Beagles are notorious diggers and love to dig in your yard, at the beach, and even between pillows and cushions. So why does your beagle turn every soft thing that they see into an excavation site? 

Beagles have been bred to hunt foxes, rabbits, and small birds for hudnreds of years. Therefore digging is an entirely normal behavior for them. Beagles are especially compelled to dig in outside in the dirt where small animals like moles and rodents live. They also burrow in blankets and into their bedding to create a safe and secure den-like space. 

In this article, I’ll get into the exact reasons why beagles are compelled to dig, and how you can discourage the behavior when they’re digging inappropriately.

Why Do Beagles Dig?

Beagles can dig for many reasons. Beagles will not only indulge in outdoor digging but indoor digging as well. Digging is a deep-rooted canine instinct, and sometimes dogs dig for fun also. 

Though it is a common behavior, the exact reason behind it could give you some important insight about your beagle’s health. I’ve included a list of common reasons below.

To escape or track a scent

Beagles love being outdoors, so if you find your beagle digging under or at the fence line, it might be because they hear something or got the whiff of something that drives this innate behavior. 

Beagles have of the best noses in the canine world. When it comes to hunting skills, beagles are undoubtedly one of the best, but sometimes their noses can fog their better judgment. 

You’ll probably notice your beagle always has its nose to the ground, especially when outside. So if a beagle stats to dig in a backyard, it may be because they have caught the scent for a gopher or a mole. While this was fine for hunting, it can wreak havoc on the modern backyard. 

Because are also notorious escape artists, and will often dig to get out of enclosed spaces like backyard fences. They tend to escape for a variety of reasons, but the main ones are out of separation anxiety, or if they’ve just caught a scent that they simply can’t resist tracking down. 

Lack of exercise

Beagles are powerhouses of energy and are always ready to run, which means they can easily get a little stir crazy if they aren’t being walked frequently enough. 

Often, they will convert all of this pent up energy into bad behavior, such as digging. If your beagle is digging up a mess of your home, indoors or out, you may want to think about how often they’ve been getting walked, and adjust accordingly.

Beagles are an active breed, and find purpose with having a job to do. By keeping them busy and occupied, you’ll have way fewer messes on your hands in the long run. 

Boredom and separation anxiety

Another reason your beagle may dig is that he is lonely or bored. Beagles are pack animals and cannot handle isolation. 

As I mentioned above, they’re also particularly prone to separation anxiety. If a beagle is left on their own for too long, they can quickly become bored and develop a panicked feeling of being alone. 

This can make your beagle start to behave in irrational ways, like trying to escape or dig their way out of their home. If you’re leaving your beagle alone for a long time, you’ll want to make sure that they are properly entertained. You can check out our guide on entertaining beagles while you’re away right here. 

Hiding treats and toys

Hiding toys and treats is also a natural instinct in dogs. They bury their food and treats for later use. They may bury bones or other foods out in the yard and even inside the house. 

Beagles were bred to have a hoarding instinct as well for cold winters. This behavior could be a result out of boredom, or as a way to get attention from the rest of their pack.

Ultimately, hiding their toys is an indication that they do not want to lose their most prized possessions. To discourage this in a healthy way, try using crate training with big blankets, so that they have a safe place to bury their belongings under the blankets, rather than in the backyard. 

Hunting

A common beagle trait is tracking animals of all sizes. And as I mentioned above, a lot of those animals like gophers and moles tend to live underground. While scent tracking is one thing, hunting is another altogether. If your beagle is playing out their oldest instincts by hunting, it will be tough to detract them from their mission,

One thing that you can do to try and curb this behavior, since you can’t keep them away from nature, is to use pest control with dog-safe products to repel animals from your yard. This way your beagle won’t be going crazy trying to protect your home from potential animal intruders. It’s crucial not to use harmful chemicals or traps in this process, because you wouldn’t want to accidentally harm your beagle while you’re at it.

If you’re on a larger piece of property, you could also consider investing in a specific place for your beagle to safely dig to their heart’s content. 

Temperature

Hot temperature is actually another reason beagles can be drawn to start digging.

When it starts to get hot out in the summer time, where the sun is beating directly overhead, beagles will act on instinct and will start to dig directly into the soil in order to create a cool, comfortable place to rest, like a fox hole. 

Beagles tend to only do this if they don’t have easier access to shade already, so if you think your beagle may be at risk for heat stroke, you should consider investing in plants, trees, tables, or other structures to help keep them shaded while they’re outside playing. Additionally, you should always make sure that your beagle has easy access to water on hot days, as they can get dehydrated a lot easier than humans can. 

Another easy way to cool your beagle off is by using an automatic sprinkler that’s timed to go off every once in a while. This can be a great way to entertain them as they’ll want to chase the water, and the water will be a great relieving way for them to cool off. 

Dangers of Digging Outside

There are quite a few potential dangers that you should be aware of when it comes to backyard digging. 

One big danger is simply the elements of the wild. There are a ton of different types of animals that can cause harm to your beagle. Venomous insects and snakes, bees, wasps, hornets, and larger animals can be disturbed by digging, which can but your beagle in some serious harm. 

There have been many cases of insects swarming dogs as invaders, and you never know what types of allergic reactions that your dog may have with certain types of bites, scratches, or stings. To play it safe, you’ll want to discourage outside digging and prevent it whenever it’s taking place in front of you.

Beagles can also get infections from cuts by digging around in the backyard that can affect any parts of their body. From ear infections to red and watery eyes, you’ll want to be wary about the potential reactions that your beagle could be having to the debris that they’re kicking up. They’re not like us humans, and aren’t able to as effectively groom themselves.

Because of this, you’ll want to take some extra time to try grooming them after particularly messy adventures in the backyard in order to prevent unwanted infections and ailments. 

How to Prevent a Beagle From Digging

Digging does not mean misbehaving inherently, but it is imperative to find solutions for this behavior as it can sometimes be destructive. 

As we’ve seen, beagles can dig for a variety of reasons such as boredom, loneliness, to track a scent, to escape, or maybe due to their hyperactive temperament. To stop your beagle from digging, you first need to figure out the reason behind this behavior. You also need to accept the fact that it is natural for dogs to dig.

Your beagle is genetically predisposed to dig. If your beagle’s digging is associated with boredom, then you need to give enough mental stimulation and exercise. Whatever may be the reason, it is essential to train your beagle not to dig using different methods. Some of my favorites include:

1. When your beagle is out in the yard, you can distract them from digging by giving appropriate dog toys or have somebody play with them to keep him busy.
2. You can also try taking your beagle for long walks. Beagles are energetic dogs and love to go hiking and on long trails. If you are already doing that, your beagle may need even more stimulation. With practice, you can extend your walk time or increase the number of walks that they get every day.
3. Try spending time with your beagle teaching them obedience commands such as sit, down, stay, come, and more. Beagles need a lot of physical and mental exercises to get rid of all that pent up energy, and training will satisfy these needs. Take your beagle to the dog park and let them run around. If you provide appropriate exercise to your beagle, they won’t have any energy left to dig.This will not only help them socialize, but also tire them out so that they do not feel the urge to dig.
4. You can also make a sand or dirt box for your beagle and fill it up with a soil that is different from the one in your backyard, so that your beagle can learn the difference between appropriate digging and inappropriate digging. You can bury toys, a couple of bones, and other exciting things and treats inside the box for your beagle to dig there and not anywhere else.
5. If your beagle is having a hard time staying out of a certain part of a yard, you can also try using an invisible fence to keep them away from important things like plants or certain kinds of flowers in your garden. This fence will deliver a slight, humane shock to them, along with some warning noises so that they know to stay away from the off limits parts of your yard.
6. It is not easy to distract a beagle once they have got an exciting scent tracked, but you can break your beagle’s concentration by using a shaker can or empty cans filled with stones or coins or even clapping. This can help distract your beagle from digging and redirect them to more appropriate behaviors.
7. Beagles are incredibly friendly and love being around people. They cannot spend long hours alone. Being alone for a long time can trigger feelings of anxiety. So do not leave your beagle alone for an extended period of time.
8. Never yell or punish your beagle for digging. Beagles are extremely sensitive and do not comply with punishments. If you catch your beagle digging, direct them to some other activity, and reward them for choosing that activity over digging.
9. If your beagle has been trying to dig to catch burrowing animals, then you can use some safe methods to keep them away from your property. Do not use any poisonous products that could be harmful to the wildlife and your beagle as well.
10. Your dog could be hiding their treats and toys for several reasons, such as instinct, anxiety, possessiveness, and more. If your beagle is extremely possessive about their toys and food, it could indicate anxiety and may require the advice of a trainer. Sometimes your beagle may hide items belonging to family members. In this case, they are acting out for attention, and the behavior needs to be curbed as soon as possible.

Why Do Beagles Dig Indoors?

One aspect of digging that confuses a lot of pet owners is indoor digging. Often they’ll find their beagles digging through blankets, pillows, and couch cushions, for no seeming logical reason. This is just them acting on their instincts, even if they know it’s inherently futile.

Beagles will try to softly dig at blankets to try and hide their toys. If you crate train them with soft blankets, they’ll start to feel more independent and will use their crate blankets as a place to safely hide their belongings an a way that isn’t destructive or disruptive to the rest of your home. 

In cases where your beagle is causing damage to your bedding, tables, or floor, you’ll want to try and deter the behavior in a calm manner. Try using apple bitter spray on areas that the people tends to dig, as a way to make them uninterested in the bitter aroma. You can also try distracting them when they start digging, and praising them when they stop digging in lieu of other activities. 

Final Thoughts

As long as your beagle is kept happy and busy inside the house or outside, they are less likely to dig. However, digging is a natural instinct and at times it can be hard to suppress. Occasional scuffle in the soil isn’t a big problem, but repeated digging can turn into a destructive behavior and should be discouraged. 

If you are unable to solve your beagle’s digging problem, you can consult a behavior specialist as well. Your beagle needs your love and attention, so take out some time every day to play one-on-one at home or go on a walk together to expend some of that built up energy.