe.
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
Oh if there is, we will let him dig more.
@DianneN (246452)
• United States
4 Mar 17
That may be the reason. Our dog used to bury his tennis balls in the dirt under our deck, but nowhere else in the yard.
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
I think so too. Really, your dog bury your tennis balls under your deck but not in the yard! Perhaps your dog knows that you will get so angry if he digs in your yard.
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
@DianneN Oh yes, that makes them not dig it. Unlike with our backyard there are grounds with no grasses and that's where they dig.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (246452)
• United States
6 Mar 17
@SIMPLYD I think it was because the dirt was easy to dig. The lawn has grass.
2 people like this
@Lucky15 (37346)
• Philippines
4 Mar 17
I have the same thought as your mom in law ;)
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
Actually me too , because soil is cooler than the normal ground exposed to the sun.
1 person likes this
@redurnet (1800)
• United Kingdom
9 Mar 17
I had a labrador that used to just like to dig and she would create huge holes for no particular reason. Then I've had a couple of spaniels who dig a small ditch and lie in it when the summer sun is too hot.
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
10 Mar 17
So there, I finally can conclude that they do that so they can lie in it when the sun is too hot. Indeed the inner soil would be cooler.
• United States Minor Outlying Islands
3 Mar 17
He may be gigging up a critter or something. But some do dig up dirt to lie in as well.
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
That could really be so too and also to bury a bone they have just nibbled on and later dig it to nibble again. Yes, I really think now that the dig it to lie on it when the weather gets hotter.
@MGjhaud (23069)
• Philippines
3 Mar 17
I've seen that behaviour before but i never wonder haha.. i just searched online and it says that dogs dig when they're trying to get warm or stay cool. It can also be for fun.
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
So, it's really the reason why they dig the soil.
1 person likes this
@allen0187 (58447)
• Philippines
3 Mar 17
Perhaps the dog is trying to find a bone that was buried in that area?
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@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
Well, that happens really because I have seen our dog at my parents house do that. Actually we haven't seen the dog lay on it. Maybe because we seldom go to the backyard so whenever we are there to look, the dog is in his place already.
1 person likes this
@louievill (28859)
• Philippines
3 Mar 17
Could be an ancient instinct of building a nest or looking for water. Old folks in our province consider it bad luck ( i dont believe in nonsense) same with baying, howling especially at night just like in Pinoy horror movies, soak wetting the ground where the dog digs might break the habit
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
We have heard about that belief too, but don't believe it. You are the second one who said that we should pour some water so the dog will not dig again. I will take note of that since summer is approaching and the dog will surely do that again.
1 person likes this
@brokenbee (11093)
• Philippines
3 Mar 17
I also don't know but I had seen our dogs that after digging, they lay in that area. What my mother does is she covers it again with soil and waters it...
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
Us, we didn't see the dog lay on it. Though now, that you said you have seen your dog do that and lay on it, then it is conclusive that they do it so they can lay on it where it is cooler. Oh, water it after covering it again. That should have been what my mother-in-law have done after covering it with soil again. That will deter them from digging it again since it is already wet.
• Philippines
3 Mar 17
Not sure why but we had dogs who also dig.
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
Then We can conclude that it is normal for dogs to do that. And I think you would also agree in my mother-in-law's given reason which I believe to be so.
1 person likes this
@Kandae11 (53601)
3 Mar 17
My nephew's dog Lion does it a lot. I wonder why they do it.
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
As some have answered here, they lay on it since the inner soil is cooler as the one exposed to the sun.