How to Build a dog sand pit (and protect your garden)

Is your dog digging a nine-hole golf club in your backyard? My golden retriever, Happy, was super happy to do that. At the time, I did not know how to get our canine companion to stop digging, but let me give you one of Happy and Me’s secrets: It is as easy as building a sand pit for your furry friend in your backyard. We managed to help break this bad habit with Happy. We consulted a trainer/behavior consultant from All Dogs Go To Kevin, who gave us the sand pit idea; we were initially skeptical, but it works so well that I want to share it with you. Let’s look at how to stop your dog from digging and start having a good time burning that excessive energy!

How do you create a dog sand pit?

There are probably many ways to create a sandbox. Here are two easy options: Dig one in your yard or buy a kiddie pool and fill it with play sand. As a family, we decided the inground version would be better for our golden retriever puppies. And oh, how they love it! Even our more mature dog, Zaku, likes to get in the sand and find a treasure! Dogs tend to exhibit behavior similar to that of two-year-old babies. As a result, engaging in play is a significant aspect of their daily lives. It is essential to provide them with the opportunity to have a great time while also benefiting from our yard, which will be mostly free of any holes.

How do you build a permanent dog sand pit?

• First, find a shady place suitable for digging in your backyard
• Start digging the shape you want with a shovel (Make sure to have plenty of room for your dog to move freely)
• Dig deep enough so your dog should not reach the dirt  (my son dug a two feet deep one for us)
• Add play sand (not the contractor one; we put about 12 bags)
• Hide dog toys, bones, balls
• Let the fun begin!

Or make a temporary sand pit with a plastic pool (or a kid’s sandbox).

• Buy your plastic kiddie pool in a big store (they are inexpensive)
• Drill some holes in the bottom to remove excess water
• Find a shady place to situate your dog’s sand pit
• Fill it with PLAY SAND (not the orange contractor one)
• Hide dog toys, bones, balls
• Let the fun begin!

On a hot day, it almost looks like you have a Dog Beach!

It is a great way of dissipating boredom for your furry friend and also removing your puppy’s excess energy. I use this good idea for the spring, summer and fall.

Putting a cover is a great idea! 

We found a large piece of plastic to cover our sandpit. Find a good cover for your needs. Close the cover at night. It will prevent stray cats from doing their business in it or any other critter from getting in there. It will also tell your dogs that the activity is over for the day. 

Declutter your yard

Are you ready to organize bones, toys, and balls but unsure where to put them? Sandpits are a perfect solution if you are looking to store dog toys and bones. Hide them, or throw them in the sand. It makes a giant puzzle for another day, and your yard will be perfectly clean for the night.

Digging the earth is a natural behavior of your four-legged friends. 

But you should be in control of where they dig. Flower bed is not an option. Building or buying a dedicated digging spot is the best thing you can do to help their natural behavior and aptitude (smelling, improving their motor skills) without destroying your properties.

For some dogs, digging is a happy behavior. This usually results in random holes all over the yard with no specific distribution near fences/shade/mole holes. The holes are usually deep, and the behavior is not linked to warmer seasons.

• Build your dog a sand pit or train it to dig in a designated yard area with a distinct, diggable substrate (sand). Bury toys/treats/balls in the sand area and train them with positive reinforcement and treats to dig in the designated appropriate place. Consider fencing around flower beds or landscaping.
• Don’t physically punish dogs for digging. ¹

In conclusion

Don’t let your dog destroy your property. Instead of allowing your puppy to dig holes everywhere, channel this energy into digging a sand pit. It will soon become her favorite little bunker, where she first runs when you let her go and hides all her treasure. Smelling and searching are also great mental exercises that dogs need. I wrote a post on exercise limits for happy golden retriever puppies that is available on the blog if you want to dig deeper!

1. https://healthtopics.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/health-topics/canine/why-does-my-dog-dig ↩︎