The 3 Most Likely Reasons Your Husky Keeps Digging Holes
If there is one thing you would want to know about your newly adopted Husky, it would be why huskies love digging holes. Have you recently adopted a Siberian Husky? Are you wondering why they love digging holes and wreaking havoc in your yard? That’s what we look at in this post.
Why do Huskies dig holes?
While Siberian Huskies are not known to be digging dogs, they might still dig holes for several reasons. You will find some of them digging holes when they lack exercise or are looking for a cool spot to lay. You can also find them digging holes when they want to hunt or simply because they are bored.
Siberian Huskies make a friendly breed that enjoys being around people and other animals. But when they are left alone, they may resort to activities like digging. Although Siberian Huskies are not known for digging holes, they might still do it and can ruin a neatly maintained yard.
So it’s important for you to know why Huskies dig holes and how you can prevent it. Since there is often a reason why you may dig, once you understand it, it’s likely that you will be able to control the behavior.
Using our guide which is compiled by a team of loving Siberian Husky owners who have years of combined experience with the breed, you will learn why your Husky digs holes and how you can prevent them from doing so. So let’s get straight into the details.
Your Husky May Not Be Getting Enough Exercise
Perhaps the most common reason why you will find your Husky digging holes is when they are not getting enough physical activity.
Huskies are a high-energy breed, and they need a lot of exercise to stay happy. It is recommended that your Siberian Husky should get around two hours of exercise every day, such as hiking, walking, running, or playing games such as fetch
But when you fail to provide enough opportunities for physical activity for your pet, you will notice a change in their behavior, and they will start looking for alternative ways to utilize their energy. And one of the most common ways you will find your Husky using its energy is to dig.
While Huskies make an intelligent breed, they lack the understanding that digging can ruin your yard. All they are looking for is to find a way to stay active and utilize their energy.
One of the best ways to prevent this behavior by your pet is to keep track of how much time your pet exercises. If you feel your Husky is still energetic even after two hours of recommended physical activity, you can also consider increasing the duration so your pet doesn’t indulge in inappropriate behaviors such as digging to channel its energy.
Your Husky May Be Looking For a Cooler Spot For Resting
Siberian Huskies make a dog breed that is perfect for cooler regions. But if you have a Siberian Husky and you live in a warm country that experiences sunny and warm summers, you may find your dog digging your yard. Since they have a thicker coat that insulates them against the cold, Siberian climate, they seek cooler and shaded areas as the weather gets warm, and that’s why you will find your Siberian Husky digging as the outside weather gets warm.
You will particularly notice the behavior if you leave your Siberian Husky outside during warm weather without a shade, as they will quickly begin to look for a cooler spot to lay in and find relief from the ground heat.
If you find your Siberian Husky digging because you left them in an unshaded spot outdoors, it’s important that you make necessary arrangements to keep your Husky cool and protected, especially during summers.
Make sure you invest in a shade or garden umbrella for your pet outdoors so it can stay cool on warmer days. Moreover, you should also provide them with fresh water outdoors, so they can keep themselves cool and comfortable.
Your Husky May Lack Stimulation
Huskies are an intelligent, high-energy breed, and they often need plenty of physical and mental stimulation to keep their mind and body active. Moreover, they also know a lot of ways through which they can keep themselves stimulated.
From playing with toys to listening to human conversations, Huskies often keep themselves engaged; however, sometimes, they may tend to get bored. It especially happens when they are left outdoors for too long without any toys or treats, and once your Husky gets bored, you will find them digging as it becomes an activity that helps keep them engaged.
You can conveniently prevent Husky digging due to lack of stimulation by providing new toys to your pet regularly. Moreover, if you intend to leave your pet outside, make sure you leave them with the kind of toys that they enjoy playing with the most.
They May Be Hunting
Siberian Huskies are prey-driven and natural hunters. They hunt independently and enjoy preying on small animals and insects. As soon as your Husky sees its prey, it triggers your pet’s drive to hunt, and they will chase its prey for as long as it can.
Similarly, if their potential prey is an insect or animal that burrows underground (such as a rabbit), your pet will start digging in to chase its prey.
If you notice your Husky is reluctant to move away from where they have dug even after they have dug their hole, it could be because your Husky is still looking for its prey.
While you cannot stop the Husky’s prey drive, you can prevent your yard’s digging by keeping a close check on your pet while they are in the yard.
You can conveniently prevent them from digging to chase animals by keeping a close watch on your pup while they are in the yard. If you notice that they are in hunting mode, you can distract them by showing them their favorite toy or a small treat.
Your Husky Might Be Burying Their Belongings
An intelligent dog breed like Husky might not be digging aimlessly. Huskies are a smart dog breed that even knows how to take care of their belongings.
After all, some of the Huskies from the past have been great buriers. They can bury their toys, bones, and even long-lasting treats.
Given their instinctive behavior to protect their belongings, you might find your pet digging into your yard. And you can easily tell when your Husky is digging in your yard to bury something, as you will notice them filling the hole again once they are done.
If your pet Husky regularly digs to bury its belongings, you can create a designated digging spot for them in your yard. Featuring soft, and easy-to-dig soil, your designated digging spot can quickly turn out to be the favorite place for your pet to bury their belongings. Moreover, it will also help you keep your remaining yard safe.