Digging holes in back yard

[Dad2Paisley]

Our one greyhound has taught our other dog to dig holes in the yard and I am afraid that when they do their running they are going to step in the little hole and hurt their legs. When they are doing their running they really don't look where they are going. LOL

I have dug up the little holes to make them even but they keep going back. 

Any ideas?

[HeyRunDog]

Keep an eye on them and as soon as they show any inclination to start digging a stern NO which could also be followed by throwing their toy or calling them over for a treat to distract them.

Could you provide them with a sandpit in a corner out of the way of their usual racetrack so they have softer ground to dig?

[MerseyGrey]

Buddy dug a monster hole in our lawn the first year we had him. We filled it in repeatedly, and would tell him no when he did it, but the only thing that really worked was to place a garden chair over the hole so he couldn’t get to it. The chair was there for close to a year to allow the grass to grow over it and to stop him from tripping on it when he did his zoomies. The sandpit idea above sounds like a good distraction!

[Remolacha]

Refilling the holes just makes the dog(s) think you are joining in the game  Blocking access to the hole is the only thing that has worked, but a dedicated digger will just find a new spot. I just picked an out of the way area where they had already started a hole and let them have that one and blocked the others. I worried too that they would trip, but they never did, I think they are more aware of where their feet are than we realize.

[greysmom]

Interrupt the behavior and redirect to either a different activity (toy or treat) or to a better spot for the same activity.  

I've never had greyhounds that don't dig so we have one big ongoing "construction project" in the middle of the yard and they run around it.  The hole was begun in 2004 by our first greyhound going after a mole (she was the best mole hunter ever!), and subsequent greys have continued the legacy.  Even the tripod stood in the hole and added to it! 

I tried to stop it in the beginning - filling in the holes constantly, chasing them away whenever they'd get that look on their face - but finally gave in to the inevitable and let them have *one* spot.  What started out as a mole hole is now a 10 foot by 10 foot complex of holes that gets filled and redug over and over again.  The only way to stop them from digging is to block access with rocks or boards.

Lots of people have created sand boxes for digging, but in our neighborhood it would turn in to a very large litter box for all the outdoor and feral cats.  They seem to like digging in dirt, so that's what we do.   

[EllenEveBaz]

I've heard of people scooping up the dog's poop and putting it in the hole to discourage digging there, but even if that worked, wouldn't it just make the dog start digging somewhere else?  

[Legendaryfrank]

...we've given up. he has so much fun digging, our yard is just like a crater now. he hasn't tripped over the little holes hes made or the one large main one he digs. As long as hes happy haha

[sobesmom]

So - IMHO - what's your issue, and what's your end game?  Some people don't want digging because is messes up the yard.  Some people don't want it because children my fall.  Various other reasons, all valid.  And in that situation - address the issue.  Not easy, but it can be done. 

What I think I'm hearing you say is that your reason is worry that the dogs will get hurt by stepping in the holes when running.  If that's the worry - don't.  They know where the holes are.  Let them have their fun.  No harm, no foul.