Digging

Thankfully none of my own dogs have been much of a problem as far as digging is concerned, but a friend of min has a little dog that takes great delight in digging. She is very quick, you only have to turn your head for a few seconds and there is a hole in the lawn. The dog will stop when told to do so, but you can't take your eyes off her or she will be digging again. What is the best way to deal with a digger?

That can be a challenge. I had a digger once, I found that distraction was the best way to deal with what is after all just natural behaviour. If he went out in the garden full of energy with nothing to occupy him the garden would look as if we'd been visited by moles, but if we played ball for a while and then left him with a toy or something to do (he liked those kong type things where you can put treats/food inside and the dog has to put in some effort to get it) he was much happier to just enjoy the garden quietly without digging.

Dogs dig for a lot of different reasons. If it is hot, they may dig to find a way to try to cool themselves. If they are digging along the fence, they may be trying to escape, they may dig because they are bored. Many Terriers because they can smell just about anything underground and that's just what Terriers do. Before you can really curb the digging you have to "dig deeper" to find out why they are digging. Understanding that may help solve the problem. For example if it is to cool themselves, get them a cot, if it is to get to the dog next door, maybe arrange a controlled playdate if both dogs and both neighbors are agreeable, etc...

A cement path right along the fence, like a mow strip, but right against the fence. River rocks all along the fence (not little rocks -- dogs eat rocks), but the big ones. As the one time owner of a digging beagle who scared me to death at least once a week with her successful digging, I strongly recommend one of these two actions ASAP.