Our boy star has this week started digging a hole in the garden.
He has shown no interest in hole digging since we got him in january. He doesnt bury anything and doesnt try anywhere else in the garden. Its just one specific patch he has started to enjoy digging.
Anyone know why or what I can do to discourage this behaviour?
Thanks.

it could be the heat, the soil he digs up will be cooler than the soil on the top. Or is there any pets buried there?

I've got 2 that have been doing that this week.  We have a conifer hedge with membrane and pebbles underneath to prevent weeds.  Both dogs have scrabbled the pebbles out of the way and dug huge holes in the soil.  They have then laid in them for hours on end.  I'm sure its to avoid the heat as they are 8 and 9 years old and only once done it before - in the summer!!

The hole he has dug is on the grass. Nothing is buried underneath. Once hes dug the hole he walks away. Weve refilled it but he just digs it again. I did try sprinkling pepper around the area to put him off but to no avail.
Am still baffled :-)

Misplaced instinct?
As others have said, dogs often like to make a cool "nest" in hot weather (mine do it too), maybe yours has the same idea but not enough of the instinct coming through to know why, where and how to do it!

Thank you MsTemeraire. That could be a valid reason. What can I do to stop this? I don't want it to become habit and something he does all the time or elsewhere!!

I would say he is hot try putting a fan on the floor for him.

You could also try hosing down an area of the garden that is in the shade because as it evaporates it will cool the ground and the dog or wet towels/vetbed/blanket down outside in the shade should help.

Are you plagued with moles by any chance??  I know someone whose dog started to dig randomly and it turned out they had moles tunnelling underground! 

As far as I am aware we don't have moles (no mole holes) and he is being kept as cool as we can in this heat.
I really am stumped.

Is he perhaps getting less excercise because of the hotter weather? Perhaps this is why he is digging?My pup will dig a hole if he gets bored...we divert him with some indoor training,throwing a toy to retrieve,or give a chewtoy.
  My last dog used to dig a lot as she was very high prey drive and the lizards used to stimulate her to hunt and then dig. I used to put plastic stacking trays in between my plants so the bare areas were protected.Maybe cover the area he has chosen with something temporary to break the habit?

Had this with a Rott, after filling it umpteen times and putting stones etc in we ended up filling it and putting a suitable size piece of weldmesh over the top - well pegged down! She gave up and didn't start anywhere else either which we thought might happen.Once she had given up and the grass had regrown we just removed the mesh.

Hes getting his normal exercise at the same times so I dont think its that.
I have now covered the area with a piece of board.he hasnt shown any interest in removing the board or digging elsewhere so hopefully this will do the trick :-)
Thanks everyone.

Dogs dig, some more than others. My garden is one huge hole, in fact it's no longer a garden but more of a dog playground. I don't care I don't like gardening anyway!! If you want a nice garden don't have a dog.

Della just likes digging in her special hole!
Once -- years ago I think there was a hedgehog there under some leaves and she started digging it then. She has had a go in another place but I deterred her. The hole is about 1m in diameter and about 0.4m deep. As it is hidden from view behind a large conifer with branches touching the ground I ignore it.
Louise

I disagree. Ive owned a dog for nearly 7 years and its never really affected my garden.
Now I have a second dog it has made a difference but I am still proud of our garden and it gets admired by our visitors.
I was concerned that the dog may be distressed or an illness hence why I asked why he was doing and how I could break the habit. I was more concerned about his welfare than the state of my grass but thanks for the comment of "if you want a nice garden dont have a dog"......very helpful :-(

I disagree too. Digging seems to be a phase they go through but they can easily be trained out of it; you might need to have fencing around certain places for a while (and I've got bits of mesh pegged down on the lawn where I've filled and re-seeded where Molly's dug up ants' nests) but the others have done this too and stopped within a few months, and I have a nice garden again. With each puppy we joke that they're trying to recreate the Somme, but it's only temporary.

That's why I said some dogs dig more than others. If you have a digger then you're more likely to get holes. In this hot weather they especially like to dig. Pups go through a stage of learning to dig at about 7-8 weeks, even then some do it more than others.

We had one litter where 2 of them actually buried a garden toy at this age. They're adults now...4, no 5 years old but they both still like digging according to their new families. Personally I'd rather they dug than ripped my sofa to pieces or chewed my antique chair leg, both are a phase they'll hopefully grow out of but some just don't.

You obviously treasure your garden, I hope your new dog isn't a habitual digger.

He isnt a new dog, weve had him for 6 months and this is the first time hes done it so he is not a habitual digger. This behaviour is out of character.

I think it must be something he fancies doing at the moment, perhaps weather related so will be doing what I can to ensure this doesn't continue. I dont fancy A garden like the somme, hahaha :-)

Well my new rescue Bella has dug two hole one at the back of the garden between the fence and the evergreen and another to the side between the wall and tree.....she lies in them so I figure its the heat although she has access to inside the house and a fan all the while as well as access to shade through the garden and the paddling pool she loves these two holes. I am not fussed she seems happy enough. 

Hachiko...this link was posted a while ago...http://gardeninganddogs.com/
it is possibile to have a nice garden and dogs.
I only have two dogs,one a new,active pup..the other an old salt.
we have a dog friendly garden,and love to combine the two....never say never!

He isnt a new dog, weve had him for 6 months and this is the first time hes done it so he is not a habitual digger. This behaviour is out of character.

Actually, he could still be settling in ;-)     When we rescued a young adult, he was a paragon of virtue until six months later, when he started to chew everything       Took us a while to get him to chew appropriate things :-)

Regarding the digging,  if he's inclined to dig,  perhaps a sand box with damp sand would fit the bill?     You could fit a cover over it to prevent cats using it as a toilet at night or when you're out   :-)

> He isnt a new dog, weve had him for 6 months and this is the first time hes done it so he is not a habitual digger

I remember reading that a rehomed dog should be considered 'new' or settling in for 12 months!!  Although it sounds like a long time the point the author was making is that some behaviours, habits or customs may take time to resurface; some will be so ingrained that they take a long time to alter; and finally that some may be seasonally affected ie only surface in particular weather or conditions...

Hopefully he can be distracted from his digging before he's created a new pond for you.  Vigilance is key :)

Thank you :-)
The area he was digging has now been covered by a board and as yet (fingers crossed) he hasnt tried anywhere else.
Honestly, we spend all this time house training him so he doesnt trash our home then he thinks he can move on to the garden lol!!!