sudden digging problem

Question
Hi Dr Connor,

I have an eleven year old daschaund/chihuahua mix. As a puppy, she dug a little but I guess she soon got preoccupied with chasing bugs and squirrels. Last year I moved from Texas to Georgia and brought her with me.  I thought she might be a little jarred by the move but she loved it!  She has been very comfortable for the last year.  We have been taking her for walks, taking her camping, she still has a big yard to play in, she seems very happy.
Within the last week she has started digging, but not like when she was a puppy.  She has been digging holes to China!  I have tried to scoop her poop in the holes to prevent it. I have tried putting Cayenne Pepper in the holes to prevent it.  We have put big garden stones in the holes; but she still finds new places to dig.  I don't know what's going on with her.  We have not changed her diet, rearranged the furniture, brought in a new pet or child... I have tried to think of anything that would be disturbing her and I can't.  I am still waiting for her to hit that old age wall when she will start acting funny... am I there?  Please give me any advice you can. Thank you so much.

Answer
It appears that in your new home you might have underground dwellers.  The Doxie is bred to go TO GROUND after badgers and they will tenaciously dig their way to China if they scent or hear 'creatures' under the sod.  Moles?  Other little visitors? if this is the case, she's following her genetic mandate and there's little you can do to dissuade her, given that "treating" her hole will cause her to create a new one.  The only thing you can attempt is observe every single move she makes outdoors and use a strong conditioned response to a command to divert her.  This command must be SOLID, 100% reliable, and heavily rewarded (after positive reinforcement training) every single time with a small handful of special food treat.  Her hole digging is highly self rewarding and genetically driven.  A replacement behavior must have a higher appeal in terms of reward.